WATCHMEN - TOMORROW - JIZZ PANTS

[Ajax]

It was ok. The excessive gore and violence was just stupid if you've read the comic. I don't understand why they changed the ending. Also, it's too long. I basically feel like Snyder thought the average viewer wouldn't be able to handle Watchmen the way it really is, so he dumbed it down.

I guess I'm a little disappointed. I don't care to see it again, but alas, I already promised to see it with somebody tonight.

What the fuck are you talking about Poppy? The soundtrack sucked way hard. So cliche... Zero thought was put into the soundtrack.

 

[loegan43]

Saw it last night, I thought it was a great movie and a good adaptation. Obviously, some things were left out due to time constraints, but I think it did a great job of representing the graphic novel.

I picked up the motion comic DVD that came out as well and I've got to say it exceeded my expectations. Great format, I don't think anyone who's a fan will be disapointed. There's a preview for an animated feature of the Black Freighter that looks like it'll be pretty great and a good companion piece to the motion comic DVD.

I could of done without the big blue genitalia, I saw the movie in IMAX, but whatever floats your boat I suppose.

 

[thirdkind]

I sincerely feel that anyone who goes into that theater without first having read the graphic novel will be thoroughly confused and disappointed at this disjointed and unevenly-paced big screen adaptation. However, if you've read the book already and know enough to fill in the gaps, then I suppose the movie serves its purpose.

I haven't read the book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The average moviegoer won't though.

I had a couple pinheads sitting next to me who were getting impatient with its length, checking their phones and starting to chatter in the last half hour. Any time the film got spiritual or heady, they would sigh out of boredom. It was difficult watching a film about the hopelessness of humanity and not agreeing with it.

I'm sure there's a lot of back story audiences are missing, but I felt there was enough there for me to "get" the characters. I didn't come away lost or confused. They did the best they could with 160 minutes. I welcome the director's cut and will buy it without hesitation.

I also felt the sex and violence were appropriate. Maybe they weren't in the comic, but it's hard to buy into a filthy world without witnessing what it has become firsthand.

Some great homages as well. The war room was fantastic

Unfortunately, I fully expect the film to get trashed by many reviewers because most people today have the attention span of a gnat.

 

[genjiglove]

Aside from a few scenes that weren't present from the book that I really felt should have been there and the new ending, it was decent. A lot better than I expected.

***SPOILERS***

What was up with Nite Owl being outside with Rorshach and Dr. Manhattan when Manhattan blew him up? Totally killed the mood of that scene for him to give out an extremely cliche "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"

 

[subcons]

Saw it today.

I've never read the comic, and like I mentioned, never heard of it before this movie. I did read about it on Wikipedia, so I had some background on the characters and story. Overall, I thought it was a really well done film. I haven't really liked any of the recent comic book movies other than Batman, 300, and Sin City, so this was a pleasant surprise.

I don't think a longer cut of this would've been feasible for the theater. People just wouldn't watch it. It was too long as it stands in that respect (I didn't think it was too long, but most others would). I look forward to the DVD release.

 

[SouthtownKid]

I'd imagine it's because we're all nerds and have read comic books at some point. I hadn't even heard of this comic before the movie.

What I mean is, for example, how many people here read the original novel, L.A. Confidential, by James Ellroy? Most people here probably haven't read it. Most people here probably don't even know anyone who read it. That didn't stop the movie from being huge, and I'll bet about 100% of the people here at n-g.com DID see L.A. Confidential the movie and know a shitload of other people who saw it.

See what I mean? I keep hearing people say "No one I know has read Watchmen" as if it means something, and it doesn't mean shit. I'd never heard of the book, L.A. Confidential, until I watched the movie.

 

[Marek]

My main gripe is that Rorschach's monologues, some of the most powerful and important parts of the comic, were almost entirely omitted with the exception of the opening scene. These writings really did a lot to explain Rorschach as a character and to really show the reader how he views the world around him.

That said, with such little focus on Rorschach as a character, combined with the complete omission of the Frontiersman until the end of the film, it's hard to appreciate his journal ending up in the crank bin.

Those are my only two complaints, if I can even call them that.

 

[Zenimus]

See what I mean? I keep hearing people say "No one I know has read Watchmen" as if it means something, and it doesn't mean shit. I'd never heard of the book, L.A. Confidential, until I watched the movie.

In this case, I think it's because it's a superhero movie (or at least, that's how it's being marketed). It's usually unlikely that the average person will go to see a superhero movie with characters they've never heard of. The crazy mythology behind each character is usually too much to take in without a frame of reference.

Tank Girl, Mystery Men, Elektra, even Ghost Rider...

 

[SouthtownKid]

In this case, I think it's because it's a superhero movie (or at least, that's how it's being marketed). It's usually unlikely that the average person will go to see a superhero movie with characters they've never heard of. The crazy mythology behind each character is usually too much to take in without a frame of reference.

The thing is, that was kind of the point of the book. It wasn't a super-hero adventure story, it was a deconstruction of the genre as a whole. Nobody was familiar with the characters because they didn't exist prior to this story, and it wasn't really relevant to the story that you be familiar with them, beyond maybe being vaguely familiar with the archetypes they represented.

I see what you're saying though, and you are probably right.

 

[Marek]

What the fuck are you talking about Poppy? The soundtrack sucked way hard. So cliche... Zero thought was put into the soundtrack.

What can I say? I dug it.

 

[payment_due]

Just got back, I thought it was great. Even the changed ending was awesome. I see it as 'updated' like they updated Tony Stark's captivity from Vietnam to the Mid-East. It was different, but the end result was the same.

Can't wait to see the extended cut on the Blu.

 

[genjiglove]

***ENDING SPOILERS***

I can't say I completely liked the new ending. It made sense for a movie but I feel it changed Dr. Manhattan's motivation completely. In the book I always thought he simply left mankind to its fate and had just outgrown the planet. In the movie he was basically forced to leave, even though it seemed to imply that he suddenly had faith in the human race again.

Still though, it made more sense for a movie. I have a feeling the original ending would have been too out there for most viewers.

 

[BIG]

caught the midnight show lastnight.
it's an ok movie, not too sure how it stands as an adaptation.
wtf is up with dr. manhattan?
i don't remember him flopping about in the comics....

 

[genjiglove]

caught the midnight show lastnight.
it's an ok movie, not too sure how it stands as an adaptation.
wtf is up with dr. manhattan?
i don't remember him flopping about in the comics....

He was naked quite a bit in the comic. Although he might have used his awesome power for a bit of "male enhancement"...

 

[evil son]

anyone noticed the nod to 300 early in the film?it' was the comedians apt number

 

[Igniz v2]

i dunno, it wasn't bad or anything. but if i hadn't read the book, the new frontiersman thing would have no impact i don't think seeing as you don't really get what it is from what's shown alone.

the new ending was weak. felt generic and somewhat reminded me of Akira. for an adaptation that indulged in making scenes more graphic than they were in the book, it didn't really take much time surveying the destruction up close like the book did. i dunno. squid or bust.

those are the reasons why it didn't really resonate with me in the way i'd hoped it might have.

but i might watch it again at the cheap theater, not at midnight, and not in shitty 3rd from front row seats, so i can sort of re-examine stuff.

also, i found the hollywood-ization of JFK's assasination in hd detail to be distasteful. sure don't remember that from the book. i dunno, maybe i'm a prude. but overall it just seemed sort of a masturbatory move, and makes a cartoon out of a genuinely tragic event.

anyways.. that's my 2 cents.

 

[Poison Sama]

I haven't read the book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Same here.

 

[DeadPixels]

also, i found the hollywood-ization of JFK's assasination in hd detail to be distasteful. sure don't remember that from the book. i dunno, maybe i'm a prude. but overall it just seemed sort of a masturbatory move, and makes a cartoon out of a genuinely tragic event.

anyways.. that's my 2 cents.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who was a bit put off by the inclusion of a cleaned up Zapruder film entertainment purposes. If they really felt like showing the Kennedy assassination to add background to the Comedian, they should have done a reenactment rather than shine a morbid spotlight on the last moments of a man's life.

 

[ferrarimanf355]

Who's going to see it? Correct answer is everyone, of course.

I'm taking the afternoon off and going to a 1:15 show, don't think I could do a midnight tonight (yes, I'm a pussy like that most of the time).

YES.

Not me. I actually bought the graphic novel yesterday, and I'm running through the thing like a Burning Route in Burnout Paradise.

I'm on chapter 8 now. What Rorschach did to the poor shrink...

 

[Ajax]

What can I say? I dug it.

Fair enough.

Saw it last night again. Fuck this movie. About the soundtrack, it's totally generic. Actually, that describes the movie too, for that matter. They took something special and dumbed it down to the point that anybody can like it. Generic.

I don't remember the Comedian assassinating Kennedy in the comic... Hmmm... I don't remember Ozymandias hanging out with fucking David Bowie at Studio 54 from the comic either. I do clearly remember the movie being 3 of the most boring hours of my life though, no thanks to the stupid ass unnecessary scenes.

It's well known that Alan Moore doesn't like his shit being adapted, but if I was him, I'd fucking murder Zack Snyder over this.

 

[Ajax]

anyone noticed the nod to 300 early in the film?it' was the comedians apt number

Yeah, it's actually 3001, but the one gets broken off during the struggle.

 

[Zero Satori]

Fuck this movie. About the soundtrack, it's totally generic. Actually, that describes the movie too, for that matter. They took something special and dumbed it down to the point that anybody can like it. Generic...I do clearly remember the movie being 3 of the most boring hours of my life though, no thanks to the stupid ass unnecessary scenes.

It's well known that Alan Moore doesn't like his shit being adapted, but if I was him, I'd fucking murder Zack Snyder over this.

It's comments like this that have me thinking twice before seeing this movie. Of course, given the hype attached to its release, there was always a chance that it wouldn't live-up to high-set expectations, but given the nature of Hollywood in-general, the terms "dumbed it down" and "generic" don't seem too far out-of-reach, really. I thought from one of the few trailers I bothered myself to watch that Watchmen might have sort of an "art house" feel to it, but now I'm not so sure because if it turned-out just being another capitalisation upon a famous property...screw it.

 

[thirdkind]

It's comments like this that have me thinking twice before seeing this movie. Of course, given the hype attached to its release, there was always a chance that it wouldn't live-up to high-set expectations, but given the nature of Hollywood in-general, the terms "dumbed it down" and "generic" don't seem too far out-of-reach, really. I thought from one of the few trailers I bothered myself to watch that Watchmen might have sort of an "art house" feel to it, but now I'm not so sure because if it turned-out just being another capitalisation upon a famous property...screw it.

I've read plenty of comments on other forums from fans of the book who find the movie to be an excellent adaptation.

The general populace can't handle 3+ hours of this kind of material. Let Warner rake in some cash from the theatrical release and then release a proper director's cut for the real fans.

Try to understand how things need to work from a business perspective. Movies are a business, after all. Also try to understand it from the filmmakers' perspective. To paraphrase Stanely Kubrick, a novel gives you several hundred pages to tell a story in as detailed a fashion as you care to, but a two-hour film gives you 60 two-minute scenes. Imagine the difficulty in paring a book down to something that will fit a film format. Then imagine doing it with a lengthy graphic novel while trying to keep a bunch of angry nerds happy.

 

[ferrarimanf355]

Two more chapters to go. The prision break was anticlimatic...

 

[Zero Satori]

Try to understand how things need to work from a business perspective. Movies are a business, after all. Also try to understand it from the filmmakers' perspective. To paraphrase Stanely Kubrick, a novel gives you several hundred pages to tell a story in as detailed a fashion as you care to, but a two-hour film gives you 60 two-minute scenes. Imagine the difficulty in paring a book down to something that will fit a film format. Then imagine doing it with a lengthy graphic novel while trying to keep a bunch of angry nerds happy.

With all due respect to "the business," I could care less about the problems that one faces with porting something from one medium to another. These things can be good or they can be bad, and if I, as a viewer, am disappointed with the film for the same reason that a million fanboys can be happy or ten million regular-moviegoers can be happy, then I'm still disappointed. Business be damned. There's no excuse for making a bad film or simplifying something to the point where it becomes necessary to give excuses. If it's too hard to port it over, then don't port it over in the first place!