EDIT: It should, it seems, at this point be noted that this is a review of the movie. As such, I am reviewing the movie as a standalone and not with the background knowledge provided by the book. Were I reviewing the book, the statements would likely look completely different than they do now.
I went in with excitement and an open mind. I came out three hours of my life shorter, $30 plus parking fees worth of annoyance, and a disbelieving scowl richer.
When I went to see The Dark Knight in IMAX, I was blown away. The Watchmen preview that I saw blew my mind as well and I thought, 'I absolutely have to see it at IMAX.' At least the trailer was good.
This will be the third attempt I have made at a review of The Watchmen. My thoughts on the film are such that when I sit down to write, they all rush to the forefront of my mind simultaneously, vying for the immediate attention of my hands to type them out, with speechlessness as the paradoxical result. Also difficult, is giving a standard review before a feminist critique. So, here's to trying:
Condensed review of The Watchmen
The Plot:
Maybe.
It is quite possible that I missed something here, at least, I feel as though I have. The Watchmen starts with the promise of engaging adventure, intrigue, suspense, and prolonged excitement. It then delivers only the "prolonged" - a prolonged middle, an anti-climactic climax, a few random fight scenes connected with a thin semblance of meaning or purpose. What I remember:
Fight scene
Nixon
Random dead superheros
Sex
Violence
A fire
More violence
A prison
(Chorus)
Mars
Threat of world-destroying nuclear fallout
A blue pronged cat
If this makes no sense to you, there is a club you can join.
The name Disney has always been synonymous with children's entertainment and more recently, sub par sequels of once successful films. While much of the work coming from Disney is family entertainment and seemingly devoid of any greater purpose besides amusement, I can't help but feel there is much more than meets the eye. The best example of this is the The Little Mermaid (1989). The first time I watched the film as a kid, I was admittedly more captivated by the idea of singing mermaids and tridents that could blow things up than the social commentary behind the film. Indeed, if someone unfamiliar with the film were to pick it up at a local video store and read the back of the jacket for its description, there would not seem to be anything special about it. However, this movie is far more than a watered down version of a Danish fairy tale with a simpering text book happy ending and a bazooka like trident in the hands of a merman closely resembling Santa Claus. When viewed critically, this film can be seen as a feminist satire even by the first time viewer. Truly, anyone interested in subtexts within films not often critiqued seriously and fans of Disney or assorted sea creatures would find this film absorbing and intensely interesting.
On the surface, this is a film about the relationship between a rebellious daughter, Ariel, and her father, talking fish, and a particularly wily cecaelia thrown in. But beneath the surface, there appears to be a myriad of social issues that make the film a scathing and insightful commentary on sexism and the nature of feminism. First, there is the character of Ursula who, upon closer inspection, actually plays the part of a Byronic hero rather than a villain. Secondly, there is Ursula's song, which is a blatant assault on traditional gender roles and sexist theories. And lastly, there are two of the over arching themes of self-acceptance and the limitations of women in a patriarchal society as revealed by conversations between Ariel and Ursula.
The witch is an ancient archetype that has been used in almost every fairy tale. While evil wizards and warlocks play a large role as villains, more often it is a vile witch character who is behind all the mayhem. In fact, the closest comparisons to Ursula's character are the sorcerer Viziers in tales like those from A Thousand and One Arabian Nights. While it seems like a harmless archetype meant more for the intent of cliche amusement than anything else, there is a darker depth to it. Accusations of witchcraft in association primarily with women were often used as a tool of demonization and solidification of oppressive social hierarchies. This usually had quite a bit to deal with a great fear of female knowledge of remedies and skill in cooking by men (who were not often taught or made to have any understanding of these skills). Therefore, it is not surprising that the villain of this piece is a supposedly 'evil' sea witch. Several characters call her a monster and a demon, but the audience is never really given any back story as to why she is so detested. Ursula does admit that she has done some deplorable things, but unlike Ariel's father, who is her male counterpart in the film, she admits to her transgressions and claims she has reformed. When she is first seen, she does seem to aesthetically fit her words, "They weren't kidding when they called me, well...a witch". A large, purple cecaelia with six tentacles is probably not the visual standard audience expect of a 'good' character. Vilifying women by making them either overtly sexualized or ugly was not a new concept at the time of the films production, so it is unsurprisingly she was made outwardly a villain by this physique. And to match this physique, she does act in many ways that could be seen by the casual viewer as evil throughout the film. She goes about her own agenda almost ruthlessly and in a calculating manner but her behavior may only seem out of place because she is not conforming to the stereotypical gender ideal of women. While Ursula is definitely a plotter, she does not really seek out any sort of trouble directly and pursues only legal channels for her ambitious plans.
During the mid part of the film, Ursula sings a song to Ariel, offering her an outlet for her desires. At first glance, this song may appear to be a mere trick to draw a naive Ariel into a bargain she does not understand the ramifications of. And in some respect, it is. However, close attention should be paid to the actual lyrics and the conversation between Ariel and herself. When Ursula explains relatively directly what she does and Ariel voices some concerns, she replies, "You'll have your looks! Your pretty face! And don't underestimate the importance of body language!". She goes even further to cite the treatment of women in the world above, and most likely below, and what Ariel can expect when she reaches the surface voiceless. Far from being evil, this is useful and honest advice- albeit severe. She informs Ariel that she will have to leave her family if her plan succeeds, what will happen if she fails, and the possible dynamics between Ariel and the male gender. Her song details theories held still to this day that suggest a woman should be docile, quiet, and naive or pure in order to be considered a good woman or marriage material. This can also suggest the dismal views of the man-hating side of feminism which assert that each man will behave stereotypically; thus contributing to sexism in the same way.
Ursula's song and her and Ariel's conversations also reinforce the film's commentary on the dangers of self-hatred and female limitations. In her own description of her role as the sea witch, Ursula states that she uses her sorcery for good, and there is definitely something beneath her words. She certainly has a harsh way of dealing with her customers, but it is ultimately very fair. She sings, "Now it's happened once or twice/ Someone couldn't pay the price/ And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals/" after citing two examples of people who sought her out for help with the desire to fix their lives quickly with the use of magic instead of either accepting themselves or improving themselves on their own. And when their plans, rooted in self-hatred, failed and they couldn't pay, Ursula had to follow through on the terms of the contract. It is also worth noting that the two visual depictions of these examples (a merman and woman) both ended up that way because they were trying to conform to sexist ideals. Hence, the thin, 'wimpy' man want to be made handsome and muscular while the large woman wanted to be turned into some ultra thin model. I'm reminded of those commercials for Cymbalta- Where does sexism hurt? Everywhere. Who does sexism hurt? Everyone. Anyway, in the case of Ariel, she comes to Ursula to escape her father's rule and explore the world to find love. Unable to expand her horizons and sate her curiosity about another culture because of her controlling father, she is forced to employ the use of Ursula's magic to accomplish her goals. This leads to the display of an obvious but apt metaphor for the status of women in the world and in the film by the absence of her voice. Throughout the film, she must accomplish most of her goals mute and attempt to better her situation without any real expression of her personality. As it is suggested by her not writing anything down, she is most likely semi-illiterate and with this added limitation she must heavily rely on her physical assets and other forms of stereotypical femininity.
While many may argue that the film is merely what it is and nothing more, there is wealth of evidence to contest otherwise. Whatever the opinion of the viewer may be, it is still an achievement in animation (ground breaking at its time), and beautiful to behold for its use of color and music. But beneath the vibrant colors and crooning crustaceans may lay a more serious subtext, waiting to be discovered by those who, at the very least, are curious about films and their role in social commentary.
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