10) The Death Of The Comedian (Watchmen, 2009)
Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Zack Snyder knows how to work a camera and deliver one hell of a fight scene. He did so in spades with 300, gave Superman some big fights in Man of Steel, and opened Watchmen with one of the most memorable comic book movie showdowns of all time.
The scene itself is rather simple, and is confined to one small space: the Comedian’s apartment. When you think about it, it’s one hell of a way to open the movie, as it gets the ball rolling quickly and perfectly sets the tone for what comes next while giving Snyder a bit of time to show off his iconic speed-ramping stylizations.
I, for one, am disappointed that he didn’t use the slow-mo gimmick a bit more in Man of Steel, but am happy to see him fully embrace the technique in Watchmen. The way he shows the Comedian doing battle with his mysterious attacker is brutal, and the slow motion really emphasizes how strong both fighters are, and how important the fight really is.
What’s perhaps best about the scene is not its great choreography or beautiful cinematography, but the unique song choice. Nat King Cole’s Unforgettable plays throughout, serving as a stark contrast to the fisticuffs on screen and a subtle way of telling us just how unforgettable the Comedian is – as the consequences to this fight are what drive the events of the rest of the film.
Now, let’s just hope Zack Snyder makes similar choices with how Batman and Superman duke it out in their upcoming big-screen altercation!
