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[DrForester]

I just saw the film and enjoyed it overall.

About the ending

Spoiler

The Manhattan ending wasn't as bad as expected. It was almost okay but then I thought they should have shown other big cities nuked, as he does talk about LA and HK.

The rest of the film felt right, not enough Rorschach scenes ( how he makes his mask... ), no visual symmetry during what was supposed to be his chapter, but then there was no chapter. They nailed the manhattan part. The strangelove war room was cute but felt out of place. I expected to see Peter Sellers raise his hand. Bit too much of slow mo, but that was expected.

Didn't like the

Spoiler

"nothing ever ends" scene, it didn't fit at all.

There where some parts of the changed ending I both liked and disliked. Both have to do with plot holes.

Spoiler

Mainly being the logic of Ozzy's attack. One problem I had with the novel was he only attacked New York, which, no matter what attacked it, I never really bought that Russia would not use that opportunity to go all out and kick 'em while they're down. So in the movie, having the attack go to multiple cities, made more sense.

On the other hand, by framing Dr Manhattan, you have most the world get attacked by what was essentially America's defense poster child. Can't imagine that would make the rest of the world happy.

Then as I already said, the "nothing ever ends" line was wasted since Ozzy never has that moment of realization that his plan might not work in the end. All we got in the movie was him pretty much just rationalizing it, and that's it.

[As he hits the ground and the blood flows down the sidewalk we hear Dylan sing “The Times They Are a-Changin” and we are met with one of the best introductions seen in a long time. The Minutemen of the 1940’s are introduced in a series of pseudo “still shots” that change as the camera slowly moves around. It captures the essence of this doomed alternate world pitch perfectly.

I forgot to mention this in my earlier thoughts, but yeah, the opening credit montage was fantastic and very well done.

Spoiler

And made me feel stupid for never picking up on the Comedian killing Kennedy thing from the book

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

Dylan appearance? Sold.

 

[newsguy]

Hey guys. So the entertainment show I work with got a bunch of swag for the film because they were at the junket. So they are giving out condoms... :lol When you open it, it reads "We're society's only protection" If there's anyone rabid enough a fan PM me and I'll send you one.

 

[Buckethead]

Dylan appearance? Sold.

Is it the Dylan version or is it the godawful My Chemical Douchemance version?

 

[nidopal]

Fans of the book are going to be pissed.

Spoiler

The ending is completely changed, Dan (Nite Owl II) has a "Nooooooo!!!" line and Adrian Veidt's awesome villainy was subdued. He didn't even have a "Don't interrupt, that's rude" line. Also though Manhattan getting framed makes sense in the short-term to dumb the movie down for mainstream audiences, it really removes from the complex grand scheme Ozymandias has in the book that leaves you understanding why Nite Owl II or Manhattan wouldn't go against it.

Other than the end though, it was an awesome movie with tons of subtle things that fans of the book are going to love to notice. Though some much more subtle, all the gay references are still there too.

Spoiler

NOII's "Nooooooo!!!" moment REALLY worked as well as his subsequent actions.

 

[WyndhamPrice]

Is it the Dylan version or is it the godawful My Chemical Douchemance version?

It's Dylan's version of Times They Are A-Changin, the MCR song is Desolation Row.

 

[xS1TH L0RDx]

is there man-dick in this or not?

 

[nidopal]

is there man-dick in this or not?

Indeed there is.

 

[Particle Physicist]

is there man-dick in this or not?

big, blue, and beautiful.

 

[Chipopo]

Who is Ryan Scott?

.

 

[newsguy]

Producer who went to the junket saw the film and said it's very sexual, so I would expect mandick, manballs, and everything in between.

 

[Buckethead]

It's Dylan's version of Times They Are A-Changin, the MCR song is Desolation Row.

Awesome.

I didn't pay any attention to the MCR thing or pay attention to titles because my ears spontaneously started bleeding just by the thought of MCR bastardizing Dylan.

Very very glad they aren't pandering the mainstream by replacing the Dylan song with covers. Wooo!

 

[this guy]

Producer who went to the junket saw the film and said it's very sexual, so I would expect mandick, manballs, and everything in between.

There isn't much between the dick and the balls though, just skin. :|

 

[newsguy]

There isn't much between the dick and the balls though, just skin. :|

WHAT??? Aw shit I need to see the doctor

 

[DrForester]

Awesome.

I didn't pay any attention to the MCR thing or pay attention to titles because my ears spontaneously started bleeding just by the thought of MCR bastardizing Dylan.

Very very glad they aren't pandering the mainstream by replacing the Dylan song with covers. Wooo!

I actually didn't mind the MCR version of Desolation Row, could have been much worse I thought.

 

[Expendable.]

Producer who went to the junket saw the film and said it's very sexual, so I would expect mandick, manballs, and everything in between.

Actually it really isn't. The penis is there, but that's about it. The only sex scene in the film between Silk Spectre and Nite Owl, is handled as a joke.

 

[this guy]

Actually it really isn't. The penis is there, but that's about it. The only sex scene in the film between Silk Spectre and Nite Owl, is handled as a joke.

A sexy joke?

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Actually it really isn't. The penis is there, but that's about it. The only sex scene in the film between Silk Spectre and Nite Owl, is handled as a joke.

Like, on purpose? Do they not fuck at

Spoiler

Ozy's

? Because that was about as hilarious as bone disease.

 

[nidopal]

Actually it really isn't. The penis is there, but that's about it. The only sex scene in the film between Silk Spectre and Nite Owl, is handled as a joke.

Honestly, I found the sex scene to be hot, realistic, and character driven. Sure, there is a "punchline" to it, but that was in the book.

 

[Blader]

Like, on purpose? Do they not fuck at

Spoiler

Ozy's

? Because that was about as hilarious as bone disease.

That scene is pretty ridiculous.

Spoiler

"Our friend just killed millions of people, we suck as super heroes...let's fuck."

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Honestly, I found the sex scene to be hot, realistic, and character driven. Sure, there is a "punchline" to it, but that was in the book.

Yeah, I was going to say. That was all there in the book, but the second one isn't at all. Well, wait, did he take out the "first" one too?

 

[Buckethead]

Actually it really isn't. The penis is there, but that's about it. The only sex scene in the film between Silk Spectre and Nite Owl, is handled as a joke.

Joke? Noooooo.
I liked that sex scene from the comic. Dug the intimacy/reality of it all.

 

[nidopal]

Yeah, I was going to say. That was all there in the book, but the second one isn't at all. Well, wait, did he take out the "first" one too?

Spoiler

In the movie: Dan and Laurie try to fuck in Dan's apt. Dan and Laurie do fuck in Archie. Dan and Laurie do not fuck in Karnak. At least not in the theatrical version. She is wearing Dan's "snowcape" when they leave so it could have been filmed.

 

[Keylime]

Watching the Motion Comics right now and just finished Chapter 2...really fucking cool.

Very well done and the story so far is very engaging and dark. Great stuff. I can already see why this series is so highly praised.

Looking to wrap these up before the movie and then will probably end up buying the graphic novel.

 

[Bit-Bit]

Just got back from a screening.

All I've got to say is that fans will not be disappointed. I sat next to a couple that knew nothing about Watchmen and they loved every second of the movie. Rather loudly I might add. Rorschach was done justice.

They absolutely nailed Jon. From his expressions to they way the lines are delivered. When he first arrives on Mars and he talks about the stars. That scene gave me goosebumps.

Now I can't wait to see it again in IMAX. For some reason, the theater I was in had the sound too low.

 

[ezekial45]

Just got back from a screening.

All I've got to say is that fans will not be disappointed. I say next to a couple that knew nothing about Watchmen and they loved every second of the movie. Rather loudly I might add. Rorschach was done justice.

They absolutely nailed Jon. From his expressions to they way the lines are delivered. When he first arrives on Mars and he talks about the stars. That scene gave me goosebumps.

Now I can't wait to see it again in IMAX. For some reason, the theater I was in had the sound too low.

How was the turn out?

 

[newsguy]

Hey I was watching those production vids in the OP and had no idea Rorschach was being played by future Steve Nash. Same guy who played the pedobear in that other movie right?

 

[Coin Return]

Just got back, it was AWESOME. Technically, it's a hard movie to criticize. Beautiful cinematography and great pacing make up for a couple of hokey scenes of dialogue. Slo-mo is used sparingly, and the fight scenes are brutal. Jackie Earle Haley's Rorschach is one of the most awesomely realized characters ever, and the rest of the cast does a great job, as well. Overall I'd give it an A-, it's not perfect, but it's definitely worth your money.

 

[kaskade]

You guys are making me jealous damn you three days.

 

[Coin Return]

Watching

Spoiler

Silk Spectre II get banged

was nice.

 

[Wario64]

Im watching the motion comic and at chapter 4 so far, I'm really digging it. I feel like seeing it in IMAX now, although I got the free tickets from Best Buy....but they're not good for IMAX theaters around here. Argh. This is worth watching in IMAX, right? I feel like I'd regret it if I didn't see it in IMAX

 

[traveler]

Just posted this in the "Whacha reading?" thread but I figure it's relevant here too, so here's the same post:

Started and finished the Watchmen for the first time today. Going to need some time to let it sink in. It was certainly quite the tale everyone makes it out to be, but I'm afraid I've simply experienced too many of the fresh ideas that made it so revolutionary at its time in other tales before reading it to see it as, well, revolutionary today. (Incidentally, I went reading reviews of the movie right after finishing the novel and there one that hit on this perfectly. Taken verbatim from the review

In many ways Watchmen sets itself up as an easy target for criticism. To begin with, everything in the original comic that seemed so fresh and new, so deconstructive of heroic codes and conventions, has itself become hackneyed in the intervening years. Masked crimefighters' costumes have been explicitly fetishised in cinema from as early as Batman Returns (1992) and Batman Forever (1995), we now entirely expect their morality to be dark and ambiguous, and even the children's film The Incredibles (2004) played out like a parody of a Watchmen film that had not yet been made. What once was original now risks being mere overworked cliché.

That said, I still found it immensely entertaining and thought provoking. (Obviously- I just spent the past few hours reading through the whole thing in one sitting. :lol ) Looking forward to seeing Snyder's take on it.

 

[Keylime]

Im watching the motion comic and at chapter 4 so far, I'm really digging it. I feel like seeing it in IMAX now, although I got the free tickets from Best Buy....but they're not good for IMAX theaters around here. Argh. This is worth watching in IMAX, right? I feel like I'd regret it if I didn't see it in IMAX

If the movie matches the epic feel of the motion comics it'll be worth it for the upgraded sound system alone.

 

[polyh3dron]

Hey I was watching those production vids in the OP and had no idea Rorschach was being played by future Steve Nash. Same guy who played the pedobear in that other movie right?

Future Steve Nash? lol

Yeah that's him. Jackie Earle Haley. He was one of the kids in Bad News Bears.

 

[this guy]

Watching

Spoiler

Silk Spectre II get banged

was nice.

How much do you see? I need to know.

 

[traveler]

How much do you see? I need to know.

Sorry, I just had to. :lol

 

[nidopal]

Speaking of Jackie Earl Haley,

Spoiler

was anyone else near tears during his final scene? His interpretation of Moore's dialogue was just brilliant. I also loved his "This wouldn't have happened if you'd cared more" (paraphrasing) to Dr. M and Dr. M's response.

Can't wait to see this again Thursday night!

 

[nidopal]

How much do you see? I need to know.

Spoiler

Her ass while she rides Dan. Her tits as she leans back. Her face as Dan pounds away and she cums.

 

[traveler]

Just looking at the trailers for the first time right after reading it. I have to say they really nailed the look for pretty much everyone, aside from maybe Ozy, who looks a little bit more, well, puny, compared to how I saw him in the strips. The Rorschach voice is a bit weird, too. It sounds almost like Bale's Batman voice and I was under the impression Rorschach was supposed to have a monotone voice, no? Still, I suppose 4 or 5/6 isn't bad for your main cast. (And I apologize if this has been gone over numerous times. I just recently decided to check out this whole Watchmen thing.)

 

[killertofu]

Just got back from a screening.

All I've got to say is that fans will not be disappointed. I sat next to a couple that knew nothing about Watchmen and they loved every second of the movie. Rather loudly I might add. Rorschach was done justice.

They absolutely nailed Jon. From his expressions to they way the lines are delivered. When he first arrives on Mars and he talks about the stars. That scene gave me goosebumps.

Now I can't wait to see it again in IMAX. For some reason, the theater I was in had the sound too low.

You in Jacksonville by any chance? I could swear that the background music was louder than the vocals.

 

[DrForester]

Just looking at the trailers for the first time right after reading it. I have to say they really nailed the look for pretty much everyone, aside from maybe Ozy, who looks a little bit more, well, puny, compared to how I saw him in the strips. The Rorschach voice is a bit weird, too. It sounds almost like Bale's Batman voice and I was under the impression Rorschach was supposed to have a monotone voice, no? Still, I suppose 4 or 5/6 isn't bad for your main cast. (And I apologize if this has been gone over numerous times. I just recently decided to check out this whole Watchmen thing.)

Raspy balevoice works perfectly for Rorschach. Unlike balevoice, you can always understand what Rorschach is saying. Jon's the one I always pictures as monotone.

 

[Vyse The Legend]

I saw it in New York... and I'm not sure if I liked it or not.

I'm having a very nonchalant "Yeah, I saw Watchmen" feeling towards it all, meaning I came away very indifferent.

 

[nidopal]

I saw it in New York... and I'm not sure if I liked it or not.

I'm having a very nonchalant "Yeah, I saw Watchmen" feeling towards it all, meaning I came away very indifferent.

Felt similarly Monday night after I'd seen it. 24 hours later and I can't wait to see it again. It was like the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

 

[Expendable.]

Felt similarly Monday night after I'd seen it. 24 hours later and I can't wait to see it again. It was like the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

That's odd. I feel the EXACT same way after I saw it Monday night. I can't stop thinking about it and it keeps growing and growing. Now I'm dying to see it again Thursday at midnight. Just ordered my tickets.

 

[Acid08]

I really want it to be Thursday now. My anticipation of this movie is overflowing.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Saw it tonight (got free tickets to the premiere because my brother is an actor of 'Seven Pounds' fame. My quick thoughts:

Story - 7.5/10 if you've read the novel; 5.5/10 if you haven't - A decent adaptation of a cult classic. As with any book-to-movie adaptation, holes will be plentiful...and there will be some plot holes that will confound and confuse anyone who didn't read the novel. In fact, I almost can't recommend the story if you haven't read it. The film does next to nothing in making you care about any of the characters. Even in the backdrop of how long this film is (damn near 3 hours long), there seemed to just be too many characters and too much emphasis on action to fully develop any kind of attachment to any character, save one (you'll know who when you see it). That may have been the goal for all I know, but what it translates to in the movie is a lack of real emotion of any kind. Almost makes you indifferent to the fate of the cast.

Random thoughts: Manhattan's nudity might take some time for some people to get used to. The violence is epic, folks. The one-liners, quips and comedy always deliver. There are at least a couple that people will be quoting for a long time.

All things considered, the plot was okay and those who read the novel should feel pleased, because they'll naturally fill in the plot holes. The Watchmen virgin will come away much less pleased.

Action - 9.7/10. You won't find much better anywhere else. It's '300' meets 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen'. With action sequences arguably better than both. The afore mentioned violence is awesome all the time...and epic a lot of the time. Asswhoppin's always make you say "ooooooh" out loud. No soft ass fights like in 'Batman' or 'The Dark Knight'. Everything looks like it hurts. A lot.

Special effects - 10/10. The directors of '300' have proven that they have the magic touch when it comes to special effects flavoring and seasoning. Some of the SFX are absolutely fantastic. Jaw-dropping. I've no idea how they did some things. Cheese is very minimal here. Manhattan's wang is short, for those of you concerned about feeling less manly with your girl who knows the truth sitting next to you.

Musical score & Sound FX - 9/10. You'll find few action movies that feature a musical score more appropriate. Just about every moment is fitted with a well-placed and thought-out song or score. Sound effects sound fantastic. I do recommend going to a theater that pumps the volume up. Soft volume levels do this movie a disservice. The music in the unnecessary sex scene will put a smile on your face.

Sex Scenes - Fail/10. Not because they were bad, per se. But because generally speaking, they didn't fit into the movie. One in particular was grossly overdone and the point of being completely stupid and utterly corny. It didn't advance the movie or the plot in any way. It was the '300' sex scene...but about 200 times more obtuse and unnecessary. A distraction that can easily take someone out of the movie entirely.

Overall Grade:

8.5 for those who read the novel.

7.0 for those who didn't read the novel, but enjoy good action.

6.0 for those who didn't read the novel and are easily frustrated by lack of a strong plot.


I enjoyed it, but strongly recommend the novel before viewing.

 

[Buttonbasher]

I just watched some behind the scenes stuff that I hadn't seen and I give it a 9.2604758/10

Could have been a 9.2604759/10 had it loaded a tad faster.

Fans of embedded flash are sure in for a treat should they stumble upon the same thing I'm talking about.

There's two schools of thought. Those that like the fact they have to seek out the link as it's a fresh perspective without skewing the end result of actually viewing the video, while others want me to just link it here for instant viewing as is familiar.

Which am I for? I think I'll let my score speak for itself on this one.

 

[BobbyRobby]

Is it confirmed that a scene is cut for IMAX to make the 155 minute runtime?

 

[Buttonbasher]

Is it confirmed that a scene is cut for IMAX to make the 155 minute runtime?

All versions of the theatrical release are cut because of IMAX, yeah.

 

[traveler]

Just now catching up on the changes. I didn't see this answered anywhere, so I gotta ask-

Spoiler

what DOES the Comedian see on that island that makes him get so fearful if the squid is absent from the storyline?