Watchmen movie discussion

[Mirage]

Still digesting, but I enjoyed it overall. I found the complaints about the acting to be mostly unfounded-- I actually liked Dan and Laurie's portrayals quite a bit. The one character I had a problem with was Sally. Carla Gugino (whom I've always liked) plays it to perfection as the young Sally, but kind of falls apart as the old version. It's almost like she knew the makeup sucked (and it did) and it hurt her performance.

Jackie Earl Haley damn well deserves *something* for his portrayal of Rorshach-- just awesome. An Oscar nod might be a bit much to hope for, but damn, at least toss a Golden Globe his way or something.

[Rampage01]

Not a 300 fan, so pleased to see this emerge as more than bluescreen and posteuring.

Good to know.

I'm not a fan of 300, either, and was getting the impression from the trailers that this movie was going to be like 300 with costumed heroes.

[donosaur]

I'm not sure how a man can make his face twitch that much and not explode.

Coupla other things: I wondered whether or not the child murderer bit would go down like in the comic, seeing as how Rorschach basically gives him a choice like in Saw. I figured the hacksaw bit would be gone, but he'd still burn him alive. I guess there's something to be said for getting to actually see him exact justice, rather than walk off while it occurs. I dunno.

As for the Batman posters, I understand it as thus: The entire movie is a pastiche. That's my ultimate interpretation. It explains all the recognizable, evocative music, the Shumacher costumes, David Bowie and Mick Jagger hanging out in the montage, everything. While the film still takes place in alternate 1985, it acknowledges everything that has happened in our world since then. So yeah, Batman is there just because it fits, not because it makes sense, exactly.

EDIT: I did notice that when Comedian chucks the coffee mug, it hits the door and knocks the 1 off of 3001. Can anyone who owns the comic find out if he lived in 3001, or if it's entirely fabricated so Snyder can give us a wink?

[Onslaught Six]

Oh! Totally forgot.

'Garry Chalk' is in it! He's the one douchebag military adviser guy. He's not credited on IMDB (or possibly even in the credits, I didn't stay to see) but it's definitely him.

[BWprowl]

His name is in the credits. I saw it there and was all 'Woah, really?!'.

[138 Scourge]

Way late getting in, but screw it:

I went from "cool, Watchmen movie" to "eh, whutevah, Watchmen" and back since the previews a-started, but wound up going to see this thing anyway. Not too bad, really.

I'll second the missing the story of how Rorscharch got his mask. I loved that bit in the comics, and don't think the important thing about that bit was what the mask was made of, but who it was made for. The whole Genovese thing is a pretty clear example of what kind of world would make a guy want to go out and hand out the beatings. Plus, the line "Cut it enough that it didn't look like a woman anymore", that's just creepy, but in a good way, so you see that this guy's pretty much batshit.

I missed the squid. And losing the squid kinda took a lot of of Viedt's conspiracy, I thought. New ending doesn't bother me, really, but still, I wish the squid had been around.

On some really minor points, some of the characters in the book that you get to know and get used to (Bernie the news vendor, the kid reading the pirate comics, the taxi driving-lady and even Bubastis) end up as just kinda cameos, so when they're killed...I dunno, I remember being kinda shocked by the news-guy and kid dying in the book, and that kind helps you put a face on New York getting nuked. And since the kitty didn't even get mentioned before the climax, you don't get a since that it's something Veidt cares about as much when she gets nuked.

But really, most of what I didn't care for about the movie was just due to it not being able to translate for the big screen. There's a lot of lines, (most of Nite Owl's lines, and Doctor Manhattan's Mars speech) that read a whole lot better than they sound. Still, overall, I liked it okay. I think Watchmen came out as good as a Watchmen movie could (though I would love to see what Terry Gilliam would have done with it).

Still kinda sad that we're not getting really bad superhero toyline stuff out of it, though. I was so looking forward to a brightly colored Rorsharch with a spinning blade launcher or something...

[Onslaught Six]

(Bernie the news vendor, the kid reading the pirate comics

Watchmen Funfact: That kid is also named Bernie.

Still kinda sad that we're not getting really bad superhero toyline stuff out of it, though. I was so looking forward to a brightly colored Rorsharch with a spinning blade launcher or something...

A friend and I were experimenting with writing a mock script for a horrible mid-90s Watchmen movie adaptation. It was...interesting.

[138 Scourge]

(Bernie the news vendor, the kid reading the pirate comics

Watchmen Funfact: That kid is also named Bernie.

I thought about referring to 'em as "The Bernies", but the kid goes by "Bernard". Still, I tried to work that into my commentary, but it was late and I was tired, so I couldn't word it right and gave it up.

So this script, is was deliberately horrible? I'd almost want to check it out, if so. Jean-Claude Van Damme as Dr. Manhattan, Treat Williams as Nite-Owl, Tia Carerre as Silk Spectre, Jim Carrey as Rorsarch, and Adam Sandler as the Comedian!

On that note, the casting of the proper Watchmen movie was friggin' perfect. Everyone looked just right.

[BWprowl]

A friend and I were experimenting with writing a mock script for a horrible mid-90s Watchmen movie adaptation. It was...interesting.

That wouldn't have anything to do with this, would it?

[Onslaught Six]

A friend and I were experimenting with writing a mock script for a horrible mid-90s Watchmen movie adaptation. It was...interesting.

That wouldn't have anything to do with this, would it?

No, see, that's still sorta-kinda accurate. Sorta.

In our adaptation, The Comedian was a literal stand-up comic. That's how bad this was.

So this script, is was deliberately horrible? I'd almost want to check it out, if so.

I dunno if I still have a copy anywhere. If I find it, I'll put it up.