If you examine the graphic novel genre for about 5 seconds, you will notice that one title is mentioned frequently. A title that is mentioned in the same breath as the word “masterpiece”. And that title is GuardianAdaptations are a tricky business even under the best circumstances, but especially when the source material is of such high importance. Guardians: Chapter 1 is, in many ways, a successful version of the classic graphic novel. And that’s only the first half of the story.
Guardian was written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. It was published by DC Comics in 1986. The story is set in an alternate year 1985 where costumed heroes exist but are outlawed. Only two of them are allowed to work under government supervision. One of them is called the Comedian – and someone just murdered him. Other former masked crime fighters wonder if they’re next, and they get disturbing surprises when they discover the truth behind the Comedian’s death. These characters and the world they are forced to live in are unforgettable.
Guardians: Chapter 1 is a faithful and visually strong adaptation. It retains most of what makes the graphic novel a masterpiece and does so in an animation style that I like. And the voice cast is great.
“This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face.”
The brilliance of Guardian becomes clear when you read it. The framework of the story may start out as a crime thriller with a superhero feel, but the end result is so complex and layered. This adaptation does the smart thing. It takes the attitude that if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Aside from minor changes here and there, this film stays extremely true to the comic. This applies to both the dialogue and the imagery. I like that. Some source material can benefit from a lot of changes when changing mediums, but Guardian is not one of them.
The complexity of this work begins with the characters. These people may be fighting criminals, but they are flawed people themselves. Rorschach (voiced here by Titus Welliver) is the first to suspect that someone might be after “Masks,” so he’s smart. But he’s also psychotic in his interpretation of morality and punishment. The Comedian, on the other hand, may be the murder victim, but he was a terrible person. He himself committed murder in cold blood and is also an attempted rapist. Even the best heroes seem a little ineffective, but that only makes them seem more real, and we root for them anyway. Especially when they’re voiced by actors like Matthew Rhys and Katee Sackhoff.
“The past, even the dirtiest parts of it, are becoming brighter and brighter.”
If you have not read Guardianyou can probably tell from all of this that the film is very adult. Not just in terms of the violence and sexual content, but also in the maturity of its themes. This film maintains all of that. Don’t let the animation fool you – this story is not for kids. It’s rated R for a reason. About this animation: I like the look here. The strong outlines and mostly desaturated colors fit the story. Of course, you could say it’s just copying the comic; but when the images are this memorable, that argument loses power.
However, the source material is not perfect. Guardian suffers from a touch of misogyny. Moore and Gibbons did have the female lead complain about her objectifying costume, but she’s still in the damn thing a lot. That sort of thing has been toned down here so far, and I hope it stays that way in the second half adaptation. (The live-action version of Guardian (Zack Snyder’s 2009 film is actually pretty good, but the same can NOT be said for this one.)
This script isn’t perfect. For example, I don’t know if the inclusion of the pirate comic in the comic would work as well in this medium. But I’m happy with most of it, especially the emphasis on the interaction between the characters Nite Owl and Silk Spectre. It gives this adaptation some heart, which is always a plus. If Chapter 2 is as polished and entertaining as Guardians: Chapter 1then I count the days until I can see it.
4 out of 5 stars
Guardians: Chapter 1 is now available digitally and will be released on Blu-ray on August 27th by DC Entertainment.
