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Thread: Watchmen

  1. #1
    Commercial Operator
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    Watchmen

    Just come back from seeing Watchmen. For many this will need no explanation - for those who're unfamiliar with it, Watchmen was one of the most influential comic books ever written, is widely considered on of the best comic book stories ever written, and has been described many many times as being completely impossible to do justice to in a movie.

    I have mixed feelings on it. On the positive side, it has conclusively proved to me that it is possible to do the book justice, and it has remained more faithful to the original story than I would have believed possible. It was generally very well acted, and for a great deal of the film, I was enthralled. Visually, it is amazing (not entirely surprising, given that it was directed by Zack Snyder, who did 300) The rather complex history of the various Watchmen characters was conveyed extremely well, and the film did an amazing job of conveying the whole - rather complex - plot to the audience. The ending ... was changed. Good. They somehow came up with an ending that to my mind achieved exactly the same as the ending of the comic, while convincing me far more than the original ending did. I really don't think the original would have worked on film.
    Jackie Earle Haley was absolutely amazing as Rorschach. Scarily so.
    And I have to give it points for relishing in the ... slightly kinky ... aspect of dressing in PVC outfits to go out and beat up criminals.

    On the less positive side... at times, it lacked subtlety.
    The violence... was a bit extreme, and unneccessarily graphic. I could have done with a bit less in the way of blood, gore and bone-snapping. Overall, for me, it added nothing, and actually made it a lot less enjoyable.
    The music suffered from a similar issue - while occasionally, music was used in lovely and subtle ways, far too often it was used in a battering-ram fashion which I found quite jarring. The same goes of the audio in general. And using Ride of the Valkyries for part of the Vietnam Sequence was extremely jarring, because it just made me think 'Apocalypse Now', jerking me right out of the film. Really really unnecessary, and tipped things a bit too close to the realm of parody (which happened in a couple of other spots in the film)

    Overall - I'm very glad to have seen it - it's an extraordinary film, and it was so clearly a real labour of love - unfortunately, it had a few flaws that were hard to overlook, and spoiled my enjoyment a touch.

  2. #2
    Papa Smurf
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    Re: Watchmen

    I loved it - there was some less good bits sure, but overall its a work of art. The whole alternative history thing and the music that went with it seemed to fit - it felt out of place with this reality, which it should. overall: a classic and genre defining

    liked the Metro review which said "makes the Dark Knight seem like Count Duckula" spot on

  3. #3
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    Re: Watchmen

    I went to see the watchmen too.
    They adjusted the strap and now it fits perfectly.

    I'll get my coat.

  4. #4
    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
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    Re: Watchmen

    I hope this thread will finally answer the age-old question... "Who watches the watchmen?"
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

  5. #5
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    Re: Watchmen

    I can't wait to see this movie. I'm going to go and see it at a deluxe screen so I can sit an a big bucket seat with a bucket of popcorn and a bucket of beer!

  6. #6
    Registered User AussieJ's Avatar
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    Re: Watchmen

    Thanks for the review straycat, I had Watchmen in the back of my mind as a film I want to get around to seeing, but I was pre-occupied with work and of course the recent Southport dance weekender.

    I now want to go see this asap here in Glasgow, if only I can find another Watchmen aficionado to come along with me...

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