Watchmen

[UnSub]

OK I literally just watched it. I thought it was a very good adaption of the comic and also I thought a very enjoyable film. I don't get the hate on Ozy either, I thought the actor did a fantastic job. He did not come across as effeminate at all, just calculating in a self absorbed, aristocratic way.

One thing I am glad was cut was the Black freighter stuff, because aside from grossing you out I never understood what the hell was the point of it. Humanity is 1 step away from bieng an animal? That was put forward by Rorshach, and far more effectively. Doing it again just felt that they were banging that drum too much.

It is a consolidation of the parable of Watchmen - an moral man feels the only way to save his family is to do the unthinkable because it makes sense at the time and gets him towards his goal. He makes a raft of human bodies (a plan that relies on the deaths of others to succeed), is carried along by a shark he wounds (some have made the connection of 'raw shark' = Rorschach, who is betrayed and uncovered during the plot), kills and gets back to his family, only to find that his actions have damned him and the only place for him is on the cursed ship the Black Freighter.

I think that it is Moore actually casting his dice against Ozymandias - he's damned himself in an attempt to save the world and that things wouldn't end well for him.

[Hindenburg]

Do we ever see him without a shirt?

[Ironwood]

Very dissappointing.

A Shame.

[Sir T]

Do we ever see him without a shirt?

Not in the film. in the comics once, from far off and very briefly.

[ghost]

I saw this last night.  It was pretty spectacular.  If you didn't like it you should probably turn in your geek card

[Broughden]

Saw it two nights ago. Sympathized with both the Comedian and Rorschach.

[stray]

Of course you did.

[Samwise]

 

[Ratman_tf]

Never read the comic. Watched it and generally liked it.

Seeing superheroes in supercostumes in Superman or Batman is one thing, but when you try to make them Real People, the costumes become just that more ludicrous. Night Owl espeically came across as a bored middle aged man playing superhero dress up. (Is that the point?  )

And I like to think that about a year after the events of the ending, humanity slowly started eating itself up again, and when Dr. Manhattan doesn't show up to deliver spankings, are right back where they started.

[Samwise]

Seeing superheroes in supercostumes in Superman or Batman is one thing, but when you try to make them Real People, the costumes become just that more ludicrous. Night Owl espeically came across as a bored middle aged man playing superhero dress up. (Is that the point?  )

Yes.  If anything the costumes came across as a little less ludicrous in the movie.  Nite Owl in the comics was drawn with a very prominent spare tire that made it very difficult to take him seriously.

[Threash]

Never read the comic. Watched it and generally liked it.

Seeing superheroes in supercostumes in Superman or Batman is one thing, but when you try to make them Real People, the costumes become just that more ludicrous. Night Owl espeically came across as a bored middle aged man playing superhero dress up. (Is that the point?  )

And I like to think that about a year after the events of the ending, humanity slowly started eating itself up again, and when Dr. Manhattan doesn't show up to deliver spankings, are right back where they started.

Yes, both of those things are correct.  Or at least implied.  I think the first night owl even said in his book that once the bad guys stopped showing up wearing costumes it just felt a bit silly.

[Sir T]

And I like to think that about a year after the events of the ending, humanity slowly started eating itself up again, and when Dr. Manhattan doesn't show up to deliver spankings, are right back where they started.

Yeah I think that was the point of the journal at the end. Rorshach said quite plain that while they didn't know the details, Ozzy was behind what was going on. Which implies a very bad ending for Ozzy and at least the unravelling of his plan as everyone turns their anger on him.

[schild]

Finally saw this. Too close to the comic book. Had I never read the comic, I'd have loved it. As it stands, totally lukewarm on it. It is a direct representation of the source material on screen. I can now say I prefer adaptations rather than things that stay totally true to the vision. At least with regular books I don't have visual representations of everything like I do with graphic novels.

In short, it was too perfect - and that's its greatest crime.

[Vision]

Like many, I decided to read the comic before seeing the movie. After reading the comic, I had really wished the movie never came out. The story of Watchmen was written to be expressed in comic format, when you try to convert that to the screen you lose the charm of the comic, and end up with tons of narration. Therefore thanks to the movie, it in a way ruins the comic imo because it tells the plot without the pacing and style of the comic, even if it was an excellent adaptation.

[KallDrexx]

Glad I never read the comic then, since I loved the movie.

[tazelbain]

Funny, how the opening montage is the best part of the movie.  It would be awesome to have a well-done golden age comics movie.

[stray]

The Rocketeer, I suppose?

No, it's not all that bad! 

[WindupAtheist]

Finally saw this. Never read the comic. I liked it quite a bit, and I think it'll grow on me further with time.

I wonder how many guys the USSR killed trying to create their own Dr. Manhattan. 

"Get in the machine, comrade!"

[Venkman]

Read the comic then saw the movie. At some point. I feel like I posted in this thread already can't find nuthin'.

Besides mild annoyance with just how close it was to the comic (including the framing), the only thing I didn't like was the casting and acting for Ozymandias. In the comic, the vibe I got was a really smart and friendly guy legitimately trying to do something good with a sort of child-like optimism and curiousity about the outcome and unlimited resources to make himself untouchable. Maybe it was just the hairstyle. But even the bullet-catching scene was more him being surprised it worked than being some arch invincible supervillian as that event was conveyed in the movie.

I also thought they should CGI buffed Edward Blake more. But his active role was so minor in the flick, guess it doesn't matter.

[Engels]

Just caught this last night too. God what a chore.

[Riggswolfe]

But even the bullet-catching scene was more him being surprised it worked than being some arch invincible supervillian as that event was conveyed in the movie.

He looked surprised in the movie too. And really, he doesn't come across as a supervillian at all. He definitely gives off a vibe of "I have to do what I have to do because no one else has the will!"

I kind of wish Doctor Manhattan had squished him anyway. Sort of a pause, thoughtful look followed by "well, you saved billions, but still..." *squish*

[Teleku]

Anybody see the directors cut version yet?  I liked this movie (and I read the comic before) though I'll agree it wasn't perfect.  I think the main flaw for me was pacing, which seemed to result from them having to cut all sorts of scenes for time.  Figured the directors cut would be much better.  After that, only thing I can really knock the movie for is the soundtrack.  It worked great in some places, didn't work in others.  I think a mix of the songs they used along with a traditional score would have worked best.

[HaemishM]

I have seen the director's cut. It's about 30 minutes longer and does improve the movie with some good scenes that should have been left in. Some scenes are longer but the extra length help explain the scene more. It's worth seeing, especially if you haven't seen the movie before. As for the soundtrack, I'm repeating myself. The soundtrack wasn't the director's choice. Alan Moore named each chapter after the lyrics of a song, and each of the songs in the movie's soundtrack is one of those songs.

[Vision]

As for the soundtrack, I'm repeating myself. The soundtrack wasn't the director's choice. Alan Moore named each chapter after the lyrics of a song, and each of the songs in the movie's soundtrack is one of those songs.

Right, but unless Alan Moore specifically told Snyder that the songs had to be in the movie (which I don't think he did) it wasn't Moore's choice to include them in the film. I thought most of the them did not fit at all, and it was really off putting hearing them over some of the scenes regardless if they were in the comic. In fact Moore says he will be "spitting venom" all over the Hollywood adaptations of his books, he absolutely hates it when someone makes his books into movies, and I can't help but agree.

[Venkman]

But even the bullet-catching scene was more him being surprised it worked than being some arch invincible supervillian as that event was conveyed in the movie.

He looked surprised in the movie too. And really, he doesn't come across as a supervillian at all. He definitely gives off a vibe of "I have to do what I have to do because no one else has the will!"

Musta missed that. He looked villainish to me when that general guy was shot, but otherwise came across as sort of an effete pretty boy whereas in the comic it seemed more like he knew he was smarter than everyone else but it humbled him in a way.

Knowing there's a director's cut that Haemish thought improved things, I'll definitely watch it again.

[Threash]

Does it have the Hollis Mason death scene? i was severely pissed that was left out of the original. 

[Vision]

Does it have the Hollis Mason death scene? i was severely pissed that was left out of the original. 

yeah, one of the better additions to the film. I think they also show Night Owl getting pissed in the bar after finding out, not sure if that was in the original though.

[Abagadro]

There is also the Ultimate Cut which includes all the Black Freighter stuff.

[Riggswolfe]

He looked surprised in the movie too. And really, he doesn't come across as a supervillian at all. He definitely gives off a vibe of "I have to do what I have to do because no one else has the will!"

Musta missed that. He looked villainish to me when that general guy was shot, but otherwise came across as sort of an effete pretty boy whereas in the comic it seemed more like he knew he was smarter than everyone else but it humbled him in a way.

Knowing there's a director's cut that Haemish thought improved things, I'll definitely watch it again.

I just rewatched the end of the movie the other night from the Rorsharch prison scenes to the credits. I know the first time I watched it all my thoughts were more like yours but since I'd seen it before I sort of watched for little things this time and I got a much different vibe from Ozy this time around. That said, it's also been a long time since I read the comic so I'm kind of curious about the difference in potrayal. It'd be odd for there to be much difference considering that a major mark against the film is that it actually stayed too true to the comic.

[Sky]

Finally saw this last night. Despite not being a DC fan and some of the mask stuff is just sooo cheesy (again, not a DC fan!)...I totally got sucked into it and watched it beginning to end. Surprised by how well it was done. Not perfect, but definitely one of the best comic book adaptations imo. Rorschach was so cool when they took his mask, and the bit about the prisoners being locked in there with him.

I kept waiting for the young chick to betray everyone, her character seemed really shallow compared to the others.

[Threash]

Finally saw this last night. Despite not being a DC fan and some of the mask stuff is just sooo cheesy (again, not a DC fan!)...I totally got sucked into it and watched it beginning to end. Surprised by how well it was done. Not perfect, but definitely one of the best comic book adaptations imo. Rorschach was so cool when they took his mask, and the bit about the prisoners being locked in there with him.

I kept waiting for the young chick to betray everyone, her character seemed really shallow compared to the others.

It wasn't emphasized as much in the movie but she was only a super hero because mommy pushed her into it from a very young age, i believe she was out patrolling the streets in her teens and was only 16 when dr manhattan started seeing her.   

[Engels]

I have not read the original comic book, so I don't know who to blame, the comic book author or the script writers, but ya, the women in this story are cut out fantasies of what a emotionally stunted man thinks of women.

[tazelbain]

Not just the treatment of women, but the whole thing seems very dated, ejaculating hoverships or not.

[HaemishM]

Written in 1984-85, published in '86, movie adapted almost verbatim from the original story. So yes, it is dated.

[tazelbain]

I knew that going in.  It aged poorly.