I just came back from watching this movie. First and foremost, I need to let you know that I've not read the comic book it is based on, so I had no point of reference when watching the movie.

I got to say, I'm highly impressed. And appereantly, so are a lot of other people, considering its #216 on IMDBs top 250. Zack Snyder really outdid himself here, as did screenwriters David Hayter and Alex Ste.

The Watchmen is the perfect example of style AND substance merged into a single, powerful piece of cinema. The movie runs at a whopping 3 hours, and a lot of scenes could've been trimmed or deleted; but the characters are engaging enough and decently developed to keep you interested until the plot starts to unfold.

I won't go into much detail -- the only thing I will say is that this film is certainly better than ANY other superhero movie to come out in the past decade, including The Dark Knight. There is a nice amount of comedy, gore, action, and satire -- all blended smoothly into a cohesive masterpiece.

The direction and editing in the film are stupendous, as is the acting and the special effects.

Go watch it now -- and don't go in expecting another brainless blockbuster -- go in expecting a moderately-paced, excellent story put on celluloid.

9/10

  

I liked this movie, I have never even heard of it till the trailers came out so i know nothing of the source material, but from my stand point this is a stand out super hero film, not as strong as the dark knight, but nothing is so i can't hold that against this film.  The action scenes are cool, the sex is hot and the characters are interesting. i liked how we get back stories on all these different characters, my fav has gotta be Rorschach, the scenes with him as a kid are great.  I could have done  with out the giant blue penis through out the film, but other than that it was a lot of fun, plus the sound track is killer, some great tunes in it.  This is the fun Hollywood blockbuster you want, lots of action, great special effects and some hot sex scenes, an all around fun flick.

I've read the graphic novel and I loved the movie. The novel is better but that's to be suspected.

My only qualm was Ozymandias. While not horrible casting choice, he came off as a bit cold.

However, other then that, I loved the movie and can't wait for the extended DVD directors cut.

I've just got to say I LOVE THIS MOVIE! I flew up to New York just to watch this thing, (seeing as where I live it doesn't come out until the 12 of March) and spend some time with my father, but we were able to catch a midnight screening and I was blown away. Everything in this movie is like WOW. The special effects, acting, editing, directing, cinematography, it was all excellent.

Now I've only read a small bit of the comic seeing as I don't own a copy, yet. But with the little that I read I could see that the film was faithful to the comic, almost every frame is the same. just like what Zack Snyder did with Frank Miller's 300. So all those fans of the comics who haven't seen it yet go watch it!!!

All of you out there spend you money on this thing, don't buy a crappy pirated DVD I mean it cost the same as going to the movies and plus on a DVD the movie looks crappy and you wont be able to see what everyone is so wowed about.

So go watch it!!!

How much of 300 has crossed over into this one? I despised 300 to no end. The reviews say it's pretty to the book, both tonally and storywise (I haven't read it but this certainly helps), but if I have to put up with 3 hours of the same slo-mo/CGI bullshit... Also, was anyone who DIDN'T read the book lost or confused at any point? I was pretty set on not seeing this but I don't think I've ever heard of a film that's had such mixed responses from everybody.

Phil, you haven't seen this yet, have you?

300 was just one huge fighting sequence. Entertaining, though horribly-written with characters as flat as door-mats.

In Watchmen, you can actually tell the characters apart. It is an entirely different animal. The quality doesn't even compare.

Watchmen is NOT a fast-paced Action movie -- a lot of people think it is and that's why they come out disappointed. The film is more of a Noir-ish character piece with superheroes (? ), really. It sounds weird. It *is* weird. But I really enjoyed it.

--Julio

Watchmen RULED! Not to much slow mo, in fact, a little underused, it was mind blowing

So is reading the comics before seeing the movie vital in understanding it fully?

There was only one thing which I did not understand, and it is nothing major --

***VERY MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***


There is a horned, blue tiger late into the film.  The prescence of that weird animal threw me off a bit when watching it. She is only in a couple of scenes for very little time though.

Apparently, the blue tiger's role has been cut from the finished film.  Fans told me that it's a very popular character in the comics, so they kept it in as a sort of easter-egg to the fans even though the tiger has no tie to the plot in the film whatsoever.


***END SPOILERS***

That's about it. I understood everything else.

--Julio

Ah it was just a pet of Adrian's, that's all.

Just watched the Watchmen at the Imax last night and it rocks.

It's been a while since I read the comic and I was sort of thinking about reading it again before watching the movie but ultimately decided against it - I wanted to see if the movie could hold it's own.

And it could.

I liked it. I wasn't blown away by it but it was definitely entertaining. I think it's as faithful an adaptation as could have been made while still being sellable. Obviously certain things have been cut - as they should - but it never really took away from the overall impression that I was watching Watchmen.

Does it run too long. I don't really think so, I could have gone for an hour or so more easily (okay, I might have needed a toilet break somewhere into hour 4).

People unfamiliar with the base material - who based their expectations off the trailer - would probably be disappointed with how little action there really is in this movie. I thought it was just the right amount.

All in all, solid and faithful.

My wife and I just came back from seeing this movie.  And, while I thought it was a very good movie, it missed some elements of the mini-series.  There were also changes in the story.  These changes stuck in me like a claw hammer from the ex-wife.

The best part of the movie, IMHO, was Rorschach.  Jackie Earl Haley was incredible in the role.  Unfortunately, the movie did not show nearly as much of the character as the comic book did.  Only a part of his origin was shown; I was surprised by what wasn't shown.  The prison psychiatrist was barely used when, in the comic book, he had a very significant role in the story

The worst part of the movie was Malin Akerman's portrayal of Sally Jupiter.  Half the time it felt as though she was reading the script for the first time.

The ending was very different and that was something I didn't understand at all.  I won't go into it now--hate to ruin things for people--but they easily could've stuck with Alan Moore's ending.  It would've been better.

Hopefully, the DVD will include the fifteen hours of bonus footage needed to complete the story.  Much like V for Vendetta, this movie--while good--is only a watered down version of the original work.


Phil

Could you PM me about how it ends in the comic book? I'd really like to know, but I don't have the money to buy it right now.

~Zack~

Quoted from Zack Could you PM me about how it ends in the comic book? I'd really like to know, but I don't have the money to buy it right now.

You might check your local library.  If you live in a decent sized town (at least 50,000 or so) it's likely they might have it.  I checked it out from the city library when I was in college, and they actually had several copies.

I didn't think this movie was anything special, imo. It was gorgeous, but I felt that the characters were too thin and poorly developed, which is ironic given this movie's length. The dialouge felt like a kid's cartoon at some parts.

This movie is almost three hours long, yet I can't recall much about it. It wasn't as entertaining as I was hoping it would be.

I liked the movie, however I do think it was a bit long. Not too sure what could be cut out as everything scene did have a purpose. Hmm...

Zack Snyder has really done well for himself, hasn't he? First the amazing Dawn remake(still his best work IMO). Then the eye candy that was 300. And now a pretty cool super hero epic. I'm curious as to what he'll do next. Bring on Army of the Dead"!

~Zack~

Don't worry Phil, not even Hilter liked the ending for the watchmen movie.

Funny youtube video about Hilter's reaction to watchmen movie. I can picture you have a big blow out like that Phil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIhHema5PNg


I only read the Watchmen comic a few years ago and I honestly don't understand the fuss over it. Great story with great characters but weighed down like a lead balloon with to much dead wood.  I remember skipping the Pirate stuff as it was a road block to the main story.

My defining comic that made me sit up and never look at comics the same way again would be AKIRA and NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. The first comics that were pure cinematic and my benchmark to compare all comics too.    

The more I thought of it, the more things I recalled that were left out of the movie.  The story behind Rorschach's mask was nothing something to be left out.  In the miniseries, he had a whole issue dedicated to his origin.  It was probably the best issue of the series.






Phil

Just got back from an IMAX screening. Not too shabby. Best parts of the movie were either in prison with Rorschach or with the Comedian (best scene was either Rorschach greasing the inmate or the Comedian kirking out on the protestors). Both characters destroyed, especially the Comedian, who needed a bigger part. The other characters weren't as in your face but kinda grew on me as the story moved along. The fight sequences weren't too bad, if a little farfetched. As I understood, these guys didn't actually have any superpowers yet they were able to fight with surprising ease and borderline superhuman strength. Didn't get it. I also could've done without some of the slow-mo but there were moments where it worked (e.g. The Comedian frying the Vietnamese soldier, Ozymandias smashing the assassin with the pole).

Despite a handful of terrible one liners, cheesy as hell sex scenes, and a somewhat rushed third act (I definitely think they wouldn't have been able to fit everything important about the graphic novel into one movie), this worked pretty well for me, which is honestly more than I expected.

SLIGHT SPOILER...

Also, just curious... would anyone who read the book be able to tell me what Rorschach does to the guy in the bathroom? Or do they not show it in the book either? This was another of my favorite scenes in the movie so I'm pretty keen on finding out.

Quoted from dogglebe Hopefully, the DVD will include the fifteen hours of bonus footage needed to complete the story.  Much like V for Vendetta, this movie--while good--is only a watered down version of the original work. Phil

Be careful what you wish for. I heard in a review that they were planning to release an extended cut on DVD with the rest.

It would be decent if it were around three hours.

The digital comic movie they released was 6 hours in length and had a rape scene in it unlike the movie which had the beginnings of one that was broken up.

I liked this movie more than Wolverine anyway.

Quoted Text The worst part of the movie was Malin Akerman's portrayal of Sally Jupiter.

That could be said for most female roles in a superhero movie. Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider and so on they all have terrible female leads.

Frankly if they bring back MJ in Spiderman 4 to be the damsel in distress they made the same movie 4 times. I was glad when they killed Rachel in Dark Knight because she was annoying.

I even hate Margot Kidder from the original Superman. People calling that movie a classic are drunk and need to watch it again. The guy may be dead but slow and boring is still slow and boring.

I think that Malin Akerman's acting skills and how heroines are portrayed in movies are two different things.  Akerman sucked, plain and simple.  Superheroines, for the most part, are shallow interpretations of the male superhero.  Wonder Woman and Black Canary, are the only ones with any chops.  Supergirl, Batgirl, the Invisible Woman are only little girls in a big boy game.

The Silk Spectre, in the comic book, was someone to reckon with.  Akerman was just dull.


Phil

'Watchmen' is a mess. A turgid affair. The ending was great, but the inability to put forth a coherent story, is the reason it flopped. Deservedly so. It's all very well being clever with a narrative, but if it's not accessible for a large swathe of the audience - then who is it being made for?

There was a feeble attempt to make it more accessible with some popular culture musings - I suspect this was done retroactively, as the dailies had revealed something dire. In all fairness, the opening sequence was staggering, and I really thought we were set for something special, but then it just went limp - very limp.

Just like '300', 'Watchmen' disappeared into its own visual backside.

The comic books may be absolutely fantastic, but as a standalone piece of art, this film is rather poor. I have no doubt that it will be recognised as a poor film in the years to come. This view is reinforced - for me - with the evidence of how relevant, and engaging  'Terminator' remains today. I cite this an example, having just watched it. It's full of intellectually focused ideas, and yet serves as a popcorn movie.

'Watchmen' is an example of a movie that relies heavily on visuals, and to hell with a coherent and engaging story.

Andrew

That's why half-way through it I zoned out. It was long, boring and didn't make any sence.

SPOILERS...

Anyone check out the extended edition DVD yet? It's pretty sweet. The extra twenty minutes or so are pretty impressive. I could've done without some of the Sally Jupiter stuff but there's still a lot to be enjoyed, especially the death of Hollis Mason. A lot going on in that scene. I also thought the unrated stuff made the film a lot more savage and not in an entirely visual way. I think some of these scenes were lifted not only to avoid NC-17 but to keep some of the more likeable characters (e.g. Night Owl) in tact.

My only complaint was it runs well over the 3-hour mark, which borders on the complete unwatchability of the extended LOTR films. Nobody wants to sit around this long. There's rumors that the Tales of the Black Freighter segment might be incorporated into a new edition. This sounds like a horrible idea. Once again, people just can't sit around that long for any movie.

Nevertheless, I've seen the film three times now and it's really growing on me, which is great. I swore I was gonna hate it in the beginning.

Yep I have the directors cut, I've seen it 2 and a half times. I think if I watch it too many times It'll start to wear out on me, don't get me wrong I love this movie and I'm a fan of the novel, but a good thing only lasts so long...

Got it for my birthday.  Loved it.  It grabs you by the throat and knees you in the groin!!  Worth every minute of it!

I'm probably going to catch a lot of flack for saying this, but Watchmen was probably my favorite film so far this year (notice how I said it was my favorite, not the best). I've read the graphic novel and it truly is one of the best graphic novels of all time. Alan Moore himself said he wanted to create a graphic novel that would be impossible to turn into a movie. So with that in mind, the end result is really impressive. The changes that were made are completely understandable. The writers had a big task of pleasing the fans while making the story accessible to new audiences. SPOILER ALERT So i can see why they wouldnt include the giant squid at the end. Yeah I did have a few problems with the film. The relationship between Nite Owl and Sally Jupiter is kinda slow and boring, but it was kinda slow and boring in the book. When you have these really eccentric characters, normal characters just seem...well dull. But they have to be in the book because it brings in a human element to the story. Something which the reader and viewer can relate to. My biggest gripe with the film is that god awful sex scene. It distracts from the film and derails the entire story. The first time i saw it, my mouth was wide open because I coudlnt believe how bad it was. In all honesty, they could of included a different version of the song "Hallelujah" and it would of been a hell of a lot better.

Overall I gave the film an A- (and that minus is mostly credited to that unforgivable sex scene). I know I'm a minority, but I love the film more and more every time I see it.

Now I hope I didnt sign my own death warrant by writing this reply haha

One more note, the added footage is worth it simply for Hollis Mason's death scene. Everything else was unneccissary.

Awesome.

Quoted from dresseme Awesome.

This is brilliant! I can't believe someone actually took the time to make this. I don't know what's funnier. Rorschach juggling pies and saying he's "nutty" or Night Owl "partying down" and eating pizza. Amazing!

EDIT: Okay. Apparently this is real! How come no one's ever mentioned this before? I'm very confused...

It's not real. Don't worry. It's just a prank and it's been circulating th enet for a while.

--Julio

Still hilarious that someone would actually take the time to do this. Definitely one of the better Internet spoofs I've scene. "I'm nutty!"... Classic.