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Watchmen Trailer

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border said:
The more I hear people recap the Squidpocalypse, the more I like the movie-ending. When you think about it, the squid stuff just throws a bunch of random crazy crap in at the end...into a world that is mostly pretty well grounded. Up until that point there's no mention of psychic stuff in this universe.

I like that the movie keeps Manhattan as the film's only real fantastic element. I worry if they are going to keep the anticlimactic "I just did it 35 minutes ago" bit though.


A drawing of it appears about halfway through as well as mentions of horrible ideas to go with it, but the full horror doesn't manifest itself until the end. As to the 35 minute ago, it could be 5/10/15 minutes ago and still pack the same punch.
 
DKehoe said:
You aren't meant to see it coming. That's kinda the point.

Well I think it's less about things the reader can see coming and more about changing the rules within the last 30-40 pages (or at least, suddenly informing the reader of rules we had no idea of prior to that).

Maybe I'm missing "the point", though. Why is it that the conclusion must come through some contrivance that was unestablished within the Watchmen universe?

Flynn said:
Really? The war on terror and 3 oz. fluids hasn't gone away seven years after 9/11.
The international goodwill towards the USA has completely dried up though. And international goodwill is kind of the point of Veidt's plan.
 
border said:
Point being that the squid doesn't work - it's a goofy deus ex machina that introduces random bizarre twists that the reader had no hope of deducing. All of a sudden people in this world can synthesize life forms, make psychic bombs, teleport crap. None of that was set up at all.


you've got a lot of clues in the book, it's just that you can't possibly imagine what's going on.
Instead of acting like a retard, read the comic again
 
border said:
The international goodwill towards the USA has completely dried up though. And international goodwill is kind of the point of Veidt's plan.

My comparison isn't perfect, because the whole world would be effected by The Watchmen's inter-dimensional alien invasion, just not the U.S.

And the body count, of course, would be significantly higher, resulting in a longer half-life for fear-inspired unity.
 
Blader5489 said:
Like I wrote earlier, in the book,
the squid just attacks New York. There's no reason for the whole world to feel threatened if it was just one city that was attacked, especially if you're in Russia, and your greatest enemy was just dealt a huge blow.

But if every major city in the world is being attacked, instead of just one city in one country, then it creates more of an impression of a global threat.

But there's no precedent. There's no reason to think the alien just has a beef with New York. It's not a situational conflict the way an ex-US operative going sickhouse on the planet is.
 
BenjaminBirdie said:
Dude, seriously, that's one of the best parts of the book. Like, ever.
I don't want it cut, but I suspect that if Manhattan is the patsy then the new ending will involve luring him out to Veidt's lair for some onscreen showdown rather than just a secret detonation. Then on the verge of defeat, Veidt says, "Hahaha....I just got your DNA-wavelength-signature, and I'm going to assign it to all these bombs I'm setting off at this moment!"
 
border said:
I don't want it cut, but I suspect that if Manhattan is the patsy then the new ending will involve luring him out to Veidt's lair for some onscreen showdown rather than just a secret detonation. Then on the verge of defeat, Veidt says, "Hahaha....I just got your DNA-wavelength-signature, and I'm going to assign it to all these bombs I'm setting off at this moment!"


And then Veidt tries to trick Manhattan into the trap with Bubastis, but has seriously underestimated him? Or before?
 
BenjaminBirdie said:
But there's no precedent. There's no reason to think the alien just has a beef with New York. It's not a situational conflict the way an ex-US operative going sickhouse on the planet is.

Also, remember that the alien appears from The Institute For Spacial Studies. Moore doesn't spell it out, but the suggestion is that the door to another dimension has been inadvertently opened and that something else could come through.
 
Flynn said:
Also, remember that the alien appears from The Institute For Spacial Studies. Moore doesn't spell it out, but the suggestion is that the door to another dimension has been inadvertently opened and that something else could come through.

Holy Black Mesa!
 
Well that's bullshit. Seems llike he was making a faithful movie, got to the end, realized he had gotten that far and couldn't believe it, got scared, then gave us the commercial ending.
 
bengraven said:
Well that's bullshit. Seems llike he was making a faithful movie, got to the end, realized he had gotten that far and couldn't believe it, got scared, then gave us the commercial ending.

I don't think that's what happened.
 
border said:
Maybe I'm missing "the point", though. Why is it that the conclusion must come through some contrivance that was unestablished within the Watchmen universe?
As long as the threat come from without rather from within, there is no associated ideology and thus the historical slate can be wiped clean.

miyamotofreak said:
The squid had a entire meaty subplot dedicated to it. It was certainly no deus ex machina.
Whatever they plan to replace this with, it has to be so horrible and enormous that the lie masks the truth utterly. Otherwise...?
 
Flynn said:
You're right. They chickened out at the script/development phase.
Yup. I dunno though. I really want Alan Moore to see it and give a judgement. And I'm VERY curious on how they're going to cover the Time chapter.
 
woxel1 said:
As long as the threat come from without rather from within, there is no associated ideology and thus the historical slate can be wiped clean.
I'm talking not about the perceived source of the squid, but the fact that everything used to deliver that illusion was not really established as being a part of the Watchmen universe (psychics, teleportation, etc). You are lead to believe that everything is grounded beyond Manhattan, but then out of nowhere there's all this other supernatural stuff abounding.
 
border said:
I'm talking not about the perceived source of the squid, but the fact that everything used to deliver that illusion was not really established as being a part of the Watchmen universe (psychics, teleportation, etc). You are lead to believe that everything is grounded beyond Manhattan, but then out of nowhere there's all this other supernatural stuff abounding.

There is the slightest of handwaving explanation of it (teleportation was possible since Manhattan did it... psychics a result of genetic engineering, which was established from the beginning of the story) yet it remains weak. Even moreso, though, the tone is weak. With such grounding in the real psychology and political motivations of the superpowers, the "common enemy out of nowhere" is incredibly pat and rings hollow with the 10 chapters that precede it.
 
miyamotofreak said:
Yup. I dunno though. I really want Alan Moore to see it and give a judgement. And I'm VERY curious on how they're going to cover the Time chapter.

It could be the greatest movie ever, but Moore will oppose it on principle alone--he doesn't want a movie to be made out of anything he has written.
 
BenjaminBirdie said:
Dude, seriously, that's one of the best parts of the book. Like, ever.


a squid attack can go unnoticed by people half way around the world... but can several nukes? the plausibility of someone not knowing wtf is going is kinda out there.
 
border said:
I'm talking not about the perceived source of the squid, but the fact that everything used to deliver that illusion was not really established as being a part of the Watchmen universe (psychics, teleportation, etc). You are lead to believe that everything is grounded beyond Manhattan, but then out of nowhere there's all this other supernatural stuff abounding.

That's not entirely true. Look for those power plugs all around the city. There's free energy thanks to Manhattan's solving of the cold fusion problem. That's pure sci-fi stuff, but it's melded really closely with reality, rather than changing it.

That's the point, really that Moore makes. Manhattan brings clean, endless energy to Earth and it doesn't change a thing. That's what inspires Ozy to do implement his final solution.

Besides, that flying Owl space-ship is hardly grounded to realitly.
 
Blader5489 said:
It could be the greatest movie ever, but Moore will oppose it on principle alone--he doesn't want a movie to be made out of anything he has written.
That's actually not true. Back in the 80's Moore was the Watchmen movie's biggest fanboy. But after countless crap adaptation LXG broke the camels back and he said fuck Hollywood (as did Sean Connery with LXG). He read the script for V. I think he'd enjoy if Snyder could somehow make the movie a deconstruction of film. The dude's not some asshole.
 
Flynn said:
That's not entirely true. Look for those power plugs all around the city. There's free energy thanks to Manhattan's solving of the cold fusion problem. That's pure sci-fi stuff, but it's melded really closely with reality, rather than changing it.
Cold fusion doesn't strike me as being in the same plausibility category as "psychic bombs", but that may just be a personal thing. And before someone jumps on me, I'll explain that I'm talking about "plausbility" within the world that's established by Moore (not as in comparison to our own world). Watchmen's world is scientifically advanced, but at the end it goes all X-Men and stuff.

Besides, that flying Owl space-ship is hardly grounded to realitly.
It's not so different from a harrier jet, is it? Well aside from being semi-aquatic ;)
 
border said:
Cold fusion doesn't strike me as being in the same plausibility category as "psychic bombs", but that may just be a personal thing. And before someone jumps on me, I'll explain that I'm talking about "plausbility" within the world that's established by Moore (not as in comparison to our own world). Watchmen's world is scientifically advanced, but at the end it goes all X-Men and stuff.
It's not too far-fetched considering both sides of the Cold War investigated the reality and usage of psychic phenomena.
 
You know what makes me happy? This comes out 4 months before I'll be moving to China, which means I'll get to see it with my best friends and will feel right at home. It'll be a good memory, regardless of how loyal the movie is to the book.

I'm looking forward to it.
 
8bit said:
A drawing of it appears about halfway through as well as mentions of horrible ideas to go with it, but the full horror doesn't manifest itself until the end. As to the 35 minute ago, it could be 5/10/15 minutes ago and still pack the same punch.
They also mention that psychics are mysteriously vanishing. That Dr. Manhattan has significantly advanced science. (The whole teleportation principle is based on the Dr. it doesn't come out of nowhere.)
 
miyamotofreak said:
That's actually not true. Back in the 80's Moore was the Watchmen movie's biggest fanboy. But after countless crap adaptation LXG broke the camels back and he said fuck Hollywood (as did Sean Connery with LXG). He read the script for V. I think he'd enjoy if Snyder could somehow make the movie a deconstruction of film. The dude's not some asshole.

I'm pretty sure that's not true. The commercialization of Watchmen is what caused (or at least started) Moore's falling out with DC in the first place.
 
Blader5489 said:
I'm pretty sure that's not true. The commercialization of Watchmen is what caused (or at least started) Moore's falling out with DC in the first place.
Lulz
Oh and look up his Twilight of Superheroes proposal. The dude even mentions possible commercialization options. He's jaded because he's been fucked over constantly.
 
teleportation, dna tampering, all dealt with earlier in the book. The squid certainly doesn't come out of nowhere. There are several places in the story where its specifically mentioned that having Dr M around has advanced technology at too rapid a rate.

I've said it before but the ending of Watchmen is similar in essence to star trek first contact. When humans realise (or are fooled) they aren't alone, they unite for a common cause, and this is why watchmen the comic works, and watchmen the movie is not going to work as well. Ozy did something so far out of left field, but was hinted at throughout the novel, that no-one sees it coming, and its why it works. He had to get Dr M away because he didn't want him finding out about his plan, not because he wanted to frame him. So much of the setup of the book falls apart if you change the ending. I was so hyped for this movie because it looked so faithful, but the new ending is just so infuriating. I'll still see it as early as I can as I loved the comic, but its annoying that this ending is the one that most people will now associate with it.

It's even more annoying and confusing that people who have read the comic are actually welcoming the new ending. They must not have read it carefully or just completely missed large portions of the story.
 
miyamotofreak said:
Lulz
Oh and look up his Twilight of Superheroes proposal. The dude even mentions possible commercialization options. He's jaded because he's been fucked over constantly.
Well back in the 80's Terry Gilliam, Moore's buddy and all I think, was a proposed director. I'm noy saying Snyder is a bad director but he's no Terry Gilliam.
But it is true that Moore's hostility towards commercialization comes from being screwed over and over and the movies being shit.
 
New posters:

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Holy crap, they look awesome.
 
I don't see why anyone that has not read the graphic novel would want to see the movie after the above pictures. I understand that some of the elaborate costume choices were deliberate and that it's trying to highlight how some of the costumes in the graphic novel were golden age and out of place there while the costumes in the movie can be compared to Shumacher's Batman movies and have no place in the comic movies of nowadays, but I really doubt your average moviegoer would think about it like that.
 
joey_z said:
I don't see why anyone that has not read the graphic novel would want to see the movie after the above pictures. I understand that some of the elaborate costume choices were deliberate and that it's trying to highlight how some of the costumes in the graphic novel were golden age and out of place there while the costumes in the movie can be compared to Shumacher's Batman movies and have no place in the comic movies of nowadays, but I really doubt your average moviegoer would think about it like that.


I want to see the movie (after seeing the trailer), and I've never read the comic. And it has made me curious to check out the comic as well, as I am sure it has a lot of others like me. People like stylized cinema, even if it is a little goofy.
 
joey_z said:
I don't see why anyone that has not read the graphic novel would want to see the movie after the above pictures. I understand that some of the elaborate costume choices were deliberate and that it's trying to highlight how some of the costumes in the graphic novel were golden age and out of place there while the costumes in the movie can be compared to Shumacher's Batman movies and have no place in the comic movies of nowadays, but I really doubt your average moviegoer would think about it like that.

Uh...what are you talking about?
 
Blader5489 said:
Uh...what are you talking about?
Rubber nipples.

Basically, Snyder wanted the updated costumes to be a play on the 90's Batman costumes. Just really really cheesy shit basically. So it's intentional, just like in the comic how Nite Owl and others look like the typical silly spandex costumes with utility belts, etc.
 
The Lamonster said:
Rubber nipples.

Basically, Snyder wanted the updated costumes to be a play on the 90's Batman costumes. Just really really cheesy shit basically. So it's intentional, just like in the comic how Nite Owl and others look like the typical silly spandex costumes with utility belts, etc.

Did he say that? Seems to me like the rubber nipples are just another way of illustrating Ozy's ego.
 
Blader5489 said:
Did he say that? Seems to me like the rubber nipples are just another way of illustrating Ozy's ego.
Yes, Snyder said that. I'm at work, otherwise I'd link ya to the interview. I don't even remember when he said that, probably at this year's Comic-Con panel.
 
I will have to wait and see the movie in order to offer a proper judgement, but for now, I do not think that I am sold on the modified ending:

Pros:
+ Better for it to attack the whole world in order to present it as a global treat.
+ It is true that the giant squid kinda strikes against too many "stablished rules" of the Watchmen universe.

Cons:
- For the Russians, Dr. Manhattan is just another American weapon. THey would put all the blame on the US, as if it was just one of their weapons getting out of control, and then the WW3 would start.
- Aliens are probably the only external menace able to unify mankind.
- The alien appearing in the middle of the city is way more visual, visceral and automatically undersdtandable by the popullation than the post analysis of some explosions that could perfectly be identified as nuclear weapons
- The ravaged New York with the gargatuan squid over it always stroke me as an awesome creepy image worth of be filmed.
- And my biggest grip: to blame Manhattan makes everything too much less morally grey. Dr. Roscharch desire for "justice" instead of strike us as lunatic we interpretate it as being comradeship towards manhattan, and Veidt actions looks more evil as he blames one former friend for the whole mess
 
Count Dookkake said:
90% of everything is shit. If that's your standard, then stop worrying about Watchmen.

90% of original material is shit.

90% of remakes are shit.

90% of sequels are shit.

This is not a special case.
(Shrug) You're the one who wanted to play numbers.

Watchmen as an original material was in the 10%. "Improving" that does not involve ramming it into a hackish heroes journey formula. (Which is all the "B...b...but it's FILM!" crowd really ever wants.) That destroys the point of the book.
 
Freshmaker said:
(Shrug) You're the one who wanted to play numbers.

Watchmen as an original material was in the 10%. "Improving" that does not involve ramming it into a hackish heroes journey formula. (Which is all the "B...b...but it's FILM!" crowd really ever wants.) That destroys the point of the book.

(Shrug) You might be being intentionally obtuse, but I'll try anyway. :p

You can't say this will be likelier to suck because it deviates from the original. The failure rates are almost the same for original, sequel, remake, adaptation, spin-off, etc.

Yes, the comic was in the good 10%. However, there is no guarantee an adaptation will also be in that 10%. Nothing can guarantee that. Not hewing slavishly close to the original nor diverging wildly from the original. There is a risk with either method.

Either side with Moore and say no to the movie, or accept that changes will happen.
 
Count Dookkake said:
(Shrug) You might be being intentionally obtuse, but I'll try anyway. :p

You can't say this will be likelier to suck because it deviates from the original.

Remember that I was responding to a post that said copy and paste from the source material = movie failure.

(Then you came in with your 5 movies...)

Adaptions can be good. As long as it retains the core thrusts of the original. (The Shining) Sticking to the source material can also work if the source material is already good. Saying that only adaptations work paves the way for scrambling things just for the sake of scrambling them.
 
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