Watchmen

[cabbageboy 0]

After reading her review she made me want to see the movie all the more, so it had the exact opposite effect of what she intended. Something that should be borderline NC-17 featuring graphic violence, sex, war atrocities, and anti heroes? Sign me up!

 

You know what's odd? I don't recall Sin City attracting anywhere near this kind of controversy when it came out. But then that film was more of a niche cult item and Watchmen is in theory a blockbuster.

 

Either way there's nothing in the Watchmen book that is as twisted as the part in Robocop where the one lackey villain crashes into the vat of toxic waste. Hmm...Robocop. Now there was a hard R rated movie that was in fact marketed towards kids, along with 80s flicks like Rambo II and Commando. Those movies had toys that you could buy from K-Mart, Target, etc.

[Nightwing 0]

Can we get a Marvin-style Ban Plan here? Seriously, either this is trolling or ridiculous stupidity. How can you say nothing as "twisted" as some guy melting in Robocop compared to the ending of the Watchmen book?

 

You are the Marvin/Damaramu of the Movies/Television Folder. I can say no more.

[CBright7831 0]

After reading her review she made me want to see the movie all the more, so it had the exact opposite effect of what she intended. Something that should be borderline NC-17 featuring graphic violence, sex, war atrocities, and anti heroes? Sign me up!

 

You know what's odd? I don't recall Sin City attracting anywhere near this kind of controversy when it came out. But then that film was more of a niche cult item and Watchmen is in theory a blockbuster.

 

Either way there's nothing in the Watchmen book that is as twisted as the part in Robocop where the one lackey villain crashes into the vat of toxic waste. Hmm...Robocop. Now there was a hard R rated movie that was in fact marketed towards kids, along with 80s flicks like Rambo II and Commando. Those movies had toys that you could buy from K-Mart, Target, etc.

Dont forget Terminator 2.

[Nighthawk 0]

Robocop wasn't marketed to kids. There was a cartoon and tv show that were, but not the first movie.

[EricMM 0]

If you don't want basically the entire movie spoiled for you, don't read that review/ What is it about hardcore conservative blondes which make them so aggressively insane? I know they're all just copying Ann Coulter's routine, but jesus that was painful. Worst of all was how she kept bitching and bitching and bitching about how this movie is allegedly marketed towards kids. She really doesn't understand what an R rating means, I suppose. She's also one of those "if you show something bad happening in a movie, that means it's a bad movie" dismissive types, which really do piss me off. Yikes. And somehow this useless person is actually a paid professional writer?

Oh come on, don't you how she direct replies to detractors in her comments section IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS?

 

Idiots will pay money to listen to idiots.

 

I suppose she wants people carded like buying cigs to get into an R-rated flick.

[Boner Kawanger 0]

The only movies we ever got carded for in high school were Jackass and Club Dread. It happens. Anyways, it looks like I'll see Watchmen by Sunday. I'm simultaneously dreading and looking forward to it at this point. I don't know if it's the hype (it goes so far as people in an English class I have reading it in a creative writing course right now) or what.

[Jingus 0]

Most theaters I attended as a young guy did card. The movie theaters I worked at, the management was always real strict about not letting unattended minors into R-rated flicks.

[The Niggardly King 0]

I predict a 77 million opening for this film, and for Taken to get a surge in ticket sales due to teens paying for that then going to see Watchmen.

[Warriorfan 0]

I saw the movie a few hours ago and it was Brilliant!

 

I made sure to not even say the word WATCHMEN much less look at the series to have the film experience be as pure as possible.

 

While the cinematic experience was fulfilling enough, watching people who had no idea about the comic looking at the movie was even better!

 

Seeing movie-goers who were expecting DARK KNIGHT and IRON-MAN squirm with every act from the Comedian and Roschach's fine dining experience was great.

 

I think this is the finest Homage to Moore and Gibbon's vision that could've been made.

 

[AmericanDragon 0]

6/10.

[Beto Chavez 0]

 

Hitler hates The Watchmen movie! (Contains spoilers!)

 

Oh, by the way,

I wanted my fucking squid ending too!

 

 

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

If you don't want basically the entire movie spoiled for you, don't read that review/ What is it about hardcore conservative blondes which make them so aggressively insane? I know they're all just copying Ann Coulter's routine, but jesus that was painful. Worst of all was how she kept bitching and bitching and bitching about how this movie is allegedly marketed towards kids. She really doesn't understand what an R rating means, I suppose. She's also one of those "if you show something bad happening in a movie, that means it's a bad movie" dismissive types, which really do piss me off. Yikes. And somehow this useless person is actually a paid professional writer?

 

Really?

 

Where is the Fast Food Restaurant tie-in toys?

 

DC Direct IS making action figures, but last I checked DC Direct is a high end HOBBY EXCLUSIVE or non-toy shop/convenience store distributor. You aren't going to find DC Direct's products in your local Toys R Us, Walmart, Target, CVS, etc and are meant as collectibles. In other words, these aren't kid friendly action figures! Oh sure I'd hand down a figure or two for a child to play with, but the point of the product is the collecting hobby aspect of action figures.

 

Put it another way, I'd wager DC's lines with Mattel get some TV ads on cartoons, specifically DC animated cartoons (right now just Batman: The Brave & The Bold) but I'd guarantee there has never been a single TV ad for a DC Direct action figure line, EVER!

 

Where is all of the product tie-ins that The Dark Knight, a movie NO ONE under the age of 12-13 should see under ANY circumstances (great film of course, but come on, you'd give the kid nightmares, and I'm sure most kids would be bored by the plot of the movie), had? Cereal, Dominoes Pizza, Fruit Roll-Ups for crying out loud had ads in DC comic books for "choose your side" Roll Ups!

 

What, she sees "superheroes" and automatically assumes "marketed for kids?"

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

You know what's odd? I don't recall Sin City attracting anywhere near this kind of controversy when it came out. But then that film was more of a niche cult item and Watchmen is in theory a blockbuster.

 

Its all about the costumes and the "superhero" genre that Watchmen portray, and the stereotype that superheros are for kids. Sin City had no costumed or super powered beings.

 

Also Sin City flew under the radar because it didn't have the machine that is DC and Time Warners publicizing it and making sure that you are made fully aware of its presence.

 

Sin City is like that independent movie that flies under the radar, gets major love from the festival and art house crowd, and only gets the mainstream media buzzing about it when it gets Oscar buzz in December/January. You don't know about it if you aren't paying attention, with Watchmen you can't help but notice it.

[Boner Kawanger 0]

If you don't want basically the entire movie spoiled for you, don't read that review/ What is it about hardcore conservative blondes which make them so aggressively insane? I know they're all just copying Ann Coulter's routine, but jesus that was painful. Worst of all was how she kept bitching and bitching and bitching about how this movie is allegedly marketed towards kids. She really doesn't understand what an R rating means, I suppose. She's also one of those "if you show something bad happening in a movie, that means it's a bad movie" dismissive types, which really do piss me off. Yikes. And somehow this useless person is actually a paid professional writer?

 

Really?

 

Where is the Fast Food Restaurant tie-in toys?

 

DC Direct IS making action figures, but last I checked DC Direct is a high end HOBBY EXCLUSIVE or non-toy shop/convenience store distributor. You aren't going to find DC Direct's products in your local Toys R Us, Walmart, Target, CVS, etc and are meant as collectibles. In other words, these aren't kid friendly action figures! Oh sure I'd hand down a figure or two for a child to play with, but the point of the product is the collecting hobby aspect of action figures.

 

Put it another way, I'd wager DC's lines with Mattel get some TV ads on cartoons, specifically DC animated cartoons (right now just Batman: The Brave & The Bold) but I'd guarantee there has never been a single TV ad for a DC Direct action figure line, EVER!

 

Where is all of the product tie-ins that The Dark Knight, a movie NO ONE under the age of 12-13 should see under ANY circumstances (great film of course, but come on, you'd give the kid nightmares, and I'm sure most kids would be bored by the plot of the movie), had? Cereal, Dominoes Pizza, Fruit Roll-Ups for crying out loud had ads in DC comic books for "choose your side" Roll Ups!

 

What, she sees "superheroes" and automatically assumes "marketed for kids?"

 

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3382481

 

That figure is exclusive to the store

[Gary Floyd 0]

Just came back from it, and I must say: it's good. Not great, but good.

 

The Bad

 

-Ackerman and Goode were bad as Silk Spectre II and Veidt-Goode in particular failed to capture Veidt. The big thumbs down goes to Carla Gugino as Silk Spectre II, which was a Razzie worthy performance.

-Some of the cuts were obvious (

no death of Hollis, though that will be in the director's cut

) though it makes me look more forward to the director's cut.

-The sex scene was pretty bad, as was the music choice. Actually, most of the music choices are pretty obvious.

-Slow motion got annoying at times.

-Not movie related, but there was a guy behind me who said "pop art sucks." It didn't help that he and his friends look and sounded like men you'd find on hotchickswithdouchebags.com

 

 

The Good

 

-The opening credit sequence is incredible.

I love that they kept the death of Silver Dollar, which always struck me as the funniest bit from the graphic novel.

-Crudup, Haley, Wilson, and Morgan are great in their roles. Haley steals the show as Rorschach-I can't think of anyone else playing him now, while Wilson did a great job capturing Dan's character.

-There are three instances when the music choices work-Bob Dylan's "These Times They are a Changin'," Phillip Glass, and even "99 Luftballoons" worked well.

-While the slow motion was annoying at times, there isn't as much as there was in "300."

-I'm a movie score fan, and I loved the score by Tyler Bates, especially the piece that's a tribute to the "Blade Runner" score.

-I'm amazed by how faithful it is for the most part. Sure, there's some changes and things cut out, but for the large part, it's pretty damn faithful to the source material, and plenty of the dialogue comes from the graphic novel itself. Also,

Rorschach's death had the same impact that it did in the graphic novel, IMO.

-

Sure, there's no squid, which is still a bummer. That out of the way, Veidt's new plan actually wasn't bad, and actually worked in the movie. Oh, and yes, the fat kid does find the journal at the end.

 

I give it 8/10. It could have been better, it may not be as good as the graphic novel (though if anyone was expecting that, then they are crazy) and maybe it was more good than it was great, but it's the most faithful adaptation we're going to get. Sure, there's some bumps, and it will most likely divide audiences (and fans), but I enjoyed it, and really look forward to the director's cut.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3382481

 

That figure is exclusive to the store

 

Hmmmm.

 

I also see links to Watchmen collectible busts in the related products section, are you sure these aren't exclusive to the online store, and not sold at the actual stores themselves?

 

Maybe I should pay my local TRU a visit...

[Boner Kawanger 0]

Not that I'm trying to punch holes in your argument, I just find it interesting...

 

http://toynewsi.com/index.php?itemid=14171

 

On Friday, March 6, a feature film based on the acclaimed graphic novel Watchmen will be released in theaters nationwide. To help commemorate the movie’s release, Toys“R”Us stores are offering an exclusive, variant action figure from DC Direct based on the street vigilante, Rorschach.

The action figure, featuring Rorschach without his face…I mean mask…depicts a bruised Rorschach as he’s being booked in prison. The action figure will be released on Friday, March 6 and features multiple points of articulation, a grapple gun, an additional hand, a base and prison name plate (with his “real” name and prisoner number).

 

The Rorschach action figure will be available at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide for $16.99 and is recommended for children ages 14 and up. Check out an image of the figure below.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Kinda boring, mostly devoid of subtext, powered along by a superb Jackie Earle Haley and a handful of strong sequences, and frustratingly paced. I actually think people who know nothing about Watchmen will like it way more than people who've read and loved the comic; the movie does little more than serve the plot (and some characters) of the story, which makes it somewhat dull for fans--it's not that fun watching the story beats you know by heart play out awkwardly. Still, it's probably just as exciting for first-time viewers as it was for those of us cracking the spine the first time.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

Not that I'm trying to punch holes in your argument, I just find it interesting...

 

http://toynewsi.com/index.php?itemid=14171

 

On Friday, March 6, a feature film based on the acclaimed graphic novel Watchmen will be released in theaters nationwide. To help commemorate the movie’s release, Toys“R”Us stores are offering an exclusive, variant action figure from DC Direct based on the street vigilante, Rorschach.

The action figure, featuring Rorschach without his face…I mean mask…depicts a bruised Rorschach as he’s being booked in prison. The action figure will be released on Friday, March 6 and features multiple points of articulation, a grapple gun, an additional hand, a base and prison name plate (with his “real” name and prisoner number).

 

The Rorschach action figure will be available at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide for $16.99 and is recommended for children ages 14 and up. Check out an image of the figure below.

 

AND my point still stands!

 

I do stand corrected on the DC Direct thing with the mass brick & mortar toy outlets. I wonder if this the first or if they've been doing it for some time now and I haven't been down the action figure aisles of my local TRU in some time.

[tonyjaymzretro 0]

Thought it was a solid film, by far the best Alan Moore adaptation ever, and surprised me at how good it was

 

the

non-squid ending

works better in the context of the film

 

I though Ackerman did as good as she could, but Matthew Goode was disappointing, especially knowing how strong an actor he is.

 

I think the best compliment I can give this film is that Zach Snyder truly, truly cared about the source material, and it showed. It's not perfect, but s good solid movie. 8/10

 

oh, and there really wasn't that much slow motion...and the opening title sequence was fantastic

 

[The Niggardly King 0]

Wow, this has already cracked the top 250 at IMDB.

 

I thought this was a fairly good film. I'm so glad it was Crudup in the Manhattan role, and that Keanu signed on for Day The Earth Stood Still and wound up having to turn down the role. I can't picture anyone else playing Manhattan. Same goes for Haley, Morgan, and Wilson.

 

7/10

 

I'd say out of a jampacked theater... most were disappointed. Too much laughter at parts that were supposed to be serious.

[AmericanDragon 0]

http://motionographer.com/theater/yuco-the-watchmen-titles/

[Angle-plex 0]

Didn't like this at all. The dialogue just sounds awful being actually read out loud. Comedian was awesome though.

[Scroby 0]

Kinda boring, mostly devoid of subtext, powered along by a superb Jackie Earle Haley and a handful of strong sequences, and frustratingly paced. I actually think people who know nothing about Watchmen will like it way more than people who've read and loved the comic; the movie does little more than serve the plot (and some characters) of the story, which makes it somewhat dull for fans--it's not that fun watching the story beats you know by heart play out awkwardly. Still, it's probably just as exciting for first-time viewers as it was for those of us cracking the spine the first time.

I know nothing about the Watchmen comic at all and I was pretty disappointed with the movie. The pre-views got me pretty excited about it, I thought it was going to be this cool, special effects, many great fighting scenes movie.....and it wasn't and that's mainly my fault for not knowing anything about the Watchmen comic at all. I mean the movie was decent, but I don't want to sit through it for another 2 hours and 43 minutes.

[At Home 0]

I would so much rather listen to 2 and a half hours of interesting character development rather than drudging through the same length of time in The Dark Knight.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I'm seeing this tomorrow because I had to work tonight...but holy shit has this movie polarized the people that I know. It's not even divided between those who read the source material and those who haven't. I had people from both sides that thought it was amazing, and others that thought it was the worst thing they ever watched. At least when it was Sin City it was split between the two groups...but I have no idea on earth what to expect...although were I a guessing man, since so many people that I talked to were passionately split one way or the other...I'll probably just find it decent. Because I am a boring person.

[godthedog 0]

SPOILERS AHEAD...

 

 

all of the pacing problems and awkward dialogue i figured would happen, happened. also: aging or face-altering makeup and imax DO NOT MIX EVER. it looked like nixon and carla gugino were playing dress-up. the costumes in general had this really weird fake sheen to them, like the people weren't comfortable in them.

 

A.O. scott of new york times fame had huge problems with the way violence was handled, and while i think scott wasn't reading the comic very well, i think he's right on-point for this movie. snyder is totally incapable of handling violence in any kind of ironic, thoughtful, or interesting way that has any kind of subtext. to snyder, all violence onscreen is to be treated in the same way and must be made to look as cool as possible. not only did his attitude destroy 2 of the most powerful moments in the story (showing us only the aftermath of the NYC stuff and rorschach's death), but it shows that he isn't interested in what the comic was really about.

 

i got nothing of the stench of death or decay or nihilism from the movie. not once did snyder try to make me think about this story's world, "wow...this is the kind of world where people do THAT to each other?"

 

it's pretty clear that snyder wanted to make a superhero movie, with action scenes & excitement that could rival those of other superhero movies. the prison break was treated basically as a set-piece, as was the comedian's death. and whenever he did that i just started tuning out, because i don't identify with nite owl and the comedian in the way that i identify with batman and i don't really care if i see them kick someone's ass--i identify with them as characters, and i want to see character development.

 

rorschach was the absolute worst for this. deep down he's a fascist piece of shit, and that's really important for the comic because it's the whole root of his convictions and his take-no-prisoners uberviolent attitude. aside from 2 quick references to his distaste for homosexuality and women, snyder didn't explore any of that dimension at all. he just wanted to make rorschach look like a bad-ass and get all his good one-liners in.

 

part of what makes the comic so great, i think, is that it has the balls to suggest that the very idea of a superhero is inescapably fascist, and that no one actually has the moral authority to assert himself as a "superhero." 'the dark knight' plays with this in a not very satisfying way, but this movie goes nowhere near any of that. all the complexity is taken out of adrian's egotism, and he becomes a cartoon villain. all the moral terror is sucked out of the decision to let adrian get away with it, and he tries to play the world-united aftermath straight, with swirling hopeful music, as if this was really an okay thing to do. there's no sick irony underlining the happy faces like there was in the last 5-10 pages of the comic.

 

i feel like if someone asked alan moore what 'watchmen' is really about, he'd say something like, "well, it's about the idea of superheroes and the moral implications of why people want to believe in superheroes or want to be superheroes, and the political consequences of that."

 

if someone asked snyder what 'watchmen' is really about, he'd say, "it's about this team of superheroes and one of them gets murdered, he's a hero with a sick sense of humor, and one of the heroes wears a cool trenchcoat and one of them is an atomic man who can bend matter to his will, and one of them is a really hot girl that you get to see naked..."

 

maybe snyder needed to sell it as a superhero blockbuster to get it made, i don't know.

[Boner Kawanger 0]

i feel like if someone asked alan moore what 'watchmen' is really about, he'd say something like, "well, it's about the idea of superheroes and the moral implications of why people want to believe in superheroes or want to be superheroes, and the political consequences of that."

 

if someone asked snyder what 'watchmen' is really about, he'd say, "it's about this team of superheroes and one of them gets murdered, he's a hero with a sick sense of humor, and one of the heroes wears a cool trenchcoat and one of them is an atomic man who can bend matter to his will, and one of them is a really hot girl that you get to see naked..."

 

maybe snyder needed to sell it as a superhero blockbuster to get it made, i don't know.

I feel like these are the best, most important points to come out of the thread so far.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Snyder seems like the kind of guy that actually loves what he does, even if he doesn't understand the original subtext of everything. His stuff is never bad, but it's never really great either. Still can't wait to see this, though, especially since I really liked the Dawn of the Dead remake, and didn't mind 300 as much as I thought I would.

[SuperJerk 0]

You guys are lowering my expectations enough that I probably will like it because I won't be as disappointed.