New Watchmen Trailer

[Malificent]

I can't wait for this to come out!  So that people can shut up about it!  Jesus, every time the director farts there are news stories on blogs, posts in forums, etc.  Is this the only comic book movie coming out this decade?  Why is every detail about any part of it news?

Watchmen: Comic Books : Lord of the Rings: Fantasy Novels

Not a perfect comparison, but each is "the literature" of its genre. So it really isn't unexpected that every comic fan is excited (or nervous), much like pretty much everyone who liked fantasy novels was either excited or nervous about the release of LotR on film.

[TiLT]

About the ending:

Spoiler for Hiden:

That rewrite of the ending sounds weird. Wasn't the whole point of the "alien" to make the governments of the world unite against a common, imaginary enemy? And wouldn't a Hydrogen bomb on US soil just be considered an experimental Russian weapon, instead serving as a catalyst to mutual, total destruction?

[Eel Snave]

About the ending:

Spoiler for Hiden:

That rewrite of the ending sounds weird. Wasn't the whole point of the "alien" to make the governments of the world unite against a common, imaginary enemy? And wouldn't a Hydrogen bomb on US soil just be considered an experimental Russian weapon, instead serving as a catalyst to mutual, total destruction?

Spoiler for Hiden:

I'll bet you that the Russians will categorically deny it, and every other country as well.  Remember, Adrian's solution didn't solve the problem in the book either, it just delayed the inevitable.

[hepcat]

10 Year Anniversary of Dr. Manhattan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd5cInmK6LQ

okay, THAT was cool...

[McNutt]

Spoiler for Hiden:

Replacing the octopus does indeed change the point of the ending.  Plus, without the island, why does Veidt kill The Comedian?  Didn't he kill him in the book because he came across the island?

[TiLT]

Spoiler for Hiden:

The more I think about it, the less it makes sense. Just having Russia deny using a hydrogen bomb on US soil wouldn't be enough. America wouldn't even consider the possibility that anyone but Russia could have used it, and with such weapons at their disposal, American bombs would be launched all the quicker. Something would have to happen that everyone who sees will agree can't have been terrestrial in origin, or all would be lost. If there's no common extraterrestrial enemy, the conflict isn't solved, but rather escalated.

I don't think they properly thought this through. It's like the studio didn't really understand what the "alien" was about.

[hepcat]

I'm going to give the movie a chance.  I know changing the ending has some folks up in arms, but Snyder did such a great job with Dawn of the Dead (something I thought would really, really suck) and made 300 so much fun that I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. 

I see him in the same way I see Del Toro and Jackson:  they all love the source material so much that when they put something out, you can really see the affection in every frame.  Of course, I realize that no amount of love for the genre can change a crappy director into a good one, but if a good director really enjoys what he's doing, I think it adds that much more quality to the project.

[Caine]

yeah, that was kind of where i left off after hearing about it too. 

Spoiler for Hiden:

i thought, what if this happened here?  would we be so quick to team up when the obvious answer is they are the ones who are capable of making such a weapon?

keeping my fingers crossed, but without the squid, what is left for creating a sense of global unity?

[McNutt]

Spoiler for Hiden:

The creature creates global unity.  The hydrogen bomb destroys any chance for global unity.  This isn't just a change to the ending, it works against the point of the whole story.  I'm holding out hope that they thought this through and there's more to it than I thought.

[Caine]

Spoiler for Hiden:

maybe they can fake an alien ship or something? 

[McNutt]

Spoiler for Hiden:

But why kill The Comedian?

 

[The Grue]

Spoiler for Hiden:

But why kill The Comedian?

 

He had it comin'.

[Eel Snave]

Spoiler for Hiden:

It's not a hydrogen bomb, it's a fusion bomb.  It's a subtle difference, but there is a difference.

BTW, for Watchmen fans, this should make you giggle.

[McNutt]

Spoiler for Hiden:

There's a difference?  Even if there is, it doesn't change the fact that the bomb would be seen as a Soviet attack.

[Blackjack]

EW has a big cover story:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20259927,00.html

And 6 different covers (as a subscriber, I can't choose  ):

EW's Watchmen covers
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20260130,00.html

I'm still of the mind that it's either awesome... or a shambling train wreck along the lines of The Wachowski's Speed Racer movie last summer. Either it'll open some doors to other challenging comic book adaptations, or it'll shut them, never to be opened again (at least not by major film studios).

[McNutt]

I just found out there is a screening here in Austin Monday night and I won't be able to make it.   

[JSL]

I finished the novel a couple of days ago and the ending bugs me a bit:

Spoiler for Hiden:

Why does Dr. Manhattan have to kill Rorschach exactly? I understand they want to prevent him from spilling the beans on Adrian's screwed up plan, but Dr. M could have just teleported him sonewhere, like that island Adrian created. It was also odd how Dr. M said that Rorschach wouldn't find his way back to civilization anytime soon instead of just saying he killed him, unless he didn't kill him, although the red splotches on the snow made it look like he did. Personally I would have found it more satisfying if Rorschach had been teleported somewhere and we see him alone at the end.

[Shinjin]

I finished the novel a couple of days ago and the ending bugs me a bit:

Spoiler for Hiden:

Why does Dr. Manhattan have to kill Rorschach exactly? I understand they want to prevent him from spilling the beans on Adrian's screwed up plan, but Dr. M could have just teleported him sonewhere, like that island Adrian created. It was also odd how Dr. M said that Rorschach wouldn't find his way back to civilization anytime soon instead of just saying he killed him, unless he didn't kill him, although the red splotches on the snow made it look like he did. Personally I would have found it more satisfying if Rorschach had been teleported somewhere and we see him alone at the end.

Spoiler for Hiden:

Rorschach see things only in black and white, good or evil.  He views Adrian's acts as evil and is compelled to react the only way he knows how.  Had Dr. Manhattan let him live, no matter how remote, there is the chance that Rorschach gets the opportunity to spill the beans and throw humanity back down the road toward nuclear annihilation.

Besides, the island approach is just another form of death.  Consider Dr. Manhattan's renewed compassion for humanity and a quick death can be viewed as much more merciful than a slow one.

I recently re-read it about a month ago after 20+ years (has it really been that long?).  I had forgotten just how good it is.  I'm also surprised to see scenes from the trailer match so closely with what's in the comic.  Looking forward to an early birthday present this year...

[PeteRock]

So far reviews are looking promising.  86% on RottenTomatoes so far.   

And the only negative review looks to be by a tabloid setting out to be intentionally incendiary.

[CeeKay]

video review.  I think he liked it.

[Eel Snave]

Major ending spoilers from imdb:

Spoiler for Hiden:

This ending was deemed too violent for the film version, so screenwriters Alex Tse and David Hayter altered Veidt's plan to utilize energy bombs which would match the powers of Dr. Manhattan to destroy cities around the world, uniting the nations against Manhattan's powers, thus insuring that he would no longer interfere in world politics.

[TiLT]

Ah... now I see how the change in the ending makes sense. Clever.

[PeteRock]

The wife and I have our tickets for the 7pm show on Friday.  Normally we'd hit the midnight show for something like this but I've got my PG exam first-thing Friday morning and I don't want to risk faltering due to limited sleep.  It's never good to go into a grueling test without ample rest.  So we're meeting Knightshade, Mrs. Knightshade, and Mom Knightshade along with a few other friends at the Tempe Marketplace Friday night.  I'll still be able to get a good bit of pool in with Moliere from 1pm until about 5, and then off to check out Watchmen.   

[LoneStarSpur]

Never heard of the Watchmen before this and to be honest at first it looked like...uh...something I wouldn't like to see (to be nice about it  ). But I'm kinda getting a little interested in it. Not sure if we'll hit the theater for it, but will definitely get the Blu-Ray.

[PeteRock]

Never heard of the Watchmen before this and to be honest at first it looked like...uh...something I wouldn't like to see (to be nice about it  ). But I'm kinda getting a little interested in it. Not sure if we'll hit the theater for it, but will definitely get the Blu-Ray.

To be perfectly honest, I think those who haven't read the graphic novel won't get nearly as much out of the film when compared to those who have.  I would strongly recommend reading the graphic novel prior to viewing the film as I think there is just so much in the writing and artwork that while the translation to screen is said to be absolutely fantastic, there is always that little something missing when compared to the original work. 

I'm excited because I think the source material was groundbreaking and unique, not just at the time of publication, but even today in a superhero market saturated with stereotypical heroes who are inherently good.  Watchmen takes a different view in that vigilantes crazy enough to dress up in tights and stalk the streets looking for crime have deeper psychological issues such as fetishes at play.  It really is quite the sobering look at what superheroes in the "real" world might be like, with psychological issues, damaging pasts, and personal problems.

[Caine]

one of the morning radio guys went to see it and gave it a pretty good review, and this from two of them who have read the book and are comic geeks. 

i need to sneak out of this temp job early on friday to go and see it as i don't think the wife will appreciate it. 

[PeteRock]

i need to sneak out of this temp job early on friday to go and see it as i don't think the wife will appreciate it. 

My wife is actually tearing through the graphic novel as we speak, having even buried her nose in it during American Idol.   

She even pre-purchased the tickets for Friday night's show, throwing in a dig about my PG exam as being the reason why we couldn't see the movie on Thursday night. 

 

[Pharaoh]

Seeing the 10:40 Friday night at Tempe Marketplace, we wanted to do 7 but felt it'd be too tight with lines and traffic going down there....Thursday at midnight would be great to see it with all the hardcore fans, but a 3 hour movie at midnight, yikes!

*crosses fingers its awesome*

[PeteRock]

Seeing the 10:40 Friday night at Tempe Marketplace, we wanted to do 7 but felt it'd be too tight with lines and traffic going down there....Thursday at midnight would be great to see it with all the hardcore fans, but a 3 hour movie at midnight, yikes!

*crosses fingers its awesome*

Damn.  Too bad you can't make the 7pm show.  If you change your mind we can save an extra couple of seats. 

But, at least there's a bright side.

We'll be seeing it before you.   

[wonderpug]

Thursday at midnight would be great to see it with all the hardcore fans, but a 3 hour movie at midnight, yikes!

*crosses fingers its awesome*

163 minutes?  Yowza.  That's even longer than The Dark Knight.  Glad they're giving it the running time needed to do the story justice, but I better not get the extra large soda for this one.

[RuperT]

Just picked up my Watchmen Movie Pack, free with purchase of a Live product (in my case the cheapest one, the 1600 point card which is still a bit cheaper than impulse buying in NXE).
Two free tickets, usable in the next two weeks! 
...the smell of...Nostalgia

[Caine]

Just picked up my Watchmen Movie Pack, free with purchase of a Live product (in my case the cheapest one, the 1600 point card which is still a bit cheaper than impulse buying in NXE).
Two free tickets, usable in the next two weeks! 
...the smell of...Nostalgia

did the same, and as well, you can get one ticket with the motion comic release that came out tuesday.  i have that, but haven't opened it yet.  frankly, i'm wondering if it's worth it or not.

[Blackjack]

EW was lukewarm about it (B-) and the Wash. Post here despised it (although their architectural-hater turned movie-hater Phillip Kennicott hates everything - it's almost a badge of honor if he hates your work), but since the Post critic inexplicably kept referring to the Lord of the Rings as another movie that did a terrible job of translating books to screen,  he lost me completely.   

None of that means anything, but I doubt you'll see a lot of "mainstream critics" embrace Watchmen as they did The Dark Knight, or even Spider-Man 2 or 300 (Watchmen is lacking the "washboard abs" effect ). It's just too "outside the box" for them to figure out, imho. I want to see it at some point but not enough to catch a midnight show.

[CeeKay]

To be perfectly honest, I think those who haven't read the graphic novel won't get nearly as much out of the film when compared to those who have.  I would strongly recommend reading the graphic novel prior to viewing the film as I think there is just so much in the writing and artwork that while the translation to screen is said to be absolutely fantastic, there is always that little something missing when compared to the original work. 

I thought about grabbing the graphic novel, but since the local comic book store went out of business I won't have time to make it to the one I go to now before the movie comes out.  I've found that I tend to enjoy a movie based on a book more if I don't read the material it's based on, like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.  I've never read the comics for that series so I'm able to enjoy the movie without picking it apart like I see alot of other people do.

[Isgrimnur]

I found it's better to see the film, then read the source material.  You can easily see where changes were made or stuff was left out, but are less likely to go on a fanboy diatribe.  You can save that for the next time you watch the movie.  

[CeeKay]

Watchmen coming to Saturday morning!

 

[Tebunker]

we got tickets for tomorrow night, and our local paper panned it, but he hates just about everything. He said it didn't make sense, and you can't really grab the plot, and that there really is no explanation for everything. I kind of wondered if he read the graphic novel, and if he took anytime to understand where Moore was coming from. I am looking forward to it however as I loved the graphic novel.

[CeeKay]

[kathode]

Got tickets for 8:45 tonight.  Can't wait!

[PeteRock]

No dedicated midnight movie-goers? 

I'm glad that I'm playing pool with Moliere from 1 to 5 as a nice distraction, otherwise if I was stuck in my office until then I'd never get anything done in anticipation of tonight's viewing.