Watchmen: Movie Review

[Darkmoon]

I'm not going to put too many spoilers in here, although, really, it's hard to classify much as spoilers as the movie is pretty directly based on the comic (aside from some changes here and there).

I caught an advance showing (IMAX no less), and I will say, before I get into anything else, it was good. I enjoyed it a lot, and I say that with amazement, since I hated the comic. Really, I hated the end of the comic (and the movie ends... well... no, I won't say anything there). As it is, here we go.

Much like in the comic, we open with the death of a hero. The opening scene is brutal and, at the same time, beautifully staged. It helps to set the tone for how the movie will play out, both in the pacing and in the action.

From there, we cut to the opening credits, where we're introduced to the world of "Watchmen", the politics, the drama, and the characters (a little backstory for each of them). Then we're dropped into the world to follow Rorschach (a vigilante with an ever changing mask) as he tries to figure out the mystery of the dead hero, and what it could mean for the rest of the masked heroes of old, and, more importantly in the long run, what it means for the world.

"Watchmen" is about a lot of things over the course of its three hour run time. It's about how to live in a world you really don't belong to. It's about violence and hate, about peace and the failure to achieve it. Much like the comic, it has a deep, involving plot, even if they excised good portions of the story to make it fit in a faster paced run-time.

As I said above, I enjoyed it a lot. I wasn't sure I would going in, but I did. There's good (brutal) action, an involving plot, and characters I enjoyed. The anti-heroes steal the show in this flick, with the Comedian and Rorschach stealing all the scenes they're in (Rorschach honestly turns in a performance I could see getting nominated for awards).

Sadly, other performances weren't as good. Silk Spectre II is bland on-screen, and while Dr. Manhattan is interesting to watch (and I know he's performing as the character "would") but the performance felt a little flat to me.

In other quibbles, while the special effects are convincing (especially for a 7-foot-tall blue man that sparkles), the more mundane make-up effects are awful. Nixon in particular stands out as a "what not to do" for make-up.

With all that said and done, if you aren't too much of a purist to the book (and I'm sure some of them will hate this movie because of what it changes), and you don't mind some brutal violence, then you'l enjoy this flick a lot.

4 out of 5.

Now, as I saw in the Watchmen speculation thread (which I didn't post this in because I didn't want to ruin anything for them) there were questions as to what will be in the flick. If you want to be surprised, go no further.

Rorschach's mask does change, constantly. It's ever moving, even as you're watching, which is a touch distracting, but pays off in a good effect near the end.

The Pirate stuff was all excised from this version of the flick. It's being released on DVD separately, and, if you want to have it with the movie all at once, an super-extended edition will be released that puts the movie, with all the extra footage, and the Pirate junk, in one long epic.

Personally, i didn't miss that stuff at all.

[Janus Whitefurr]

I may end up holding out for this super extended edition. I'm one of those almost-too-purist types who clings hissingly to their books. 

But I'll probably end up seeing it in the cinemas anyway, because the anticipation of how much they adapted 'right' will kill me regardless of what's been changed.

If this is going to end up having spoilers, could you name some of the changes to the plot? I'm not asking for an exhaustive list, just anything that really stuck out.

[Darkmoon]

SPOILERS:

The end is drastically different. It ends up achieving a similar goal as the movie, but through different means.

The psychiatrist's plotline is hugely scaled back.

Because there's no pirate stuff, there's no scenes with the kid and the newspaper seller. They cameo a couple of times, but they don't really have any bearing on the story.

And, of course, without those two characters, when the end of the movie comes along, there's no other characters who really stick out in the end sequences either (since the newspaper stand ended up being a gathering place for many of the side characters).

Quite a few of the scenes with the Minuteman are scaled back.

And Dr. Manhattan is actually a girl... okay, just kidding on that one.

[Rakala]

I figured the pirate story would be the first to go. I will definitely get the extended edition. I did that with all three Lord of the Rings movies and honestly can no longer tell which scenes are "extra". Mind you it extends the movies to three hour long 2-disc epics but it is well worth it.

[radarnocturn]

One thing is, they did the pirate movie as it's own seperate straight to dvd cartoon thing, I'd like to find the dvd so I can look at it at least.  Only one I can find is the dvd of the comic book.  But on the soundtrack, they did include one song "Pirate Jenny" from the Black Freighter dvd they released.

[Alondro]

I'm just tired of nihlistic stuff. 

Yeah yeah, I get it.  Everyone is bad and crazy inside and there's no way anything or anyone can ever be 'good'.

Also, making a huge war will not stop war.  That'll just provide the breeding ground for petty dictators looking for a chaotic situation in which to seize power.

In fact, a story I'm writing for AC coincidently runs along the same theme, but with a different outcome (and no superheroes).

Initially I was annoyed when I found out the basic story behind "Watchmen" and realized my story was so similar (I thought I'd come up with something new.. talk about lousy timing).  But then I read a detailed story summary and realized that I had to finish writing my story to address the illogical conclusion reached by the not-so-superheroes.

PS:  I think they all just needed some pot and Prozac.  Then they'd all be fine.  Especially Dr. Manhattan.  You could tell he was severely depressed because he was always so blue!  *ba-dum-dum* 

[Kipiru]

This movie bites! Big time! I haven't read the comic, but after this steaming pile of s**t they called a movie, I probably never will. What a colossal waist of potential! It almost makes The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen look like an Oscar winner!

[Alondro]

This movie bites! Big time! I haven't read the comic, but after this steaming pile of s**t they called a movie, I probably never will. What a colossal waist of potential! It almost makes The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen look like an Oscar winner!

From what I understand after reading an interview with the writer, it's just like his other graphic novel "V For Vendetta"; the entire story is one big socio-political rant... mainly aimed at conservatives.  Note how in VFV, England became authoritarian due to Margaret Thatcher, and how in "Watchmen", evil Lord Nixon was in a third term.

This is why I hate it when movies and comics over-reach with political motives.  They end up wasting a perfectly good premise on nonsense.  They often try to mold reality to fit their bias, which was what the previous two "Batman" movies have avoided, and instead focused on how to mold the characters around a realistic scenario, facing the problem of social injustices with no clear answer and incorporating complex psychological analyses of the criminal and psychopathic mind, which was achieved with, I think, absolute perfection in the last one, summed up elegantly by Alfred:  "Some men just want to watch the world burn".

[Kipiru]

This movie bites! Big time! I haven't read the comic, but after this steaming pile of s**t they called a movie, I probably never will. What a colossal waist of potential! It almost makes The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen look like an Oscar winner!

From what I understand after reading an interview with the writer, it's just like his other graphic novel "V For Vendetta"; the entire story is one big socio-political rant... mainly aimed at conservatives.  Note how in VFV, England became authoritarian due to Margaret Thatcher, and how in "Watchmen", evil Lord Nixon was in a third term.

This is why I hate it when movies and comics over-reach with political motives.  They end up wasting a perfectly good premise on nonsense.  They often try to mold reality to fit their bias, which was what the previous two "Batman" movies have avoided, and instead focused on how to mold the characters around a realistic scenario, facing the problem of social injustices with no clear answer and incorporating complex psychological analyses of the criminal and psychopathic mind, which was achieved with, I think, absolute perfection in the last one, summed up elegantly by Alfred:  "Some men just want to watch the world burn".

Agreed!

[Janus Whitefurr]

This movie bites! Big time! I haven't read the comic, but after this steaming pile of s**t they called a movie, I probably never will. What a colossal waist of potential! It almost makes The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen look like an Oscar winner!

There is some sort of terrible irony that you claim LXG has the potential to seem better, considering said movie is a complete bastardisation of an Alan Moore work. To say that Watchmen is potentially bad enough for LXG to seem superior, when Watchmen actually remains closer to the source material, is an amazing bit of rage of on your part. Just amazing.

Some people just aren't happy unless they're grousing about something, I guess. You and Alondro both. A bit of frothing overreaction from both of you, one raging about the movie and one complaining it beat him to the punch on his own tale. Movie's a movie, book's a book, fine if you don't like it. Flailing about wildly while doing said complaining makes you look like a tool.

Either way, I've been sitting here trying to think of a nice way to say I think both of you are less than spectacular examples of ranting. I award both of you no points, and may Doctor Manhattan have mercy on your souls.

[rabid_fox]

I didn't like the comic book. 'Preacher' - that's where it's at for grown up comics. The film seems to rely on previous fanship from most comments I've seen, so I shall be giving it a miss.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I didn't like the comic book. 'Preacher' - that's where it's at for grown up comics. The film seems to rely on previous fanship from most comments I've seen, so I shall be giving it a miss.

Preacher rocks.

Likewise Transmetropolitan.

[Destina Faroda]

I never read the book and after seeing this film, I thought it was mediocre.  I have a laundry list of complaints with this film but they all boil down to the movie being confusing and being very, very cliched.  I understand this movie was based on a source material through which some of those tropes entered public consciousness, but even so it seemed...derivative.

There is some sort of terrible irony that you claim LXG has the potential to seem better, considering said movie is a complete bastardisation of an Alan Moore work. To say that Watchmen is potentially bad enough for LXG to seem superior, when Watchmen actually remains closer to the source material, is an amazing bit of rage of on your part. Just amazing.

I never read any of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comics, but I have seen the film and I like it a lot more than Watchmen.  It might be more popcorn-fluff material, but at least I could watch it and understand it.

[radarnocturn]

I never read the book and after seeing this film, I thought it was mediocre.  I have a laundry list of complaints with this film but they all boil down to the movie being confusing and being very, very cliched.  I understand this movie was based on a source material through which some of those tropes entered public consciousness, but even so it seemed...derivative.

There is some sort of terrible irony that you claim LXG has the potential to seem better, considering said movie is a complete bastardisation of an Alan Moore work. To say that Watchmen is potentially bad enough for LXG to seem superior, when Watchmen actually remains closer to the source material, is an amazing bit of rage of on your part. Just amazing.

Uck, trust me, I have the League books.  They are ten times BETTER than the movie.  The LXG movie's good, but the books are grand!  There's much MUCH more to the story with what happens.  And no annoying Sawyer, no super powered Mina, and no Dorian Gray.  They do encounter many more literary characters though.

I never read any of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comics, but I have seen the film and I like it a lot more than Watchmen.  It might be more popcorn-fluff material, but at least I could watch it and understand it.

[GabrielsThoughts]

it was good that I read the comic before the movie because I can piece together the best from both... although I found the hollywood ending slightly more satisfying than the one in the novel, The Watchmen remains a tragedy.

[Kipiru]

This movie bites! Big time! I haven't read the comic, but after this steaming pile of s**t they called a movie, I probably never will. What a colossal waist of potential! It almost makes The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen look like an Oscar winner!

There is some sort of terrible irony that you claim LXG has the potential to seem better, considering said movie is a complete bastardisation of an Alan Moore work. To say that Watchmen is potentially bad enough for LXG to seem superior, when Watchmen actually remains closer to the source material, is an amazing bit of rage of on your part. Just amazing.

Some people just aren't happy unless they're grousing about something, I guess. You and Alondro both. A bit of frothing overreaction from both of you, one raging about the movie and one complaining it beat him to the punch on his own tale. Movie's a movie, book's a book, fine if you don't like it. Flailing about wildly while doing said complaining makes you look like a tool.

Either way, I've been sitting here trying to think of a nice way to say I think both of you are less than spectacular examples of ranting. I award both of you no points, and may Doctor Manhattan have mercy on your souls.

Dude do you have any idea how low my standarts for popcorn movies are. I do my best to enjoy even the most mediocre of flicks. But I was rendered helpless by the Watchmen' s inadequacy as entertainment. And it wasn't just me- the whole audience in the theater was wandering half way through the movie if they had been duped into watching something so...unentertaining. As for the comparison with the LXG- it was just an of the top of my head thing( though I did really enjoy it better than the Watchmen). In the end it is a matter of taste. And to me it tasted rotten.

[Janus Whitefurr]

So given my first class of the day was a bust and my second class wasn't till afternoon, I went into town (from uni) and caught Watchmen myself. I can only state that as I watched it, it became more and more evident that it is something that the graphic novelists would enjoy (or rail against) more than the common man. As I enjoyed the graphic novel, so too did I enjoy the movie, despite the changes made. Certainly not something for everyone, but unlike some I'm not about to launch into a frothing vitriol about it. (Y)

[AzrailX]

I didn't really like this movie.I thought it might be great,but the plot was rather stale to me.I don't know if it's because of the graphic novel,(I haven't read it yet)or the writers who are to blame.
   And what's up with the blue guy (Mr.Manhattan) being practically naked onscreen more than 50 percent of the time?That was a real turn off.
   This movie is getting critics' praises and I don't understand why.On the plus,the themes about mankind's destruction and the whole political intrigue in the film did play out well.But,I still think that they could've done better.


And,


SPOILER





























Why kill off a good character the way they did?Doesn't that make blue the villain as much as the guy he was going after?