Author Topic: [Movie] Watchmen  (Read 16043 times)

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Offline ariich

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #35 on: August 02, 2009, 03:37:58 PM »
For some reason I've always write a double "r" instead of "i".


That is why you fail.

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Offline Dimitrius

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #36 on: August 02, 2009, 03:51:46 PM »
No, it's called dyslexia.

 :P
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Offline Jamariquay

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #37 on: August 02, 2009, 06:50:40 PM »
No, it's called dyslexia.

 :P

That's lesdyxia.


I enjoyed Watchmen for what it was, but I still maintain that doing a direct literal adaptation of the book (which Snyder did very well for the most part) is not the best way to go about it. It was a faithful adaptation yes; that does not necessarily translate into "good movie." What we got was an overlong, poorly paced, tonally confusing monster of a movie with, granted, quite a few awesome moments and unfortunately, more than a few moments that fell flat.

Most egregiously, I hated what they did with Ozymandias. It was way too obvious that he was supposed to be the "villain" in the movie, whereas in the book Moore went for a much more nuanced approach. Snyder by contrast had Ozymandias come across as almost cartoonishly supervillainesque. Bleah. Also, during Ozymandias' "35 minutes ago" speech, I felt nothing. Not shock, not horror.... nothing. Hell, I almost missed it, it was so nonchalantly delivered. Nonchalance isn't necessarily a bad thing, but how they framed it in the book really hit home the horror of What Had Just Happened.

On the other hand, I think Ozymandias' master plan itself worked much better in the movie. Giant Cthulu-esque squid thing? Sure, works great in the comic. Xanatos-esque plot to harness Manhattan's destructive power and at once alienate him from the human race? Y'know, I hate to say it, but it works. It works damn well. And you know what? This is exactly the kind of adaptation that I wish Snyder had done more of: Rather than literally adapting the source material, he made a clear shift away from the book in favor of something that would work better on the big screen, and it worked fine.

(And yes, you could argue that the Ozymandias-tonal-shift thing was another example of Snyder changing aspects of the book to better fit the film; the big difference here is that the Ozymandias thing didn't work for me at all, whereas the changes to the nature of his plan did. Taking risks is all well and good, but its up to you to actually make them, yknow, work).

As I said, I did enjoy the movie for what it was. But, "what it was" in this case is more of a Greatest Hits of the book, rather than a well-crafted film that stands on its own merits.

Offline ReaPsTA

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #38 on: August 02, 2009, 09:57:29 PM »
Jamariquay nailed it better than I ever have.

You know another movie-only scene that works really well? When Rorscach is getting his clothes from within the prison (a good move in general to compress the plot), and he sees the psychologist. He puts on his mask and says "Your turn doctor. Tell me! What do you see?" It says so much about their relationship in so little time.  Rorsach's force of will, the doctor's lack of really understanding. Snyder needed to find emotional themes in the book like that and write more new scenes to express those themes succinctly, then in turn find more shit to cut out of the movie adaption.

In terms of things that work great in the comic but didn't translate well on film, Manhattan on Mars is a big one. I was reading that on the toilet and felt like someone had slipped me a pot brownie. It's so trippy and surreal. In the film it just... doesn't... work. I'd have to rewatch it to really know why.

One big thing Synder in my mind just got completely wrong was amping up the violence. The stylized fight sequences hurt the premise of the movie (guys without super powers in costumes) when they're performing martial arts far beyond human capacity. Even Ozy was taken too far in this regard. Also, in a movie partially about the value of human life, it hurts that idea when Dan and Laurie are killing people left and right.

It's not like this shouldn't have been done at all. The prison breakout needed to be a legit action set piece. I thought making the assassination attempt on Ozy more exciting was a good idea, though the execution wasn't so great. But why did saving the people from the fire need to be an action sequence? Not only was tons of great dialog lost, but it felt untruthful.

The biggest failing of Watchmen as a film though, and I say this over and over again, is the lack of a cinematic story. A comic can juggle multiple characters and hold them together with broad ideas and character themes. In a movie, it just doesn't work. I don't think you literally need a single protagonist whose eyes you see the movie through who the whole movie centers around. But there needs to be some element of that, and the movie didn't have that.

From what I can tell, the movie seems to center the story around Manhattan. It's been a while since I saw it, but that was the general impression I got based on how it was constructed. Huge mistake. Aside from his lack of screen time, a big part of his character is his lack of humanity, something that's crucial for a main character.

The main character in the movie really should have been Dan/Night Owl. He has a distinct emotional and character arc that carries through the film. Retired from the superhero business through a lack of will. Finds through his adventures that there IS a reason they put on the costumes, goes to fight Ozy, and looses. The new ending even helps this arc out by letting him see Rorsach die, and then unleashing his rage on Ozy. But it just never felt like the story focused on him and put him at its center.

Just to end on a positive note, I thought the casting, except Matthew Goode as Ozy, was phenomenal. Even though you could certainly complain about Malin Ackerman, I still felt like I was seeing Silk Spectre II on the screen, which does say something. Even Matthew Goode did a good job with what he was given. The casting and direction was wrong, but I can't fault him as an actor.
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Offline ariich

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #39 on: August 03, 2009, 04:44:28 PM »
I disagree that the focus was on Manhattan, I thought there was a great balance between him, Dan and to some extent Rorschach (although obviously as a character he doesn't really develop).

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Offline AcidLameLTE

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #40 on: August 07, 2009, 12:22:56 PM »
ariich, has your copy of Watchmen arrived yet? Mine did today :biggrin:

Offline ariich

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #41 on: August 08, 2009, 11:04:09 AM »
Nah not yet, but it has been shipped.

Everything seems to be taking a while to get here, probably due to London postal strikes. >:(

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Offline XJDenton

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #42 on: August 08, 2009, 12:12:36 PM »
Nah not yet, but it has been shipped.

Everything seems to be taking a while to get here, probably due to London postal strikes. >:(

There's a postal strike? Fair enough. Just as well nobody ever sends me anything.

:(
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Offline ariich

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #43 on: August 08, 2009, 04:26:32 PM »
Are you in London? I thought your usual hang out spots were Reading and Isle of Wight? :P

I believe it's only certain areas where there's a strike, or something like that.

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Offline XJDenton

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #44 on: August 08, 2009, 08:29:53 PM »
I've been in london for the last 10 months. I'm sure I mentioned it at some point
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Offline ariich

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #45 on: August 09, 2009, 04:31:13 AM »
:omg: HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS? What is it that you're up to here? Continuing along the academic route?

Also, are you coming to PN at Wembley in October?

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Offline XJDenton

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #46 on: August 09, 2009, 08:03:09 AM »
Fraid so. :p I'm doing a PhD at imperial, I live in Ealing atm. As for PN, I'm not sure atm, as I have a wedding the same day and so I'd need to leave that early if I was going to see it.
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Offline ariich

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #47 on: August 09, 2009, 10:20:19 AM »
Ah brilliant, can't believe I didn't know that :lol Hope you do decide to come to PN, but would understand if not!

Anyway, enough hijacking of the thread.

My Watchmen bluray has not arrived yet >:(

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Offline AcidLameLTE

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #48 on: August 09, 2009, 10:50:27 AM »
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I WATCHED MINE THE OTHER DAY.

Offline ariich

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #49 on: August 09, 2009, 12:57:25 PM »
SHUT UP I HACK YOU

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Offline Dimitrius

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #50 on: August 10, 2009, 04:36:42 PM »
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I WATCHED MINE THE OTHER DAY.
Have you seen the Maximum Movie Mode?
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Offline ariich

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #51 on: August 14, 2009, 12:03:33 PM »
YES! My copy finally arrived!

Although it has arrived earlier than the new Dear Hunter album, which I ordered through Amazon UK, and earlier than Watchmen. DAMN POSTAL STRIKE! >:(

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Offline BlessedInsanity

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #52 on: August 27, 2009, 04:09:27 AM »
I absolutely loved every single second of that movie. nuff said :P

Offline ThroughHerEyesDude6

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #53 on: September 04, 2009, 04:02:11 AM »
I enjoy hearing so much about DTF's thoughts on the movie. But I have one question from watching it for the first time yesterday:

Manhattan can potentially see into the future and know when something will happen, given no tachyon interference from explosions sending time askew. If he was helping Ozy with the implements of destruction in the movie, how could he not guess Ozy's plan? Isn't he always able to see what happens, save for explosions of that magnitude?

Otherwise I thought it was a decent movie. At first I was mad as hell that they didn't stick with the original alien ending, but after while I understood why they didn't keep it.
A. If it was kept, they would have had to keep the side story of the island with the missing journalist.
B. More emphasis would have to be put on Ozy's experimentation with new species (ie. Bubastis), which in turn could lead to more focus on Oxy's backstory, eating up more on screen time for the viewer, yadda yadda yadda people bored as hell.
C. It would cost a metric crapton to try and duplicate the monster special effects wise as well as makeup so on ans so forth.


And all of these are viable reasons to try and mix it up, I'm ok with that. However, there is also a good reason to keep it the way it was.
A. The existence of life beyond earth is chilling and scary to any human. to bring it to earth will cause a widespread fear causing fighting nations to come to peace with their 'now' minuscule quarrels.
It's a very real thing to learn that we are not alone. And I won't lie, I'd be scared shitless. Maybe more crapless than shitless. Shit takes effort. Crap just falls out. But you get my point...

Nonetheless, there are more reasons to go without it. Personally, I think the movie was alright. It's more of a "movie-I'll-watch-now-and-wait-a-few-months-to-rent-from-Blockbuster-again", but still decent.

Offline Dimitrius

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #54 on: September 04, 2009, 09:18:13 AM »
Manhattan can potentially see into the future and know when something will happen, given no tachyon interference from explosions sending time askew. If he was helping Ozy with the implements of destruction in the movie, how could he not guess Ozy's plan? Isn't he always able to see what happens, save for explosions of that magnitude?

He didn't know because of the tachyons, he could see into the future, but in the future the tachyons were distorting his view so he didn't know Ozy was planning the explosion.
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Offline Dark Master Of Sin

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #55 on: September 04, 2009, 09:32:01 AM »
I own this movie and have watched it upwards of 20 times. Easily an amazing movie, but I still wish they had followed the comic better. But oh well, all and all both the comic and the movie are amazing.
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Offline ReaPsTA

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #56 on: September 04, 2009, 02:06:26 PM »
I own this movie and have watched it upwards of 20 times. Easily an amazing movie, but I still wish they had followed the comic better. But oh well, all and all both the comic and the movie are amazing.

I thought many of the movie's best parts involved taking liberties with the comic. Particularly the new ending.
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Offline Dimitrius

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #57 on: November 25, 2009, 03:37:43 PM »
Oh herro there


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Offline Cyclopssss

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #58 on: July 03, 2013, 07:14:41 AM »
I´m watching it at the moment, great movie so far.... :tup
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Offline Full Speed

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #59 on: July 03, 2013, 11:14:02 AM »
I've only seen it once, but I didn't really like it. I can't pinpoint why exactly, but to me it just felt like a soulless retread of the source material. I thought the only redeeming qualities it had were the intro credit sequence and Jackie Earle Haley's acting.

Offline Nick

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Re: [Movie] Watchmen
« Reply #60 on: July 03, 2013, 01:12:57 PM »
I'm watching a thread about Watchmen which is a film about watching Watchmen.
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