Complex 'Watchmen' deserves another look on DVD
"Watchmen: Director's Cut" (two-disc special edition) So here we have a longer version of "Watchmen," Zack Snyder's sprawling, flawed but occasionally brilliant superhero epic. Snyder has added roughly 25 minutes of footage to the film for this DVD release, bringing the running time to a stout 186 minutes. I like the added material, and as far as I'm concerned, this is the definitive cut, at least until the "ultimate" version arrives in December!
"Watchmen" tells the story of a group of superheroes in an alternate-reality 1985: America won the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon is still president and masked crimefighters prowl the streets. The superheroes - most of them are just regular people who like to wear costumes and beat up bad guys - investigate the murder of The Comedian, an amoral vigilante-turned-government-operative who was thrown off his penthouse balcony. This plot is little more than an excuse, though, to explore the corners of this strange parallel America, particularly its motley crew of all-too-human heroes.
The film is based on a dense, allusive graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, widely considered to be the "Sgt. Pepper's" of superhero stories. Snyder re-creates the look of the novel with breathtaking faithfulness. He also retains the book's fractured narrative style, often to beautiful effect. But he never quite masters the pacing of this huge story, which results in a final act that feels rushed and confusing. He also indulges in too many of his own filmmaking quirks, like over-the-top violence and slow-motion action scenes (see his "300"). Still, there's a hypnotic quality to "Watchmen," and I hope it finds a long life on DVD. (Special props are due to Jackie Earle Haley, who plays the psychotic vigilante Rorschach; his performance is a stunner, one that recalls the power of Heath Ledger's work in "The Dark Knight.")
The two-disc DVD includes the director's cut of the film, a decent making-of and some behind-the-scenes material originally posted on the Web. It's not a bad release, though I'm looking forward to the Ultimate Collector's Edition due in December, which will include a still longer cut and a wealth of extras. A single-disc DVD is also available (with the theatrical cut only), as well as a director's cut Blu-ray that adds additional behind-the-scenes material. (R; Warner Home Video, $34.99 or $35.99 for Blu-ray)
"Bad Lieutenant" (special edition) Harvey Keitel delivers what may be the finest performance of his career in Abel Ferrara's seething, graphic tale of redemption, "Bad Lieutenant." Released in 1992 with the dreaded NC-17 rating, the film has since attracted a devoted following among film geeks and many critics. With a sort-of-remake hitting theaters later this year, Lionsgate brings the film back in a nice special edition DVD.
Keitel plays the unnamed title character, a snarling beast of a New York cop who sniffs cocaine, shoots heroin, assaults women, gambles and steals. Then a young nun is raped in Spanish Harlem, shocking the lieutenant out of his hedonistic stupor. The nun refuses to help police investigate the crime, saying she has "forgiven" her attackers. Her actions ignite a spiritual crisis in the lieutenant, who begins to wonder if even he could atone for his sins.
"Bad Lieutenant" isn't for everyone. Watching it can be an agonizing experience, as director/co-writer Ferrara documents the lieutenant's horrific behavior with clinical realism (and a few moments of surreal excess). But a strong moral sense hums underneath all the sleaze, and Keitel's ferocious, no-holds-barred performance finds the humanity inside the monster. The new DVD release includes a nice presentation of the film with an excellent making-of documentary and a commentary from Ferrara and cinematographer Ken Kelsch. My only complaint is the absence of Keitel in the bonus features; his performance here is one of the most heart-wrenching I've seen, and I'd love to hear him talk about it. (NC-17; Lionsgate, $19.98)
Also out this week Universal delivers "Fast & Furious," the latest installment of the guilty-pleasure action franchise. The two-disc version comes loaded with extras, so fans should seek that one out (a single-discer is also available). Fox offers "Dollhouse: Season One," and Paramount gives Jim Breuer fans more to laugh at with "Jim Breuer: Let's Clear the Air," showcasing the "Saturday Night Live" vet's stand-up skills.