Watchmen!

[xblack_x_rosesx]

I know there is already a thread, but this one is specifically asking if people are going to see it, and when.

I myself am seeing it at the FREAKING MIDNIGHT SHOW IN IMAX! and I'm pretty friggen stoked.

Anyone else watching it opening night?

[Cognitive Gear]

This thread is a failed opportunity to be both pun filled and pseudo-intellectual.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.

Anyways, I will definitely be seeing it. I have high hopes, and some concerns about the pacing given how faithful the movie seems to be. I look forward to hearing the opinions of those who have not read the comic.

[xblack_x_rosesx]

This thread is a failed opportunity to be both pun filled and pseudo-intellectual.

... I don't know how insulted I should be by that?

If you're meaning I'm pseudo-intellectual.
I won't make a thing of it, I guess, and I really don't feel I need to defend myself... But yes, clarification on your intentions of that would be nice, thanks?

Back to Watchmen, ya, I'm pretty sure I don't like the actress for Laurie already- not nearly natural enough, but I have faith in the team who put this film together that it'll all work out.

[Tarnish]

I'll be honest, my hopes aren't high. They never were, but they are even less so now that the reviews are in. From what I've seen of the director, he seems way too immature to make a good Watchmen adaptation.

The reviews make it sound like he decided to forego decent story-telling in favor of SPLOWSHINS N BEWBIES WOOOO

[Cognitive Gear]

... I don't know how insulted I should be by that?

If you're meaning I'm pseudo-intellectual.
I won't make a thing of it, I guess, and I really don't feel I need to defend myself... But yes, clarification on your intentions of that would be nice, thanks?

Oh no. I was just comenting on the missed oppurtunity to name the thread "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes."(Who watches the watchmen?) which would have been pun filled and pseudo-intellectual. It was not meant to be a comment on you in any way.

I'll be honest, my hopes aren't high. They never were, but they are even less so now that the reviews are in. From what I've seen of the director, he seems way too immature to make a good Watchmen adaptation.

The reviews make it sound like he decided to forego decent story-telling in favor of SPLOWSHINS N BEWBIES WOOOO

I wasn't certain about Zack Snyder either, until I started reading and listening to interviews with him. He really does seem to "get" Watchmen. Honestly, he may be one of the few people that could deliver a proper ending. One of the first things he fought for was:

[spoiler]Ozy being kept alive at the end. The script that the studio handed to him contained a battle between Night Owl and Ozy in which an owl-rang killed Ozy. [/spoiler]

He's also responsible for keeping it in 1985 and for preventing it from being a PG-13 movie. All of these are pretty good things, in my book. You have to give him credit, he has put forth an astounding effort.

For the record, the comic had plenty of SPLOWSHINS AND BEWBS! XD

[Tarnish]

Yeah, but the comic also had plot to go with it. Eh. You go see the movie and tell me if it flows well.

I'll probably wait for the DVD.

[Radical Dreamer]

Just dropping in to note that I changed the thread's title from "Wathcmen" to "Watchmen." XDD Fairly irrelevant but I'm picky that way. XD

Anyways, I don't really plan on seeing this right off the bat; I might look into it after hearing what others thought about it first.

[rocklobster]

I'll wait for the DVD myself. I'm psyched about this. Watchmen was one of my faves. Dave Gibbons is one of the best artists ever!

[ilikegir33]

I wasn't certain about Zack Snyder either, until I started reading and listening to interviews with him. He really does seem to "get" Watchmen. Honestly, he may be one of the few people that could deliver a proper ending. One of the first things he fought for was:

[spoiler]Ozy being kept alive at the end. The script that the studio handed to him contained a battle between Night Owl and Ozy in which an owl-rang killed Ozy. [/spoiler]

He's also responsible for keeping it in 1985 and for preventing it from being a PG-13 movie. All of these are pretty good things, in my book. You have to give him credit, he has put forth an astounding effort.

For the record, the comic had plenty of SPLOWSHINS AND BEWBS! XD

Yep. I'm a huge fan of the comic, and after seeing the great job Snyder did with 300 (stayed pretty close to the graphic novel), I'm glad he directed it. Besides, what if [spoiler]Ozy was killed? Or if the "scene" with The Comedian and Sally wasn't included? Although that "scene" disturbed me quite a bit, it had an emotional impact and was no doubt crucial to the story.[/spoiler]
By the way, WB actually proposed a few years ago that Watchmen be rated PG, and they wanted it to be no longer than 100 minutes (I'm not kidding you! ) A PG-rated Watchmen? Give me a break! It has to be rated R, or it's not Watchmen.

[Roy Mustang]

I may wait untill July to see it, since they are going have a limited theatrical release of the director's cut, before it comes out on DVD/Blu-ray.

[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]

[Sheol777]

I was going to see it at 12:01 tonight...but it's a no go.

Tomorrow evening I will see it.

..and since we are mixing with the comic differences; I heard the ending will have...
[spoiler] No giant alien squid
[/spoiler]

[Alexander]

You can't.

You can't compare this film to the comic. And don't come in expecting some miracle Lord of the Rings level of an adaptation.

Now that that's out of the way...

Overall, it was good. I kept myself cautiously optimistic and it payed off as some parts left me rather pleasantly surprised. I don't want to go in too deeply as I'll probably spoiler too much, but I will say this is probably the very best of an adaptation to a "comic that wouldn't make a good movie" as it comes.

[spoiler]Rorschach didn't get enough spotlight. This was my first problem. He only gives a narration of his inner thoughts through the beginning and ending of the film, which kinda left me irked. Also, his childhood flashbacks were somewhat less dark then in the comic, which was a segment I couldn't really forgive. (I'm biased, chapter 6 was my second favorite part of the comic)

The Silver Spector could have SERIOUSLY used a different actor in my opinion. It might be that I couldn't attach myself to her very well in the comic, but still. She felt almost totally out of character throughout the film, although I might have to come to more terms with her character in the comic first.

The ending left me feeling a bit mixed. It feels like they were trying to avoid the theme of "Not everyone's 100% black and white, we're all gray in some areas." Which of course makes one of the inner philosophies from Rorschach fell almost null and void. To put it simply, they try to make it end on a happy note. They don't make it TOO obvious, but this part I really, really had an issue with.[/spoiler]

Also, they don't let up on any of the content. There's enough blood, sex, nudity, ect to make anyone coming in expecting Batman: The Dark Night feeling pretty shocked. Don't bring anyone under 15 to this movie folks.

And yes, Jon's penis is shown. Quite a few times. I don't have any issue with this, but to those of you who might be, I'm just letting you know you're going to have to get comfortable with this part of human antonymy.

[xblack_x_rosesx]

All in all, I wasn't... disappointed, I guess.

There were jaw dropping parts that were just done SO well, and then there were parts that could've been EASILY improved, but weren't.

First off, I hated EVERY female actress in it. Especially the aged ones, because they "looked" old, but their voices did not match. Very unbelievable- drew me out of the "movie". That and Laurie was... grar. Not right. Doc either- not... "distant" and monotone enough.

Some of the sex scenes, especially the, what?, third one?, were lengthier then needed to be, but the GORE. HOLY FRIG, the GORE WAS AMAZING. Perfectly done.

I wasn't AMAZED, but I wasn't disappointed. The ending

[spoiler] No giant squid, Doc Mann's "fault" [/spoiler]

really killed me. I was REALLY looking forward to seeing how a film adaptation of that would look.
But, for the MOVIE, the ending fit well.

I think what it boils down to, is the movie was made to appeal to people who haven't read the book, but made in a way that people who read the book could really appreciate it.
I don't know.

All I know is I didn't get home till 5 AM, and I had to work at 8 AM, so =P. Well worth it though- although I had to wait in line for 5 hours so I could get good seats =P. Plus the Imax rocks.

[xblack_x_rosesx]

[spoiler]Rorschach didn't get enough spotlight. This was my first problem. He only gives a narration of his inner thoughts through the beginning and ending of the film, which kinda left me irked. Also, his childhood flashbacks were somewhat less dark then in the comic, which was a segment I couldn't really forgive. (I'm biased, chapter 6 was my second favorite part of the comic)

The Silver Spector could have SERIOUSLY used a different actor in my opinion. It might be that I couldn't attach myself to her very well in the comic, but still. She felt almost totally out of character throughout the film, although I might have to come to more terms with her character in the comic first.

The ending left me feeling a bit mixed. It feels like they were trying to avoid the theme of "Not everyone's 100% black and white, we're all gray in some areas." Which of course makes one of the inner philosophies from Rorschach fell almost null and void. To put it simply, they try to make it end on a happy note. They don't make it TOO obvious, but this part I really, really had an issue with.

---

I agree with this. Rorschach's interrogation was one of my favorite parts of the novel, I kinda wish they'd done more of his "therapy" sessions. He is SUCH a vital character, they definitely did not go deep enough with him, because, I cried when he died in the comic- it was SUCH a shock, but in the movie, it feels like its really going to lead up to that, which makes it hard to "sympathize" with the issue.

That and I thought it was pronounced "roar-shock". Very small, but that's how the ink blot test is pronounced, but they made it sound like "rawr-sharck". Kinda just tweaked me a bit.

REALLY did not like Laurie. REALLY didn't. Dan was DEAD on, Rorschach was dead on, but Laurie was like... 100 miles away. She did not convince me at all that she was, in fact, the Silk Spectre. But, to be fair, I went into the movie knowing I'd dislike her (seriously... ditzbag blond hair- blued eyed actress who looks like a 50 year old Russian boxer) so I never really "gave myself a chance", but I really disliked her.

I didn't like the ending, although, I appreciate the effort to make it appealing. It didn't leave me nearly as shocked as it should have, I'm still questioning my feelings on it... it really didn't have that "holy... wow..." -speechless for an hour- feel like it SHOULD have.

I didn't have high expectations for it, however. [/spoiler]

[Kkun]

I saw it at midnight last night. I don't have any freaking clue how I should feel about this movie. I'm going to write like a twelve page blog just to work out my feelings on it. There are parts I thought were brilliant and parts that I thought were just awful. The third sex scene (which was in the novel, albeit not nearly as long or graphic) that x_br_x mentioned where it went on forever, all to the tune of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," was just utterly absurd. I'm thinking slow-motion, stylish mating will be a staple in Zack Snyder's movies based on source material where there is even an inkling of sexuality. The action looked nice for the most part, although I thought the gore was overblown as well. The opening credits sequence was amazing and probably one of the best credits scenes I've EVER seen in a movie. It might be the sleep deprivation, but I don't know how I should feel about this film. They stayed as true to the comic as they could, but I just don't know. Most of what made the comic special was lost to an especially thick coat of Hollywood gloss. I'm going to see it again with a friend when I'm less exhausted. I just don't know.

[Tarnish]

I think what irritates me the most about the movie is that they can afford to include an overly-long sex scene...
[spoiler]And yet they left out the death of Hollis Mason AND Rorshach's inteviews with Malcolm Long. Seriously, those are the bits of the comic I remember best.

I won't whine about bombs or sugar cubes, but c'mon, would it hurt to just kill Hollis a little?[/spoiler]

[Kkun]

I think what irritates me the most about the movie is that they can afford to include an overly-long sex scene...
[spoiler]And yet they left out the death of Hollis Mason AND Rorshach's inteviews with Malcolm Long. Seriously, those are the bits of the comic I remember best.

I won't whine about bombs or sugar cubes, but c'mon, would it hurt to just kill Hollis a little?[/spoiler]

[spoiler]This isn't REALLY a spoiler, but not to mention the ENTIRE thread with the normal citizens like the psychiatrist and his wife and a couple of others. I thought those were really important and added some much needed humanity to the brutality, but those got cut, as well, in favor of an uncomfortably long version of Laurie and Dan getting it on SET TO LEONARD COHEN. GOOD GOD. *shudder*[/spoiler]

[xblack_x_rosesx]

[spoiler]This isn't REALLY a spoiler, but not to mention the ENTIRE thread with the normal citizens like the psychiatrist and his wife and a couple of others. I thought those were really important and added some much needed humanity to the brutality, but those got cut, as well, in favor of an uncomfortably long version of Laurie and Dan getting it on SET TO LEONARD COHEN. GOOD GOD. *shudder*[/spoiler]

Yeahh...

I just don't know either.

[spoiler] I wish there had been more parts that were emphasized, but not drawn out. Like, the newsstand guy and the kid reading the comic book. If they'd done ONE shot of dialogue, just something simple, but strong, I would have been more pleased- just because UNLESS you had read the book, you wouldn't get it. It'd be like an inside joke that I'd consider... respectful to the people who can truly appreciate it. Although the scene when they blew up, holding each other, was really well done. [/spoiler]

My verdict for the movie before I went in was "if the movie isn't good, at least it'll be shot well", because the camera angles, the editing, all of it, was just fabulous.

Oh, and did any of the theaters you guys went to give the movie a standing O? Or applause?
Because USUALLY, when I go to premier movies, like the Dark Knight (lame, I know...), when the credits start to roll, people will stand up and applaud, but when I saw it in Imax- die hard fans, completely dressed up and such, me and my boyfriend were the only ones who stood and applauded...

It felt unusual.

[Cognitive Gear]

I'm going to go against the crowd here, and say that it was the best 2.5 hour adaptation I could have asked for. The sheer amount of stuff they were able to cram into that time is actually fairly impressive.

The director's/ultimate cut will have most of the missing stuff in. So if you are longing for the Bernies or for more Hollis, your demands have already been met. You just have to wait until the director's or ultimate cut are released.

[Robin Firedrake]

If I may... WHAT IS WATCHMEN?!

[Radical Dreamer]

If I may... WHAT IS WATCHMEN?!

Watchmen is a graphic novel by Alan Moore that now has a movie adaptation that you may or may not have been seeing commercials for on TV in the past few days. It's pretty mature in its content though, so I don't recommend you run out and read it or watch it right now, just to clarify. XD

[ilikegir33]

I saw it at midnight last night. I don't have any freaking clue how I should feel about this movie. I'm going to write like a twelve page blog just to work out my feelings on it. There are parts I thought were brilliant and parts that I thought were just awful. The third sex scene (which was in the novel, albeit not nearly as long or graphic) that x_br_x mentioned where it went on forever, all to the tune of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," was just utterly absurd. I'm thinking slow-motion, stylish mating will be a staple in Zack Snyder's movies based on source material where there is even an inkling of sexuality. The action looked nice for the most part, although I thought the gore was overblown as well. The opening credits sequence was amazing and probably one of the best credits scenes I've EVER seen in a movie. It might be the sleep deprivation, but I don't know how I should feel about this film. They stayed as true to the comic as they could, but I just don't know. Most of what made the comic special was lost to an especially thick coat of Hollywood gloss. I'm going to see it again with a friend when I'm less exhausted. I just don't know.

Saw it at 6:30 tonight. I'm pleased that Zack Snyder stayed (somewhat) close to the comic, and I agree with you that some parts were excellent, others...not so much. However, I'm into gore, and the Watchmen movie delivered. This has to be one of the bloodiest films I've seen, and I've seen Silence of the Lambs! Also, the opening credit sequence beat out (insert James Bond film here) as my favorite. However, all the female actors were definitely NOT good at their characters, but the male actors were terrific. Jackie Earle Haley was the perfect Rorshach, and Billy Crudup was good as Dr. Manhattan. Another caveat: the overly long 3rd sex scene. It only lasted a few panels in the comic, but it lasted 3 minutes in the movie, as far as I could tell. And the new ending was ill-contrived...[spoiler]THERE WAS NO GIANT SQUID!!![/spoiler] Overall, I thought Watchmen was good, but not excellent. It's not a total disaster, but it could have been better. Can't wait for the Director's Cut.

Watchmen is a graphic novel by Alan Moore that now has a movie adaptation that you may or may not have been seeing commercials for on TV in the past few days. It's pretty mature in its content though, so I don't recommend you run out and read it or watch it right now, just to clarify. XD

Agreed. Watchmen has mature content, and if you're under 14 or 15, it's probably not a good idea to read/see it. The book is better than the film, but the film has its moments...

[Robin Firedrake]

Oh I gathered that bit from this thread. I don't intend to watch it or read it. I just saw a few commercials (that and my friend saw an add on his dark knight DVD and wants to know what it is) so I was just curious. And I've seen that guy with the freaky mask and flamethrower a lot. Is he good or bad? It's hard trying to figure something out from minute long commercials.

[Peanut]

Just got back from seeing the movie, and yeah...it was a solid adaptation but nowhere near as incredible as it probably should've been.

Among my list of complaints:

-Bad to average acting (outside of whoever played Rorshach, who was amazing and deserved more screen time not just because of the importance of his character but because the scenes he was in were the best in the movie.)
-No explanation or scene showing how the animated movie being released on DVD is related to Watchmen for individuals who didn't read the graphic novel(this kind of goes along with the lack of certain scenes as well...)
-immaturity dealing with a certain character's piece of anatomy...the first time fine but after an hour of the movie? Come on people...
-Botched important scenes, especially...
[spoiler]when they reveal Veidt is not just a "villain," but is trying to save humanity...also a giant psychic squid would have been nice as well but we can't have everything now can we...[/spoiler]
-perverting the message Alan Moore was trying to convey in the graphic novel which will inevitably cause him to complain about how bad the Watchmen movie was for the rest of eternity (even if it isn't Snyder's fault...)

Yeahh...

I just don't know either.

[spoiler] I wish there had been more parts that were emphasized, but not drawn out. Like, the newsstand guy and the kid reading the comic book. If they'd done ONE shot of dialogue, just something simple, but strong, I would have been more pleased- just because UNLESS you had read the book, you wouldn't get it. It'd be like an inside joke that I'd consider... respectful to the people who can truly appreciate it. Although the scene when they blew up, holding each other, was really well done. [/spoiler]

[spoiler]I can understand removing the comic from the movie. It's incredibly important but if you're going to write a screenplay that will last less then 6 hours about Watchmen I could see why you would remove that...still they used the time for sex scenes...I realize you can't have everything but they could have been wiser with their choice of scenes to delete.[/spoiler]

My verdict for the movie before I went in was "if the movie isn't good, at least it'll be shot well", because the camera angles, the editing, all of it, was just fabulous.

Oh, and did any of the theaters you guys went to give the movie a standing O? Or applause?
Because USUALLY, when I go to premier movies, like the Dark Knight (lame, I know...), when the credits start to roll, people will stand up and applaud, but when I saw it in Imax- die hard fans, completely dressed up and such, me and my boyfriend were the only ones who stood and applauded...

It felt unusual.

Nobody really applauded when I saw the movie...of course I wouldn't expect standing ovations at the end of an adaptation of the movie Watchmen...it really isn't the kind of graphic novel that lends itself to that anyway. However with fans...well...I could see how that might be a bad sign...

[Roy Mustang]

immaturity dealing with a certain character's piece of anatomy...the first time fine but after an hour of the movie? Come on people...

Just want to point out, if that part bugs anyone. Then you may not want to see the director's cut, because there is going to be more of it.

[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]

[Etoh*the*Greato]

-immaturity dealing with a certain character's piece of anatomy...the first time fine but after an hour of the movie? Come on people...

If I may, how did they handle it immaturely? I presume you're talking about Manhattan.

[Benn]

I've never read the comic. But after watching the movie I felt as gross as after watching the anime Wicked City as an innocent 15 yr old way back when.

[xblack_x_rosesx]

If I may, how did they handle it immaturely? I presume you're talking about Manhattan.

I was about to ask that.
I think it was entirely appropriate, to be honest. I mean, that's how he is in the novel, the only reason it isn't "shown" more is because the panals and frames aren't as frequent in full body portrayl.
That and it isn't something you really notice unless you're looking for it. Like, I can only remember seeing it twice- at the points where there was no dialouge or movement, or whatever and I had nothing else to concentrate on.

I think it was done in the way it should've been.

[Peanut]

Just want to point out, if that part bugs you. Then you may not want to see the director's cut, because there is going to be more of it.

[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]

Not the movie itself (gosh I read the graphic novel, I knew what to expect) the people watching the movie were acting immature whenever Dr. Manhattan was on screen and we got a full frontal nude shot. I had no problem with what Snyder did with displaying Dr. Manhattan visually, he stuck to the graphic novel and I applaud him for it.

[Roy Mustang]

Not the movie itself (gosh I read the graphic novel, I knew what to expect) the people watching the movie were acting immature whenever Dr. Manhattan was on screen and we got a full frontal nude shot. I had no problem with what Snyder did with displaying Dr. Manhattan visually, he stuck to the graphic novel and I applaud him for it.

I wasn't really point that at you, I just meant anyone that found that part bugging them as a warning to what the director's cut is going to have in it.

I just should have word it better, sorry.

[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]