Just came home from Watchmen

[BaltimoreLauren]

My initial reaction as soon as the credits rolled, was, "This sucked". I'm not even sure how I feel. I was really pulling for this movie, and some of it was good. The scenes, the costumes, the things that were pulled directly from the comic and not changed were spot on. Its clear Snyder tried really hard. However, it fell on its face. The opening montage with the classic hero's was great. The music was great. Jeffrey Dean Morgan and the dude who plays Rorschach were *amazing*.

 

If you did not read the graphic novel...you may or may not get it. Your questions will not be answered. The ending was changed but it worked for the movie. I separated myself from the graphic novel so I could enjoy it. The opening was really promising. Then it dropped. You need the 'Under The Hood' bits, you need 'The Black Freighter' bits. That's what pulls it all together. There are things in the movie that are explained in the graphic novel in startling detail. You don't think of it at the time, but theres not explanation to Bubastas, why Dr. Manhattan has the symbol on his head, ect. You actually need those things to understand it better.

 

The CGI sucked. Oh my sweet lord all mighty did it suck. I'm not even sure if they tried. I'll not be seeing this in IMAX. This is not one of those movies where two days later I'll realize how brilliant it was; Why should I when the source material was genius to begin with? I am not sure how someone who has not read it will feel. That's whats bothering me. I read the book and I'm left scratching my head wondering what I just saw. The sex scenes were awkward, but I think they kept it in tune with how it was in the book. The gore was over the top. The book was yes, very violent, but this was just a gore fest. I would not let anyone under 13 see it. Snyder looked like he was just living out his fantasy of seeing excessive gore in Watchmen or something.

 

I'm just let down, and I still don't even know what the hell just happened to me. I was so excited to see this, and I was really pulling for it too. The Dark Knight is still, IMO, is leaps and bounds better.

[supapimp]

so it sucked just liked the 86 MS?

[Drakeprimeone]

Dang...

I still need to go see none the less

[BaltimoreLauren]

so it sucked just liked the 86 MS?

 

What?

 

A lot of it I liked, but I left the theater feeling like the rug was pulled out from under me. When I left Dark Knight I felt like Batman head beaten me to a pulp and I enjoyed it. This just made me feel awkward and questioning why I dragged my boyfriend out at midnight to see it.

[dikran]

Pretty much sums up how I felt as well, it was great visually but the whole philosophy behind the story was starkly absent... They should just have left the source material alone, brilliant as it is.

[Billy the Kidd]

I just saw this as well. I know where you are coming from completely... IMHO, the movie was as true to the book as it is ever going to get. AND with that being said.. a lot was left out, some for the good and some for the worse.

 

I think in the time allowed (2hrs and 43 mins, was it?), Zack and the writers did the best they could with fitting in the most important parts. ANd after leaving that theater.. I felt that the movie was amazing. I really liked it. Sure some parts were a little cheesy and awkard and sure some parts seemed rush and confusing but from my part of view, Zack did a great job and I will probably be seeing it again.

 

My ONLY disappointment however was knowing exactly what was going to happen after every scene ...

 

 

[supapimp]

they failed from the get go, they were trying to fit 12 issues into a 164 minutes. epic fail!

[Aman619]

wow. Im disappointed you disliked it so much. I just got back too and if I was siting with someone I knew who also knew the material we would have exchanged many many smiles at how cool it was to see this stuff so faithfully enacted.

 

The teenager next to me who hadnt read it was visibly bored however. But there wasnt any noise or restless stirirng or taking in the theatre so my guess is that 90% were into it, and the rest fell asleep quietly.

 

Overall, I felt it dragged a few times, mostly the long Dr Manhattan dialogue-heavy scenes, like on Mars. And heck no! the SFX wasnt bad! I dont see how you say that??

 

I thought Alan Moores genre busting scenes played well, especially Nite Owls viagra moment and subsequent high flying sex romp. Rorshach in jail got laughs and cheers!

 

I also wonder if people who hadnt read it "got it", but, I think they "got" enough... lets face it, its just a superhero flick to them. They get it, and like what they like and are unmoved by the rest.

 

I found it interesting the choices Snyder made throughout, to eliminate, truncate or extend and even add scenes. There are few that are much worse than the big ending changes so many people are up in arms about, like Rorshach's origin with the girl killer.

 

and yeah, it was very gory.

[Aman619]

so it sucked just liked the 86 MS?

 

What?

 

A lot of it I liked, but I left the theater feeling like the rug was pulled out from under me. When I left Dark Knight I felt like Batman head beaten me to a pulp and I enjoyed it. This just made me feel awkward and questioning why I dragged my boyfriend out at midnight to see it.

 

thats the issue--- making yourself responsible for a civilians interest in something he just doenst care much for. Youre seeing it thru HIS eyes now, That will be $125 please. No checks!

[Billy the Kidd]

wow. Im disappointed you disliked it so much. I just got back too and if I was siting with someone I knew who also knew the material we would have exchanged many many smiles at how cool it was to see this stuff so faithfully enacted.

 

The teenager next to me who hadnt read it was visibly bored however. But there wasnt any noise or restless stirirng or taking in the theatre so my guess is that 90% were into it, and the rest fell asleep quietly.

 

Overall, I felt it dragged a few times, mostly the long Dr Manhattan dialogue-heavy scenes, like on Mars. And heck no! the SFX wasnt bad! I dont see how you say that??

 

I thought Alan Moores genre busting scenes played well, especially Nite Owls viagra moment and subsequent high flying sex romp. Rorshach in jail got laughs and cheers!

 

I also wonder if people who hadnt read it "got it", but, I think they "got" enough... lets face it, its just a superhero flick to them. They get it, and like what they like and are unmoved by the rest.

 

I found it interesting the choices Snyder made throughout, to eliminate, truncate or extend and even add scenes. There are few that are much worse than the big ending changes so many people are up in arms about, like Rorshach's origin with the girl killer.

 

and yeah, it was very gory.

 

I agree!

[supapimp]

the ironic thing is that i'll probably end up liking it, even though i couldn't get pass issue #1 in 1986.

[BaltimoreLauren]

wow. Im disappointed you disliked it so much. I just got back too and if I was siting with someone I knew who also knew the material we would have exchanged many many smiles at how cool it was to see this stuff so faithfully enacted.

 

The teenager next to me who hadnt read it was visibly bored however. But there wasnt any noise or restless stirirng or taking in the theatre so my guess is that 90% were into it, and the rest fell asleep quietly.

 

Overall, I felt it dragged a few times, mostly the long Dr Manhattan dialogue-heavy scenes, like on Mars. And heck no! the SFX wasnt bad! I dont see how you say that??

 

I thought Alan Moores genre busting scenes played well, especially Nite Owls viagra moment and subsequent high flying sex romp. Rorshach in jail got laughs and cheers!

 

I also wonder if people who hadnt read it "got it", but, I think they "got" enough... lets face it, its just a superhero flick to them. They get it, and like what they like and are unmoved by the rest.

 

I found it interesting the choices Snyder made throughout, to eliminate, truncate or extend and even add scenes. There are few that are much worse than the big ending changes so many people are up in arms about, like Rorshach's origin with the girl killer.

 

and yeah, it was very gory.

 

I'm still, an hour later, trying to convince myself to like this movie. I liked Punisher: War Zone, so I know it's not because I'm some elitist jerk. I go into movies to enjoy them. I just didn't enjoy Watchmen like I thought I would.

 

The awkward sex scene was good, and I think I was the only one in the theater who liked it. Hah.

 

The CG that killed it for me was Bubastas. When Manhattan was going through his developing stages, I loved it. The "castle" on mars was great. Watching Laurie break down on Mars was one of my favorite scenes.

 

But still, an hour later, and I can't convince myself to like this movie as much as I really really want too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Drakeprimeone]

What I'd like to know is that was this movie a let down to people who have read the book or will it be a let down to those who haven't?

 

 

Or is it a let down in general?

[BaltimoreLauren]

What I'd like to know is that was this movie a let down to people who have read the book or will it be a let down to those who haven't?

 

 

Or is it a let down in general?

 

From the celebrity blogging site I visit, it's a a pretty even split. Some people who went in with no prior knowledge were let down, while other weren't. Some people who went in after reading the book were let down (and they all share the same mentality as me. It was a good translation, but...what the f?) others loved it.

 

If you're going in to be mindlessly entertained you may like it, save for the Manhattan on Mars scenes. It's an honest toss up if you did read the book.

[Drakeprimeone]

What I'd like to know is that was this movie a let down to people who have read the book or will it be a let down to those who haven't?

 

 

Or is it a let down in general?

 

From the celebrity blogging site I visit, it's a a pretty even split. Some people who went in with no prior knowledge were let down, while other weren't. Some people who went in after reading the book were let down (and they all share the same mentality as me. It was a good translation, but...what the f?) others loved it.

 

If you're going in to be mindlessly entertained you may like it, save for the Manhattan on Mars scenes. It's an honest toss up if you did read the book.

 

, maybe I should spare taking my gf and not take her to the 10:30pm showing I'm going to this weekend

[Billy the Kidd]

What I'd like to know is that was this movie a let down to people who have read the book or will it be a let down to those who haven't?

 

 

Or is it a let down in general?

 

It wasn't a let down to me and my friends who went and we all read the book years before this movie came out.

 

As far as everyone in the theater.. I have NO idea as what anyone else thinks. Usually when I make my way out of a movie I hear comments and such but strangely on this I didn't a single "This rocked" or "This sucks" and etc..

 

I personally don't think it was a let down but it really depends on how much you are expecting from this movie and what you hope to see out of it.

[lookwhoitis]

Saw it! Loved it! (thumbs u

 

definitely recognized some of the changes and thought they worked. At least for a non comic book American audience.

 

I didnt think the film was dumbed down.

 

I really believe that trying to cram all of Moore's subtext and depth into a less than three hour adaptation would be doomed to fail.

 

Thematically, I think Snyder did pretty good. He captured in my mind the feel of the work.

 

As they always say, "the Book is always better" and it is certainly true in this case, too... but I was impressed by the film.

 

I am going to wait to read the threads discussing the movie (and to comment more), until I have re-read the Watchmen 1-12 again, which I will do within the next few days. I want to re-read the work while the film is fresh in my head and before my picture of it is compromised by discourse on the works.

 

Till then...

[Aman619]

Ive been watching the animated version on iTunes, so that counts as a recent fresh readthru, which brought the whole plot back to me. I hadnt read it in maybe 15 years. In some ways I wish I hadnt so I could gauge my reactions without being so familiar with the plot structure. But then Id be trying to figure it out, and I find comic book movies are less about plot than execution.

[Aman619]

Saw it! Loved it! (thumbs u

 

definitely recognized some of the changes and thought they worked. At least for a non comic book American audience.

 

I didnt think the film was dumbed down.

 

I really believe that trying to cram all of Moore's subtext and depth into a less than three hour adaptation would be doomed to fail.

 

Thematically, I think Snyder did pretty good. He captured in my mind the feel of the work.

 

As they always say, "the Book is always better" and it is certainly true in this case, too... but I was impressed by the film.

 

I am going to wait to read the threads discussing the movie (and to comment more), until I have re-read the Watchmen 1-12 again, which I will do within the next few days. I want to re-read the work while the film is fresh in my head and before my picture of it is compromised by discourse on the works.

 

Till then...

 

 

dont read, watch the animated version. Its word for word (except the text pieces) and brilliantly animated using ONLY Gibbons actual linework and colors!!

[Billy the Kidd]

Ive been watching the animated version on iTunes, so that counts as a recent fresh readthru, which brought the whole plot back to me. I hadnt read it in maybe 15 years. In some ways I wish I hadnt so I could gauge my reactions without being so familiar with the plot structure. But then Id be trying to figure it out, and I find comic book movies are less about plot than execution.

 

Yeah, that's where I find my biggest disappointment to be as well. It's so true to the book that you knew exactly what was going to happen as far as story. The only thing to look forward to was how Zack translate to live action.