Watchmen Movie Review

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Well what to say about this movie? Only a few words come to mind: Awesome, Amazing, Perfect, Incredible, Wow!!!!!!!!!!!

This movie is the graphic novel brought to life. One of the few movies I have ever seen where you can't say anything bad about it. As dark, gruesome, gory, bloody, and violent as the original source Watchmen is a must see film. This nearly 3 hour long film starts with a bang and never lets up. None of the story is sacrificed and the level of detail that they had was incredible. Each character's back story is revealed and woven very intricately into the movie and never breaks the flow. The characters are portrayed so realistically, which include their dark and sinister nature that each is capable of that it makes the Dark Knight characters look like they belong in a Disney film. Sally Jupiter (played by Carla Gugino), also known as Silk Spectre I is involved in a rape scene that is so traumatic and violent that it borders on, if not exceeds that which was seen in Irreversible with Monica Bellucci. The intricate story telling leaves you guessing the ending all the way until it is revealed and unless you know the comic or guess by sheer dumb luck you will never be able to see it coming.

This story is so well done that even those who have not read the graphic novel can go into knowing nothing and come out of it knowing pretty much all their is to know about the story and its characters. Very few things were left out but what was is trivial and in the comic was just for posterity within the world they lived in such as one of the characters marrying Sally Jupiter after getting pregnant from the rape so that they didn't have to explain how she got pregnant. Those kinds of things were not included but does nothing to lessen the story telling.

The controversial statements of sexuality are subtle and out in the open all at the same time within the film. Silhouette was a lesbian in the comics and is shown very obviously when she takes a woman into her arms out on the streets and kisses her as well as being shown later in bed with her. The "gay" factor is not as obvious but is there if you look for it.

The graphics were amazing and even though your brain will know that CG effects were used there is absolutely zero signs within the movie that a hint of CG was used at all. Most of the CG is used against bright and colorful backgrounds and you get zero black lines around it, they merge perfectly with the surrounding sets, and none of it takes away from the acting.

As I said not much to tell it is so perfect you can't knock it and to tell what makes it so great would give away to much of the story. Now onto the bad though, yes there is a bit of it. Number one is Dr. Manhattan's character is nude most of the film and guy's that means the actors penis hanging out on film and in view most of the time which as a guy I could have gone without seeing. Also as much as I hate to say it Malin Akerman is nude way to much in the film. The amount of nudity and sexual situations she is in takes you out of the film at points because it is so obvious they are playing up the sexuality factor with her to ridiculous levels. The first sex scene she has is sexy and respectable. The next time she is nude showing a bit of tit & a flash of ass which is OK. The third time is an all out sex scene that does nothing but focus on her tits, a bit of ass, and how labored her breathing is and how much she is moaning which reminds me to much of a soft core porn.

Other than that this movie is a comic book to movie done right and is a must see film. A warning to any fans and/or film buffs who like to notice details in the background: There is no way you will see everything in one sitting. The background is so full of details from the comic that you would need to own it on DVD pause and zoom in to see every little detail that makes this world feel so real and alive.

[WhiteCrowUK]

Well what to say about this movie? Only a few words come to mind: Awesome, Amazing, Perfect, Incredible, Wow!!!!!!!!!!!

I've only read this much, but thanks.

After waiting 20 years for this movie, I now have to wait until Monday to see it, and that seems arduous!

My wife wants to come with me, but no I don't want to. I want to be the sad old comic geek sitting on his own, having not bathed. I don't want to go through the film going "why is he blue, where's superman, why don't they all have superpowers". No no no.

[hippie pieces]

A warning to any fans and/or film buffs who like to notice details in the background: There is no way you will see everything in one sitting. The background is so full of details from the comic that you would need to own it on DVD pause and zoom in to see every little detail that makes this world feel so real and alive.

I watched Pirates of the Caribbean 2 twice just to watch the special effects. I like little details!

[Xray]

Besides Batman (1989 and Begins), the Spider-Man trilogy, and the occasional Superman movie, I don't care for super hero movies much. Maybe I'll rent this one. Looks too dark (literally) for me.

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Besides Batman (1989 and Begins), the Spider-Man trilogy, and the occasional Superman movie, I don't care for super hero movies much. Maybe I'll rent this one. Looks too dark (literally) for me.

Well I guess it is a good thing this movie is not a super hero movie then X. Really it has characters in costumes but apart from one person nobody has any powers and if you see the film you will find these people are not "heroes" but rather people who find the law inadequate. Watchmen are really like Batman except they have no qualms about killing bad guys or severely injuring them.

The comic and movie don't set up heroes or super heroes as society today characterizes those kinds of people but rather it sets up people who idealize what humanity is, fight for what they believe is justice, but don't really devote themselves to saving people. Instead some devote themselves to killing off evil (scum of the streets), others try to keep the peace, and others well watch the movie and find out as each has a certain agenda or purpose as to why they do what they do. So they are really anti heroes who happen to stop crimes by removing the source.

[The_Disturbed_One]

Thanks for the review man. I'll check it out tomorrow more than likely.

[WhiteCrowUK]

My relationship with the Watchmen comic book spins back to 1988.

Like many I was drawn to it's dark take on costumed heroes. On first reading, it seems to throw a lot of twists, turns and unrelated subplots. It's a demanding comic in some ways because it's only on rereading you understand the depth of the story. I reread it every 2-3 years, and am still discovering clues in the artwork I’ve never noticed before. It’s full of surprises.

It was a 12 issue story. But each issue played with the narative a bit. It wasn’t linear. Usually each issue told a story, with some repeated elements from a different characters perspective.

How do you bring something like that to celluloid?

With difficulty it seems, it’s been considered unfilmable.

What you see in the Watchmen movie was doomed to failure, much echoing the sense of doom which permeates the story. It’s still a great movie, doing the source material justice. Yet it’s primary fault lies in perhaps being too literal to the comic book. It’s a great story, but it can’t help but feel a little episodic at times.

The resolution has been redone, and I think cleverly. The comic books alien monster came a bit from left-field. The idea of Dr Manhattan framed feels like it fits better. Perhaps the films biggest let down is the tying up scenes at the end. Just doesn’t work as well as the comics. The “in the end, nothing ends” speech has to be between Jon and Adrian, reallocating it makes it just fall on it’s face.

A brilliant film. Will it be remembered as a classic though?

If this and Dark Knight has put the fear of God into you that comic book films have gone too serious - fear not, WolverineOrigins will stood be here to dumb up the works again ...

[WhiteCrowUK]

Oh and is it me, or is Dr Manhatten more well hung than in the comics???

[hippie pieces]

I decided to read the Graphic Novel first before seeing the movie. Honestly I was never interested in the novel until the movie hype started. From the reviews it sounds like I would enjoy it more as a fan boy.

From what I've read from the novel so far It very different as it doesn't follow conventional views of what is considered a hero. When I finish reading the novel I am going to have huge expectations for the movie.

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It was a 12 issue story. But each issue played with the narative a bit. It wasn’t linear. Usually each issue told a story, with some repeated elements from a different characters perspective.

How do you bring something like that to celluloid?

With difficulty it seems, it’s been considered unfilmable.

What you see in the Watchmen movie was doomed to failure, much echoing the sense of doom which permeates the story. It’s still a great movie, doing the source material justice. Yet it’s primary fault lies in perhaps being too literal to the comic book. It’s a great story, but it can’t help but feel a little episodic at times.

The resolution has been redone, and I think cleverly. The comic books alien monster came a bit from left-field. The idea of Dr Manhattan framed feels like it fits better. Perhaps the films biggest let down is the tying up scenes at the end. Just doesn’t work as well as the comics. The “in the end, nothing ends” speech has to be between Jon and Adrian, reallocating it makes it just fall on it’s face.

Yeah I know what you mean about the Graphic Novel's story line. Though I think they did a good job countering that with the way they did the storyline, though I can see where you get the episodic nature from with each character having flashbacks to tell their own story.

I also agree with you as well that "the" speech didn't work as well either when it was moved. While I understand they wanted it to be between the two main characters you have come to care about it doesn't have the same impact as it did when you had it with Adrian.

I can tell though from your criticism of the movie you, like me, found very little to actually complain about. For this reason this movie I think will be remembered as a classic if for no other reason than because it didn't screw up or butcher the story like so many other movies do.

[WhiteCrowUK]

I can tell though from your criticism of the movie you, like me, found very little to actually complain about. For this reason this movie I think will be remembered as a classic if for no other reason than because it didn't screw up or butcher the story like so many other movies do.

It was a masterpiece, but I'd contend a flawed one. Pretty much everything on screen you could trace back to the comic.

I think the problem with the Watchmen is that it's a genius masterpiece comic. One of the reasons it works so well is it's using the medium of comics in a clever and subtle way.

What works wells well in one medium isn't necessarily going to translate well to another one.

The sex scene from in Achie kind of didn't work too well either. I think it needed to be shorter. It was very similar in feel to the one in 300. That said I'm looking forward to the screencaps in the "not safe for work" section at a later date.

Oh and kudos for the whole very cool 80s theme.

[bballinpure]

i heard it was too long and not good

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i heard it was too long and not good

By who?

Everyone who has ever been exposed to the comic and seen the movie loved it. You can clearly read two people who disagree with statements that is was not good. I have been reading the comic for a year now and the film was amazing. The length was good because they made it long enough to fit everything in but not long enough to drag things out.

I think most people who saw it not knowing what it was about didn't like it because of how dark and violent it was. I think most expected a X-Men type group fighting bad guys and saving the day. This is not that kind of comic but if you want that kind of comic book film just wait for Wolverine Origins the movie that completely screws up the storyline, Wolverine's true history, . . . actually . . . it screws up everything and will get nothing right save for Wolverine was part of Weapons X which if you know your Xmen history is a contradiction in itself because Wolverine is Weapon X.

[spectrebert]

It did not feel like a 163 minute movie. I was pretty engrossed with the story and trying to pick out all the little details. The changes that was made worked for me. The only really disappointing thing was the lack of tension from the non-heroes. Nuclear war is imminent yet the every day people (people in restaurants, people on the street, people in the bar) was not shown to be apprehensive, tense and scared. I think the Hollis death scene, which was in the original graphic novel but was not in the movie, would have added to this tension.
spectrebert

[WhiteCrowUK]

Everyone who has ever been exposed to the comic and seen the movie loved it.

Well I can see how people wouldn't like it. I was in the comics shop this week, and the comic book guy wasn't sure it was possible to make a film from the material, it wouldn't work.

I think the real exciting thing was to see some of those real iconic images, like the lovers kissing and becoming skeletons under a nuclear blast, being brought to life.

It did not feel like a 163 minute movie.

It certainly didn't.