I was doubtful of the quality to begin with, so I admit I went in not expecting much, but so many people were looking forward to it that I thought I was missing something, that the movie would surprise me. For reference, I like comic book movies. I like even the bad ones. I enjoy Michael Bay movies on occasion, fully aware of how bad they are. Maybe this was just an adaptation of something I care about. I thought 300 was better than this, but because 300 is a far stupider book to adapt, it really is just a showcase of Frank Miller's cool art. I enjoyed almost every part of 300 except for the bits Snyder deemed to add to the plot, which were absolutely unnecessary.
Watchmen, soon....
- Thread starter Dooby
- Start date
I was doubtful of the quality to begin with, so I admit I went in not expecting much, but so many people were looking forward to it that I thought I was missing something, that the movie would surprise me. For reference, I like comic book movies. I like even the bad ones. I enjoy Michael Bay movies on occasion, fully aware of how bad they are. Maybe this was just an adaptation of something I care about. I thought 300 was better than this, but because 300 is a far stupider book to adapt, it really is just a showcase of Frank Miller's cool art. I enjoyed almost every part of 300 except for the bits Snyder deemed to add to the plot, which were absolutely unnecessary.
I didn't read the comics so keep that in mind but I didn't have any problem with the pacing or intertwining storylines. I knew that they had a lot of backstory to cover and the presentation of it all was actually pretty interesting to me.
Afterwards, my friends told me that the characters didn't have super strength in the comic and that's something I hated about the movie. It tried to show these characters as savage and human as the rest of us but then they have the extremely unique ability to punch through stone and bare-knuckle it through a crowd of criminals. Those scenes really took me out of the movie.
I also didn't like the drawn out sex scene (second one). What was the point to that?
Afterwards, my friends told me that the characters didn't have super strength in the comic and that's something I hated about the movie. It tried to show these characters as savage and human as the rest of us but then they have the extremely unique ability to punch through stone and bare-knuckle it through a crowd of criminals. Those scenes really took me out of the movie.
I also didn't like the drawn out sex scene (second one). What was the point to that?
but in the comics they do train hard to be good fighters and they do beat up the gang in the alleyway and do fight through the prison to get to Rorsach. Yes the bone breaking and heads through granite worksurfaces is extreme, but then that's using film/visual imagery to make up for where the medium lacks the ability to add all the fine deatil you can get in a comic book frame.
I wasn't complaining about an extended scene with a naked Malin Akerman!
I wasn't complaining about an extended scene with a naked Malin Akerman!
so the, admittedly brief, backstory scenes during the prison interview witht he flashbacks of his youth and the missing girl story didn't try and bring those parts out for you?
Not really. Rorschach here is just a darker Batman, and they showed us a darker origin story. I do think it was a loss to not have the subplot with the shrink, as we discover the source of Rorschach's nihilism, but it's another of those things that wouldn't have translated well into film (of course, it's the director's fault to even attempt it in the first place). But we should at least have seen Rorschach at his most unpleasant -- wondering if Veidt is gay, doubting that the Comedian was a rapist. Just small things that show that he's not just an overzealous citizen writ large and instead unstable and paranoid. The diary was a start, but it lacked some context.
Thinking back, one thing that bothered me was the
beating Sally Jupiter took
no - its an 8/10 for me. much better than people here are making out IMO.
erm because attempted rape isn't brutal and misogynistic?
Well, it's about the presentation. I just found that the scene was extremely brutal. I'm not sure if I'm right, mind you, I'd have to watch the movie again and compare it, say, to the Comedian's murder.
Meh. It fell firmly into the "not good enough to care about, but not bad enough to care about it either" category for me. Didn't read the story, but crappy direction, boring visual style, and (with the exception of Rorschach, who was fantastic) poor acting.
Also, the worst sex scene in the history of modern cinema.
Also, the worst sex scene in the history of modern cinema.
I have mixed feelings on it. I will have to watch the uncut version with all deleted scenes (finished deleted scenes lol) to make an opinion of the movie proper. I lowered my expectations greatly before watching it last night. It's just not as good as I hoped it would be. The acting was all right, except for my agreement with Tim Murray in that Rorschach character had excellent acting. It did not fulfill my already low expectations of the movie. I wasn't drawn in like many movies have done for me. Visually it was decent, the special effects I like quite a bit...hats off to the CG and editing teams. Not a horrible movie by any means, but rather on the better side of OK.
I'm wondering what sort of deleted scenes we'll see. I don't know if they can fix the problems with the dialogue (that every conversation was turned from good comic book dialogue into bad comic book dialogue) but maybe the movie will just be more fleshed out and developed in the director's cut.
7/10 (good, not great) for me. Never read the comic (on order from Amazon), but entertaining if a bit long. From what I've read of the book's ending, the movie's is better. Not really sure about the violence complaints or sex scene complaints. Both very typical for and R-rated title.
Kyyla
Veteran
I liked it, especially the first half with the murder plot. The setting in the cold war was interesting. Later when they got into the usual superheroes save the world bs I lost interest. I think a thermonuclear holocaust with Dr. Manhattan looking from above would have been the fitting ending. Our resident demigod was seen too much and lost much of his appeal and mysticism by his constant blabbering. Rorschach was awesome, the Comedian was great. Rest of the acting was so so. The movie seemed to have tons of references. There even was some music from the Koyaanisqatsi. The visual style was very nice, I especially liked the credits in the beginning. Kudos to the sfx department.
8/10, could have been great with better acting and story (never read the comic).
8/10, could have been great with better acting and story (never read the comic).
Last edited by a moderator: