Watchmen Film — Page 3

Well, I've never read the Watchmen comics. I first became interested in the movie after I saw the trailer with the Smashing Pumpkins song. I saw the movie Saturday night. So here's my "virgin" review:

I'd give it a 9 out of 10. This was a very engrossing, emotional, and overpowering film. When the movie was over, I realized my shirt was damp - I'd been sweating. It's one of those rare movies that, once it's over, I want to walk right back into the theater and see it again.

Rorschach was my favorite character. He had some great lines. Some of the gore we see in his scenes was a bit over the top, but the movie was just too good for that to make any difference for me. I was upset when he died in the end. 

And the preponderence of blue dong was a bit too much, but I got over it.

I'd heard the end was different from the comic, and I expected the movie to take some really lame cop out, like Dr. Manhattan goes back in time and stops the bombs. But now that I've seen the movie and read up on the differences, I think the film ending was just as good as the comic ending.

I'll be recommending this movie to everyone I know.

I haven't been on this thread to avoid spoilers, but I'll post my mini-review:

I did not like it at all.  Overly long, overly boring.  When you make a movie about characters that just don't care about humanity, its hard to care.  They barely batted an eye when one of their own kills millions of people and frames another one of their friends, why should we?

Maybe we are just too far removed from the Cold War, maybe its just me.  Nothing resonated with me.  Watchmen didn't make any of the points I was led from the trailers that it would.  I thought by Rorschach's line in the trailer about people looking up for help and him saying no that the story was about heroes who were outlawed and when the world really needed them they refused to help.

This is really disjointed.  I'm going to write a review on my blog that is more coherent...

EDIT: Here is the link to my review.  It's still pretty disjointed, but hey, so is the movie. ;-)

Never even heard of Watchmen untill I too saw the first trailer.

Film was ok....slow in places, didn't really like or care much for any of the characters (they were not nice people) so it was all a bit meh?!?!

And my bloody arse was numb after....very numb!!

I'll give it another shot when released on dvd, chilled out on my sofa in the comfort of my home!

I think the characters are one level on which Watchmen doesn't work so great as a film. The story is more about ideas than characters, if that makes anysense.

Erik, since you liked the movie so much, I'd highly recommend checking out the graphic novel. I am honestly not a huge comic book guy, haven't really been into them since I was a teenager, but Watchmen is one I find myself coming back to even in adulthood, and I find it enjoyable page after page, no matter how many times I read it. The film followed the comic very closely, but reading it would really add a lot more depth to the film for you.

C3PX said:

Erik, since you liked the movie so much, I'd highly recommend checking out the graphic novel. I am honestly not a huge comic book guy, haven't really been into them since I was a teenager, but Watchmen is one I find myself coming back to even in adulthood, and I find it enjoyable page after page, no matter how many times I read it. The film followed the comic very closely, but reading it would really add a lot more depth to the film for you.

I might just do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

In the case of this movie, I'm glad I wasn't familiar with the graphic novel beforehand. It seems like a lot of people who've read the novel are having a hard time reconciling the differences. The one thing that most people agree on is that the opening credits were a masterpiece. I'm thinking that's because they were new to everybody.

Speaking of the opening credits, there's a scene where two guys are tied to a fire hydrant, with rorschach's calling card next to them. Are these 2 guys supposed to be someone in particular?

When my wife and I walked out of the theater, she wondered if there'd be a sequel. I said I didn't think the story would allow it. But, as much as I hate prequels, I'd pay to see a rorschach prequel (as long as they get the same actor).

If you don't feel like spending ten bucks on buying the graphic novel, I bet your public library has the thing, it has been around a while and is pretty common. Alternatively... there is always the deep dark depths of the internets...

You'll get plenty more Rorschach in the graphic novel.

The only idea that might work for a prequel with all the characters is something that shows the group doing their things up until the Keene Act puts them out of business.

Yeah, with all the prequel talk I have been hearing, that seems to be the plan. But to me, it is a lame plan. There are plenty of boring super hero stories, Watchmen was made to be something unique, not just another generic super hero story.

Watchmen prequels/sequels, video games and everything else are kind of missing that point and trying to reduce it to being what it has always been so great for not being.

It is already out. It is shit.

Ziz said:

The only idea that might work for a prequel with all the characters is something that shows the group doing their things up until the Keene Act puts them out of business.

As much as I didn't like the film, I would watch that.  The most intresting parts for me were the flashbacks to that era.

Erikstormtrooper said:

Speaking of the opening credits, there's a scene where two guys are tied to a fire hydrant, with rorschach's calling card next to them. Are these 2 guys supposed to be someone in particular?

 

That was Rorschach's way of telling the world he wouldn't quit, if I'm not mistaken.

In the case of this movie, I'm glad I wasn't familiar with the graphic novel beforehand. It seems like a lot of people who've read the novel are having a hard time reconciling the differences. The one thing that most people agree on is that the opening credits were a masterpiece. I'm thinking that's because they were new to everybody.

I agree.  I hadn't read the graphic novel in 5+ years, and purposely didn't pick it up before watching the movie, because I didn't want to be analyzing the movie, comparing it to the GN, etc.  And, except for a few things, I loved the movie.  All of my friends who did the same enjoyed it too.

After re-reading the GN after watching the movie, I was reminded of a lot of things that I wished were in the movie.  But it would've been impossible to do under 4 or 5 hours.

skyjedi2005 said:

Hopefully the real movie uses new music and not music from batman and robin like the trailer.

Whoever made up that trailer should be fired as memories of batman and robin need not be associated with Watchmen.

 

I am hoping the movie is not another excuse to badmouth bush and the war on terror.

Those elements In V for Vendetta and Dark Knight took me out of the movie.

I go to the movies to be entertained and forget about the real world for 2 hours of fantastic entertainment.

Hollywood needs to be reminded i could just stay home and watch Fox News or cnn instead. 

My 12.50 need not pay for a directors personal politics and using a movie to flip the bird at GW Bush is kinda a waste of time.

Well considering the book is set during the cold war and focuses heavily on nuclear weapons and power struggles between governments...

I've read the comic and enjoyed the film but there was a lot missing and I'm not sure how well it would work as a film in it's own right.

Yoda Is Your Father said:

I've read the comic and enjoyed the film but there was a lot missing and I'm not sure how well it would work as a film in it's own right.

It didn't, at least in my opinion.  Either way too much happened, or way too little.  I still haven't figured it out.

The whole thing just works a lot better as a bunch of panels of artwork and writing than it does as live action film.

Anybody see Tales of the Black Freighter yet? Not that the story is all that spectacular, and doesn't mean a whole lot outside the context of the film, but I think they did a fantasic job on the thing. I am looking forward to seeing the "extendeder" cut of Watchmen to see how they fit it into the movie.

Supposedly, Snyder filmed all the "ins" and "outs" with the newsstand vendor and the kid, so it's just a matter of editing and some creative transitions.