First, some preliminaries:
- Did I read the graphic novel? Yes, first in early 1991 and re-read it in late December 2008. So the story is fresh in my mind.
- Did I like the graphic novel? Heck, yes. It is truly a monumental work, both in terms of graphic novels and “regular” novels.
So what’s the problem?
I see a few:
- The story itself. It is a very complicated story, on several levels. First, the non-linear nature of the storytelling. It jumps back and forth through time, with little or no explanation of what time period you’re in. It’s not too difficult to figure out while reading it, but may be more difficult on screen. Second, the story is heavy on character development. Their motivations, neuroses, psychoses, etc. are all on display. Character development doesn’t translate well onto screen; at least, not with a $150 million budget and an audience expecting lots of things to blow up (it’s a superhero movie, and that’s what they do: blow stuff up). Third, one storytelling technique used in the graphic novel was a character talking about something while we’re looking at the action happening somewhere else; yet the two relate well (like a third party narrator). Not sure how effective that would be on screen without being confusing.
- The characters are unknown. The average person on the street has heard of Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, etc. Not so with these characters. This movie has an appeal to the fan-geek base. Beyond that, it will be a big stretch. I predict a large opening weekend and then a significant drop-off (at least 40%) heading out of weekend #2.
- Story changes to suit the screen. The big story change (and I’m trying not to give anything away here) is that the giant squid has been cut out. For the ending of the story, getting rid of the squid isn’t that big of a deal. The problem comes up with the other plot threads around the squid, which are very relevant to the overall story, will also have to be changed. That’s where the problem could come in. Also, the Black Freighter comic within the comic has been left out and is to be added as a special feature on the DVD.
- No big-name stars. At least that might draw some casual viewers in.
- The director. Zack Snyder is not “visionary”. 300 was a piece of crap.
All that aside, I would still like to see the movie. But my expectations are very low. I hope I’m wrong, and I do hope that it’s good.