WATCHMEN Movie Discussion (SPOILERS allowed)!
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DarkArtist81
Super Freak
It's not just you. One of my favorite movies!
Thank God... I was starting to think I was one of the only ones around here anymore.
And I was a long time fan of Millers story, had read it at least 15 times before I saw that movie.
Scar
Super Freak
Sir, I want to shake your hand.
This is that neat little period where the early reviews start coming in, and we get to see the true nature of the bandwagon fanboys...
Darth Waller
Are you on the square?
I'm this close to getting on the Leonidas waitlist because 300 rocked so hard.
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Everyone is so against Action these days. Fine if you dont like 300...but if you really think if you sped up the scenes, the movie would be all that shorter....um no. No it wouldnt.
tomandshell
Blue Flame of the West/Mod
I have a feeling that this film will be embraced by the fans of the graphic novel, but not really by the general public at large. Interest will be high at first, but word of mouth from the uninitiated will be mixed. I anticipate a large opening weekend and a subsequent dropoff.
I will be there on opening night!!
I will be there on opening night!!
BadMoon
Demi G0D Overseer
I agree. If you didn't like the source material what do you think your thoughts will be on the movie?
In my eyes that's good. Because it sounds like the movie is pretty true to the book in this ****** turtles mind.
Also I LOVED 300. Cant wait for my Leonidas figure.
BadMoon
Demi G0D Overseer
One thing that I did find interesting. I was outside of my office building today. And a nice young lady had her head buried in the book.
I thought to myself. Hmm word is getting around.
I didn't know a thing about the novel until the movie. Sorry to admit that but I never read much comics and wouldn't pick up a DC one to save the life of me.
Glad I did!
I liked 300 also, I'll reserve judgment on this until I can see it.
Dr.Mirakle32
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I ABSOLUTELY HATED 300! Don't get me wrong, visually, it was a well-done work of art, and good to look at in small doses, but the story was so simplistic and treated so cartoony, that I just didn't care. I know the cheesy acting, "cool" overuse of slow-mo, and simple minded ^^^^ YEAH atitude were intentional, it just wasn't for me. If the movie didn't look as good as it did, and was filmed like a standard historical epic, it would probably be panned as piece of ^^^^.
And I'm not against your good ol' abrasive, mindless, bad-assery (I loved RAMBO,) but something about the 300 film really just rubbed me the wrong way.
And I'm not against your good ol' abrasive, mindless, bad-assery (I loved RAMBO,) but something about the 300 film really just rubbed me the wrong way.
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Thank God... I was starting to think I was one of the only ones around here anymore.
And I was a long time fan of Millers story, had read it at least 15 times before I saw that movie.
I read it 40 times before the movie....and I got it 2 months before it came out.
Still....
Also, if this movie wasnt being made, I wouldnt have read the book. Granted it wasnt JUST the movie....
I just heard Zack was doing this, and I liked 300, and I asked around, and everyone said read it. So I did. I read it often. I didnt get it first time around, but after 2 more reads, I get, and love the story.
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Who cares about history....the film was never about history. It was about 300 badasses killing people. It was just based on historical truth...and thats it.
Dr.Mirakle32
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I didn't really mention history other than pointing out that without it's visual comic-flair, 300 is a pretty terrible movie. At least IMO.
Darth Waller
Are you on the square?
You're entitled to your opinion, but...
BadMoon
Demi G0D Overseer
The action sequences are fine. Snyder can do action. There isn't nearly as much slow motion as 300. And every comics fan everywhere is going to get a kick out of watching Dr Manhattan do his thing. Having said that, some of the action sequences don't actually make literal sense when you consider none of these people have powers.
Absolutely. Everyone is going to see it anyway, so don't be dissuaded by reviews. Make up your own mind. I said earlier I think I'll be a minority. The collector demographic is going to go nuts for this movie.
My fear is that the general public will think of the film when people cite Watchmen as the best example of the comic medium and think, "How sad." Because the movie isn't smart or clever and a lot of people are going to be laughing at it. A lot more are probably going to be cheering it, but the fact remains it's nowhere near the cinematic achievement of The Dark Knight (in my opinion); there's certainly nothing here past the visuals to explain why the book is so brilliant (and even the visuals sometimes work against that (see skinny Dan)).
And in a sense I think this is why Alan Moore fears adaptations. Because if you read Watchmen and From Hell and V for Vendetta you realize you're dealing with the Stanley Kubrick of comics. But if you only know his work through these movies, you get a completely different experience. You don't know him or his work at all. And I say that as someone who enjoys those movies. All three are betrayals of their source material; none of them "gets it" and none of them are classics of their medium the way the comic versions were.
I've been thinking about this all day: Would I rather have a movie that's faithful to the thrust of the book while radically different visually or a movie that's faithful to the visuals while undermining the thrust of the book? And in the end I think I have to say I would rather we had what we got, so take that as a positive sign.
That's my assessment too. There's a fair degree of that happening in Watchmen. But there's also some geek overload happening that prevents me from tearing the movie apart. The flashbacks might be silly but that's Archimedes flying there, dammit!
Scar
Super Freak
Thank God... I was starting to think I was one of the only ones around here anymore.
And I was a long time fan of Millers story, had read it at least 15 times before I saw that movie.
You're entitled to your opinion, but...
I'm a huge fan. 300 was long one of my favorite Frank Miller works, only behind TDKR. While everyone was clamoring for Sin City to be made into a movie, I was sitting in a corner clutching 300 and hoping. I remember how skeptical I was that they could pull off the graphic novel translation to film convincingly; I just wasn't sure the audience would buy that these guys were meant to be paragons of warriors, stripped down of armor in the graphic novel because they honed their entire bodies into weapons. Frank Miller himself said as much, that it's nowhere close to historically accurate, but isn't intended to be. Not history, but based on history and more akin to a myth or legend handed down over generations. That's a huge facet, hence the role of Dilios in the story. As a huge fan of the GN for so long, I was delirious with joy as to how Snyder translated to film. It's not meant to be Oscar caliber, it's not meant to make you think, what it is meant to do is portray fighting as honorable and even almost balletic in the way it can be orchestrated by skilled fighters... and Frank Miller did get that right. Hell, Sparta was the only Greek city-state that lacked walls; they believed the men of Sparta would be defense enough; and what's important to note is that they were right, considering what's known of battles in which Spartans fought, their culture, and the Agoge. If you're at all interested in the period and want to read an EXCELLENT story about the Battle of Thermopylae, I recommend the following...
Easily one of the best "surprises" I just picked up on a whim and became totally engrossed in. If you're into that era, it's an excellent book.
ANYWAY... I guess what I'm saying is that Snyder has earned my confidence that he can pull off a faithful adaptation with a degree of creative liberty. That said, 300 wasn't meant to make you think, and Watchmen is intended to be extremely thought provoking. Therein lies the crucial difference.
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Scar
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I see that a lot of people talk about "the ending" as if it was some major deal in the graphic novel. How did the comic end? Barbelith since this is the spoiler thread could you summarize how the movie ends? I don't plan on seeing the movie but all the hype has me curious as to what the deal is.
