Who watches the WATCHMEN?

[Queue]

Watchmen is part of that trend. 300 is part of that trend. Sin City is part of that trend.

There are other (and more importantly, gentler) comic book movies, just so you know... The Dark Knight was pretty good...

 

[RBH]

I saw it Friday with my 19 year old daughter and 24 year old son... we all loved it.

 

[CopperNY]

"The Dark Knight" showed that you could make a great film that just happened to be about a superhero.

most of the geek crowd (myself included) hopes that "Watchmen" will continue the trend.

but, with dollars on the line, it's difficult to get a studio approve a script that makes you think and has comic book cache.

as far as pushing the boundaries of film:

-i'm a Bollywood fan, and until recently you weren't likely to see a couple kissing unless they were married.

-not sure of the ratings system in France, but there are a couple popular films that have fellatio as part of the standard love scene. sans strategically placed sheets.

 

[Son_of_Atropos]

There are other (and more importantly, gentler) comic book movies, just so you know... The Dark Knight was pretty good...

I don't appreciate the snide comment. Reread my posts and maybe you will understand what I am saying.

 

[J.J. Gittes]

I saw the Watchmen, I loved it. I thought it was done excellently. I really liked the sequence with all of the iconic American moments were changed such as the Kennedey Assassination, and the mocking of the Sailor and nurse kissing (Alfred Eisenstaedt) in New York at the end of the war. I found the Kennedy sequence fascinating, it looked like it was the real thing, very very cool. I got a huge laugh out of the Eisenstaedt mockery with Silhouette. Overall, i thought it was very well done, very entertaining and flowing. Although I rarely watch movies more than once within a year period, I would maybe see this again.

 

[flat-top]

I saw the Watchmen, I loved it. I thought it was done excellently. I really liked the sequence with all of the iconic American moments were changed such as the Kennedey Assassination, and the mocking of the Sailor and nurse kissing (Alfred Eisenstaedt) in New York at the end of the war. I found the Kennedy sequence fascinating, it looked like it was the real thing, very very cool. I got a huge laugh out of the Eisenstaedt mockery with Silhouette. Overall, i thought it was very well done, very entertaining and flowing. Although I rarely watch movies more than once within a year period, I would maybe see this again.

The opening credit sequence (the best part of the movie IMO) is actually online. I'm not sure I'm allowed to link it here, but do a search and you can probably find it. I'm sure it'll get pulled shortly.

 

[Queue]

The opening credit sequence (the best part of the movie IMO) is actually online. I'm not sure I'm allowed to link it here, but do a search and you can probably find it. I'm sure it'll get pulled shortly.

Like this?

 

[resortes805]

I am honestly waiting on passing judgement on The Watchmen until I see the full extended cut.

It was great seeing this work translated into another medium, but it is far from perfect. Haley was great as Rorschach and I really like Crudup as the pre-Dr Manhatten John Osterman, but I can't help thinking that this film would have worked so much been had it been released back in the 1980s. Plus, that Richard Nixon looked terrible.

Like Flat-top, I wanted more Minutemen!!!

 

[Madcap72]

I am honestly waiting on passing judgement on The Watchmen until I see the full extended cut.

It was great seeing this work translated into another medium, but it is far from perfect. Haley was great as Rorschach and I really like Crudup as the pre-Dr Manhatten John Osterman, but I can't help thinking that this film would have worked so much been had it been released back in the 1980s. Plus, that Richard Nixon looked terrible.

Like Flat-top, I wanted more Minutemen!!!

having never read, and only vaguely hearing about the Graphic novel, I had no pre-disposition towards teh movie.

I loved it and will see it again in theaters if I ever get a day off. The first 1 1/2 hours was the best IMHO, a real emotional roller coaster getting you hooked on the characters. The last half was mostly straight forward "super hero movie"

The hour/ dollar ratio is good to

 

[Kent Allard]

Plus, that Richard Nixon looked terrible.

Was it just me or did the Nixon in that film look more like Bob Hope?

 

[Queue]

io9 had an interesting article about easter eggs in the credits. Pretty cool stuff for fans of the GN.

io9 article here.

 

[mike]

I am honestly waiting on passing judgement on The Watchmen until I see the full extended cut.

It was great seeing this work translated into another medium, but it is far from perfect. Haley was great as Rorschach and I really like Crudup as the pre-Dr Manhatten John Osterman, but I can't help thinking that this film would have worked so much been had it been released back in the 1980s. Plus, that Richard Nixon looked terrible.

Like Flat-top, I wanted more Minutemen!!!

I agree! Seeing the snippets of the newstand scene, means I assume the extended version has the pirate comic book segment. Regardless, the theatrical extended version, followed by the dvd director's cut ought to be very interesting indeed!

 

[Queue]

I agree! Seeing the snippets of the newstand scene, means I assume the extended version has the pirate comic book segment. Regardless, the theatrical extended version, followed by the dvd director's cut ought to be very interesting indeed!

Tales of the Black Freighter, the comic within the comic, was released on DVD last Tuesday (the 3rd). It's animated with Gerald Butler of 300 fame doing the voice of the castaway. It is currently available on Amazon.

 

[UWS Cowboy]

I thought it was a fascinating movie much like the book, and it followed it very closely. I feel that Snyder did the best he could do with the time limit they allowed him of 2 hours and 40 minutes. To be completely faithful the film would need to be around 4 hours. That's not going to happen (the directors cut should be 3.5 hours) so I'm not complaining. I liked the serious tone the movie kept, yet at the same time the camp elements it had since Watchmen was always considered a deconstruction of the superhero genre and a parody of their costumes and actions etc. I liked the 80s soundtrack, even though lots of people had problems with that. Didn't like the modern song they played during the end credits but that doesn't matter to me. Jackie Earle Haley was perfectly cast along with Billy Crudup. Jason Patrick as Dan was great, so was Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The original Silk Spectre was the weak link. Some of her scenes were borderline soap opera. I thought the violence was done well, and the nudity did not bother me. I find it odd that so many people on various websites are uncomfortable with seeing Dr. Manhattan's cgi genitals. [huh] I hardly noticed and I saw it on imax. I think the Mars/Watchmaker scene with Manhattan's origin alone was the best scene in any superhero film. The Philip Glass music in that scene really made it fantastic. I also loved The Dark Knight, but I've gotten a bit tired of Christopher Nolan's "realistic" approach to Batman. I still give the film a 9/10 but I like the more fantastical elements of comic books. I think Batman the animated series from the early '90s is the best incarnation of Batman. I thought Watchmen was a great sci fi film.

 

[Feraud]

The only thing that bothered me about the film was Rorschach's voice.
It was as silly as Christian Bale's two pack a day habit Batman.
Gravelly does not equal tough.

 

[swinggal]

I'm looking forward to seeing the extended DVD version too. There is an extra 30 minutes of footage included.

There was also a lot more references to homosexuality in the GN from what I recall. This was only really hinted on in the movie....not sure why.

I would say to anyone you know who doesn't know anything about the story - don't go and see it expecting a 'Spiderman' or 'Ironman' comic-movie-experience. It's not of the same genre. It's dark, gritty and violent-just like the original story- and not a movie for adults to take young kids too. I know someone who took their 10 year old for goodness sake! He knew nothing about the story and the kid got to see more than he bargained for...not to mention the kid didn't really understand the plot.

 

[CopperNY]

just got back. went alone to a late show. mostly college kids and myself. according to the lobby talk afterwards, they all hated it.

the movie, as a whole, was kind of a bummer. but i knew that from the book.

a lot of the material felt 'dated' (duh), and those that didn't grow up in the 80's didn't get the impact, again according to talking to folks in the lobby afterwards.

-loved the soundtrack choices.
-the opening credits were great.
-the 'sex scene' was even great. not lurid, just two folks with too much on their minds having some fun.
-i think average people laughed at the rape scene because of the whole 'cos-play' angle making it unreal.
-the JFK part didn't shock me as much as the National Guard firing after the girl puts the flower in the rifle barrel.

and,

-i'll go out on a limb and say that Haley's Rorschach was nearly as good as Ledger's Joker.

 

[MrBern]

I saw a version of the movie tonite. I wasnt familiar with the GraphicNovel
Quite worthwhile little movie.
Tho the Nixon & Kissinger actors were...lame.

Sex & violence....I wasnt expecting Archie Comix.

-bern

Oh. she reminds me a bit of Xena/LucyLawless. Must be the bangs. Compare:

 

[kiltie]

-the JFK part didn't shock me as much as the National Guard firing after the girl puts the flower in the rifle barrel.

and,

-i'll go out on a limb and say that Haley's Rorschach was nearly as good as Ledger's Joker.

I don't mean this in a b*tthole-y way, but you see the flower thing coming from a mile away, and it's kinda funny in that black humor way. The Kennedy thing - does anyone born after 1963 know that this was actually a real person? When I referenced this scene in an earlier post, I never really expected people to be shocked by the violence ( we are all FAR too jaded for that ). The assassination isn't played as a straight joke, but it's not what one would describe as being wholey reverent, either. I know the violent deaths of other real historical figures have been portrayed on screen before, but none in such a relatively flippant way.
I, again, am no big Kennedy fan, and I wasn't born 'til a decade after his death, but I'm still curious to know: at what point did it become not just okay, but completely acceptable so that it passes without comment to portray the death of A) a revered American historical person in the way it is done in this film, and B) one that is not so far removed that he doesn't have living family, friends, etc...
I don't mean to rant, and I certainly enjoyed the movie a good deal. I'm just dying to know what this scene ( and how people react, or more importantly, don't react ) says about the American populace at large, and generation by generation.

And yes, Jackie Earl Haley did rock, and rock as hard as the Joker.

 

[Queue]

I don't mean this in a b*tthole-y way, but you see the flower thing coming from a mile away, and it's kinda funny in that black humor way. The Kennedy thing - does anyone born after 1963 know that this was actually a real person? When I referenced this scene in an earlier post, I never really expected people to be shocked by the violence ( we are all FAR too jaded for that ). The assassination isn't played as a straight joke, but it's not what one would describe as being wholey reverent, either. I know the violent deaths of other real historical figures have been portrayed on screen before, but none in such a relatively flippant way.
I, again, am no big Kennedy fan, and I wasn't born 'til a decade after his death, but I'm still curious to know: at what point did it become not just okay, but completely acceptable so that it passes without comment to portray the death of A) a revered American historical person in the way it is done in this film, and B) one that is not so far removed that he doesn't have living family, friends, etc...
I don't mean to rant, and I certainly enjoyed the movie a good deal. I'm just dying to know what this scene ( and how people react, or more importantly, don't react ) says about the American populace at large, and generation by generation.

And yes, Jackie Earl Haley did rock, and rock as hard as the Joker.

I don't think it was meant to be done disrespectfully; in my reading (err... watching) it showed two things: the Comedian's quasi-independence from the normal order of things (and the question sprung into my head, what government agency was directing him) and Doctor Manhattan's indifference to human affairs (as is discussed in the GN).

And talking about the treatment of assassination on the screen/stage reminds me of the Stephen Sondheim musical, Assassins which offers an interesting, albeit odd, look at past assassins and their wouldbe counterparts.