Watchmen

[thekid]

Went and caught this flick today.

I thought it started out well hit a little lull and then finished very strong! My son who is a HUGE fan of the book was out of his mind with it and wants to see it again.

Helps to have read the book but not entirely needed. If you are going to this movie expecting the usual X-Men or Spiderman action/comic fare I warn you this is in a whole different league. It is not for the faint-hearted and contains some nudity.

I think all of the acting was pretty good with the exception of the actress who plays the Silk Spectre. I would not say it is a special effects driven movie but what effects it does have are well done. Dr. Manhattan certainly looks more real than say say the CGI Spiderman.

I'd give it a solid 8 and despite the little lull it did not seem like a 2hr 45min movie.

[Worf101]

Having read the original limited run in the 80's I was/am quite concerned about this flick. Thanks for hte review. I read one reviewer who was upset about the "literal" translation of book to film and wished they'd "done more" to differentiate the film from text. I'll see it this week and give it the once over.

Thanks again...

Da Worfster

[kexodusc]

The Watchmen was a big fav of mine when I was younger...haven't read it in probably 15 years, so I can't comment on "translations" or anything like that.
Yeah, it ain't your grand daddy's super hero stuff.

But I remember years ago wishing this was a movie. There's a few things I'd probably have done differently but overall it's as good as I could have hoped for and will be a definite purchase! My wife thought The Dark Knight and Iron Man were better, but she enjoyed it more than any of the X-Men or Spiderman movies...not bad company.

The Kid is right - it didn't seem like you were in your seat for almost 3 hrs.

[Feanor]

I'm getting a bit tired of flicks based on comic books or graphic novels. :(

[kexodusc]

I'm getting a bit tired of flicks based on comic books or graphic novels. :(
Yeah, me too.

I'm also sick of movies about:
War
Space
Cowboys
Natural disasters
Serial Killers
Spies
Gangsters/Mafia
Wizards
Pirates
and historical figures...
Oh, and comedies about adolescent males, or young professional women...

Time for something new.

[JSE]

Saw it Saturday night on IMAX. Man, this movie was made for IMAX! Anyway, it a pretty decent movie. I have never read the book/comic but I really enjoyed the movie. Like thekid mentioned, this is not your typical comic action remake. Very dark and very violent and very graphic. Not a movie for younger kids by any means. I could done with far less of Dr. Manhattan's dangly bits being shown every chance they got. No one really needs to see that much!

I really think Rorschach was the standout character in the movie. The actor did a great job and I think he was the most likeable character even though he was by far one of the most violent. He seemed to see things as simply right or wrong and was not afraid to do something about it.

BTW, was actor playing Rorschach the kid from the original Bad News Bears?

[noddin0ff]

I'm getting a bit tired of flicks based on comic books or graphic novels. :(


but...but...but...Stray Toasters hasn't been put to film yet...

[thekid]

JSE- Yes the actor Jackie Earle Haley was the bad a## biker in the classic "Bad News Bears" trilology. How else to explain how he was able to capture Rorschach so well....

Actually he was nominated for an Oscar for a recent movie called "Little Children" who knew.....

[02audionoob]

Yeah, me too.

I'm also sick of movies about:
War
Space
Cowboys
Natural disasters
Serial Killers
Spies
Gangsters/Mafia
Wizards
Pirates
and historical figures...
Oh, and comedies about adolescent males, or young professional women...

Time for something new.

I mostly like to stay home and watch TV shows about policemen, lawyers and hospitals.

[JSE]

JSE- Yes the actor Jackie Earle Haley was the bad a## biker in the classic "Bad News Bears" trilology. How else to explain how he was able to capture Rorschach so well....

Actually he was nominated for an Oscar for a recent movie called "Little Children" who knew.....


Very cool. Nice to seem him doing well.

[Feanor]

Yeah, me too.

I'm also sick of movies about:
War
Space
Cowboys
Natural disasters
Serial Killers
Spies
Gangsters/Mafia
Wizards
Pirates
and historical figures...
Oh, and comedies about adolescent males, or young professional women...

Time for something new.
Time to listen to some music.:23:

[atomicAdam]

I saw the movie at the Grand Lake in Oakland last Friday. Talk about being at the fan boy ground zero special. People were having a conniption fit over the new Star Trek.

Anyways, the movie as a whole was good, but not great. It was nice to see what seems like an unedited, or rather, adult style comic finally make it to the silver screen. There was as much T&A as there was blood and gore.

I thought the ended could have been better. Not in that I couldn't see it coming, or that it was too many plot twist, or it just wasn't good. It didn't seem to tread too deep in any of these pit falls for long. My complaint, besides some obvious lapses in logic, was that it got all philosophical at the end. There I was, enjoying a good movie with some average to great acting by the cast, nice special effects, core, tits, ass, insane and shocking violence, and then it has to drop the mother load question of 'god' and 'morality' (even though you could see the foreshadowing of this about halfway into the film) and then that was it. End of movie.

With on huge f'ing hole! It didn't address these philosophical ideas at all. It just showed that when man kind is faced with a common enemy we will team to to whoop that ass, and then go back to fighting each other. (And this is just sometimes.) How lame. Not to mention, it shoves all this down your throat in the last 15 minutes of the film.

Watch a Kevin Smith film and you'll get all that, better dialog, jokes, more insightful comments, and more.

[topspeed]

Well, I'm clearly in the minority here because I freakin' HATED this movie. My impression was this was a 3 hour homage to directorial self-masturbation. From the over the top sex scenes that did nothing to move the story forward to the cut-and-paste slo-mo fight scenes lifted straight from 300 (complete with hair metal churning guitar background music), here was a movie trying waaaaay to hard to look good rather than be good. Oh, and what's with the ode to classic rock soundtrack? It wasn't that the songs weren't good, but how about we pick a flippin' decade and stick to it? At the very least, when jumping from decade to decade they should have applied the appropriate music! Dylan in the '80's? Ummm...okaaay...

I could not wait for this movie to end. Sincerely, I must have checked my watch 5 times. My wife actually walked out when the self righteousness was really getting ladled on.
Ugh.

This

movie

was

crap.

[BradH]

Bad reviews, bad word of mouth, a box office bomb.

But enough about Blade Runner, let's talk about Watchmen. Thumbs up from me. There's no way in hell anyone who hadn't read the story could absorb all of this in one sitting. For instance, you can gripe about the classic rock tracks but "All Along The Watchtower" in the Antarctica section was lifted straight from the book. The entire song applies to Ozymandias, not just the obvious "two riders were approaching." Think of Lee Iaccocca and the "businessmen who drink my wine." The film (yes, film) is full of references and subtleties like that. Combined with the unsubtle violence, the likes of which I don't recall ever seeing onscreen before, and the gorgeous visuals, this is a very new type of movie. And there are no obvious good guys. So, sorry if anyone's pre-conceptions about costumed heroes didn't get fullfilled but that was the purpose of the original story all along. It was a massive deconstruction of 20th century myths by a brilliant British anarchist. What did you expect? Merchant Ivory?

I think this will have a long life on home video and that matters. In 1982, Blade Runner was largely dismissed by the professional critics upon its release. Five years later it was widely hailed as a classic and by 1989 it was the youngest film to be listed in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Seven years. Somebody got it wrong. I suspect Watchmen will eventually be remembered as a classic in the same manner. But only time will tell. When I see the hatred for this film I'm reminded of Tim Burton's comment about how professional critics are always trying to push movies to be the same type of experience that easily goes along with dining out and conversation, like it's a package deal. And don't kid yourself, they had their knives sharpened for Snyder after 300.

Half the people who wait to see this on the small screen will regret not seeing it on the big one. And no sequel will make the heart grow fonder.

[atomicAdam]

Combined with the unsubtle violence, the likes of which I don't recall ever seeing onscreen before, and the gorgeous visuals, this is a very new type of movie.

.

Well, I've not seen every movie out there, or probably even enough movies to agree/disagree with what you've said. From my own experience though I would be very happy to continue seeing movies of this sort come to the big screen. There were enough special effects to draw me to the large theater screen, there was equal part core and sex and the over all plot was pretty good.

If we could get this type of movie from a better director, better actors (though this isn't too fair a comment, it is just so damn irritating when one actor in a film is so much better than the others it just makes the contrast between those who can and those who can't so much more apparent that it hurts...anyways) I would be very happy.

It had the LOTR epic feel but in a 3rd of the time. I'd say it is a good start to a new genre.

[Rich-n-Texas]

So do I take my 20 some year old niece with me to see this movie? Inappropriate, or no?

[BradH]

I'd say it is a good start to a new genre.

Most likely it's one of a kind because the story is so singular. It's not perfect but I just like seeing directors push the envelope and the critics are getting really stupid about this one. I'm really looking forward to Rodriguez' Barbarella. But I'm not sure I want to see a new genre with this much violence. I know there's torture porn out there like Saw and whatnot but I've seen hardcore fans of the comic who were a little rattled by what was happening in this movie. It's like I told my wife, it's one thing seeing it in a comic, it's another seeing it on the big screen. But that scene with the prisoners trying to get Rorschach was priceless. When I read that in the original comic I just knew this had to be a movie.

Rich: So do I take my 20 some year old niece with me to see this movie? Inappropriate, or no?

20 what? 29? Yeah. 20? Maybe not.

[Worf101]

As a man with a substantial Comic book collection and who has read this series several times over the years I must admit I was pleasently surprised. Did it fully realize my expectations.. no. I personally felt that the story was untranslatable to the screen in under 6 hours. Compromises were made but they got the core of the story "right". Classic? Not in my mind, not yet but better than average. I truly enjoyed it a whole lot more than "The Dark Knight" which had me beggin for a quick merciful end an hour before it finished.

The ole lady said.. "it wasn't bad". The boy was riveted as well but I guess with that much sex and violence you couldn't lose him if you tried. Puddin did mention the numerous displays of "giant smurf penis" but that's a question for another day... hmmm..

All in all I give it a B because I was never bored and the director tried to get it right and in doing so, succeeded more than he failed.

Da "I Watch the Watchmen" Worfster

[kexodusc]

Bad reviews, bad word of mouth, a box office bomb.

But enough about Blade Runner, let's talk about Watchmen. Thumbs up from me. There's no way in hell anyone who hadn't read the story could absorb all of this in one sitting. For instance, you can gripe about the classic rock tracks but "All Along The Watchtower" in the Antarctica section was lifted straight from the book. The entire song applies to Ozymandias, not just the obvious "two riders were approaching." Think of Lee Iaccocca and the "businessmen who drink my wine." The film (yes, film) is full of references and subtleties like that. Combined with the unsubtle violence, the likes of which I don't recall ever seeing onscreen before, and the gorgeous visuals, this is a very new type of movie. And there are no obvious good guys. So, sorry if anyone's pre-conceptions about costumed heroes didn't get fullfilled but that was the purpose of the original story all along. It was a massive deconstruction of 20th century myths by a brilliant British anarchist. What did you expect? Merchant Ivory?

I think this will have a long life on home video and that matters. In 1982, Blade Runner was largely dismissed by the professional critics upon its release. Five years later it was widely hailed as a classic and by 1989 it was the youngest film to be listed in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Seven years. Somebody got it wrong. I suspect Watchmen will eventually be remembered as a classic in the same manner. But only time will tell. When I see the hatred for this film I'm reminded of Tim Burton's comment about how professional critics are always trying to push movies to be the same type of experience that easily goes along with dining out and conversation, like it's a package deal. And don't kid yourself, they had their knives sharpened for Snyder after 300.

Half the people who wait to see this on the small screen will regret not seeing it on the big one. And no sequel will make the heart grow fonder.

Well said...I think part of the problem with the critics and the reviews are that sooooo many people expected this to be some blend of X-Men and The Dark Knight. Zzzzz.
A lot of people still can't get past the concept that a comic book can actually have something intelligent to say.

As for no sequel...Why do I get the feeling Hollywood is gonna bastardize this and put out a Minutemen movie or something?

[BradH]

As for no sequel...Why do I get the feeling Hollywood is gonna bastardize this and put out a Minutemen movie or something?

Snyder sort of pre-empted that. There's a disc out this month with all the missing Black Freighter animation and 40's style newsreels about the Minutemen, plus the Under The Hood sequences from the books. Supposedly the Black Freighter will be re-incorporated into a director's cut. I'm hoping the disc also includes the 1970 newsreel I linked to a few weeks back. But I wouldn't worry about too much Watchmen stuff on the horizon. Disney had plans for Rocketeer rides at Disneyworld...know what I mean?

There's also this 80's Saturday morning cartoon ad from Conrad Veidt's corporate umbrella...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YDDHHrt6l4w&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YDDHHrt6l4w&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[BradH]

I personally felt that the story was untranslatable to the screen in under 6 hours. Compromises were made but they got the core of the story "right".

I saw some commenter somewhere on the wild world of the interweb who said this possibly would've worked better as an HBO series. I thought that was interesting.

[nightflier]

I also agree that Rorschach was the shining light in this movie, but I had such a hard time not seeing him say "herminator" after we saw his face, that it kind of killed it for me after that. And that wasn't an attractive mug either (can't even say only a mother would love that, because she didn't). Speaking of ugly, and maybe this was the intent in a movie that purported to be so raw, but the other actors also weren't the most attractive lot. Except for the metrosexual David Bowie wanabe, and I suppose the CGI super-smurf, the rest of the cast was less than picture-worthy, IMO.

On a more cerebral note, I actually liked the philosophizing. I think it brings these questions to an audience that probably slept through their high-school history and art classes. We need more of this because the next generation certainly isn't getting it from their teachers. I also wished that it wasn't all crammed into the ending, either, which gave the middle of the film a pretty limp feel. It wasn't until Rorschach got cought that the movie really started to take off. And yes, the violence was a bit much (sawing through the guys arms just to get to the lock? That's SinCity-gratuitous).

Overall, it was certainly an unexpected film and while I also caught myself looking at my watch (hence the reason I won't be buying it on disk), it had a lot of visual effects and points to ponder throughout - the symbolism and allegory was fantastic - great artwork and research behind the story. Sequel? Yup, I do think there will be one, especially if they follow up on the Rorschach's Journal thread. But I'm going to guess that ver2.0 will be too polished, sanitized, and Hollywoodized to compare favorably with ver1.0; I also agree that this may lift the movie to cult status by those who will applaud the first one's visceral rawness. I give it a solid B.

[Worf101]

I don't see a sequel. There was none to BR, CE3K and hundred other more profitable movies, I doubt if you'll see a sequel to this one. I wish they had done or do do it as Brad suggested. A 6 hour miniseries on HBO, would've been perfect for this material. Still better than many films I've seen lately.

Da Worfster

[nightflier]

Not to stray too far off topic, but I thought I read somewhere late last year that there is actually a Blade Runner sequel in the works based on the first sequel book, The Edge of Human. And Ridley Scott is involved with it too.

And given how much American loves sequels with new special effects, extra sex/violence/gore, and new & young actors, I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't someday a sequel to Close Encounters. Dreyfuss just doesn't appeal to the American-Idol watching teeny-boppers the same way.

[hazephase]

the book was great, although the movie is not quite up to the expectations. besides the animation and digital graphics are outstanding.