Watchmen Parody...circa 1980s kids cartoon (movie spoilers)
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It was interesting, to say the least.
Almost like taking humanity with all its flaws and marvels, and blowing it up super large. The gratuitous violence. Rorschach's cynicism and adamant pursuit of truth (the only guy I really liked in the whole film). The rationalizations.
Almost like taking humanity with all its flaws and marvels, and blowing it up super large. The gratuitous violence. Rorschach's cynicism and adamant pursuit of truth (the only guy I really liked in the whole film). The rationalizations.
Did anyone else think Ozymandias was an idiot? Sure, he made peace. But a temporary peace. Based on a lie. How long would such a peace last? Only until fear of Dr Manhattan faded away. Then they'd be at each other's throats again. Good job, Ozymandias! Kill millions of people to buy 5 or 10 years of "peace", which will quite literally blow up once the masses realize they've been duped.
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Shai Gar
You have to read the book, if you haven't already. A few things will make more sense if you do (especially the ending). But I didn't think it would be an easy book to translate - Watchmen epitomizes the term, "graphic novel."
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Shai Gar
Yeah, I've read the book, years ago. It was awesome.
I was pissed off that they didn't include the alien, because I knew it was coming and wanted to see it. But it was pretty good even without the alien, Comedian crying to murloch didn't make as much sense without it.
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I had no issue with the story whatsoever, the story is fine has been held in high regard since before I was even born, there's nothing wrong with story, that being said, it's not a story that translates easily onto film, for a vast number of reasons.
Time restraints, the main storyline may have been revealed, but they're are literally pages and pages that were never even touched on in the movie, side stories that fill in so many blanks spaces, a complete alternate universe cannot be revealed in three hours. The stories that inform these ones cannot be revealed in three hours. They inform you and allow you to see why some of the actions were taken by certain characters. We saw perhaps 60% of the book in theaters. I hope the DVD covers most of it in it's extra features.
Another problem I had with the film was, well it wasn't that accessible to anyone who hasn't read the book. You'd have to make a lot of intuitive leaps if it were your first time being exposed to the story. Walking in I told my friend that the film would go over 80% of the crowds head. I was wrong, it went over 99% of the audiences heads. And it wasn't that they were slow or anything, it is a complex movie, that quite frankly would be better read. When I read Watchmen earlier last year, It took a whole week (six nights if you want to get literal, I read it before going to sleep) not cause I'm a slow reader, I'm not by any means, it's just that you need time to digest everything. In a theater you don't have that kind of time. You can't tell the guy behind the projector to stop the film so you can figure out what exactly what went on.
Also it's not a story for common movie going crowds who want to catch the next pop Superhero film of the summer, not in the least, rather it is what it is, a book in movie form, it's closer to a Lord of the Rings film then a Spider-man, and even then it's nothing like LotR, rather what we have here is a thinking man/womans book, which was translated to moving pictures. Do not go into a movie like this thinking X-men, Spider-Man, or hell Star Wars, you will be VERY disappointed.
Also movie goers who aren't aware of who Dr. Manhattan is and how he thinks will be disturbed. Many of the critiques I've heard were about his manhood, not legit critiques but critiques.
Also Veidt was my favorite character in the film, not in the actual book, but the film because his size made him easier to relate to.
Time restraints, the main storyline may have been revealed, but they're are literally pages and pages that were never even touched on in the movie, side stories that fill in so many blanks spaces, a complete alternate universe cannot be revealed in three hours. The stories that inform these ones cannot be revealed in three hours. They inform you and allow you to see why some of the actions were taken by certain characters. We saw perhaps 60% of the book in theaters. I hope the DVD covers most of it in it's extra features.
Another problem I had with the film was, well it wasn't that accessible to anyone who hasn't read the book. You'd have to make a lot of intuitive leaps if it were your first time being exposed to the story. Walking in I told my friend that the film would go over 80% of the crowds head. I was wrong, it went over 99% of the audiences heads. And it wasn't that they were slow or anything, it is a complex movie, that quite frankly would be better read. When I read Watchmen earlier last year, It took a whole week (six nights if you want to get literal, I read it before going to sleep) not cause I'm a slow reader, I'm not by any means, it's just that you need time to digest everything. In a theater you don't have that kind of time. You can't tell the guy behind the projector to stop the film so you can figure out what exactly what went on.
Also it's not a story for common movie going crowds who want to catch the next pop Superhero film of the summer, not in the least, rather it is what it is, a book in movie form, it's closer to a Lord of the Rings film then a Spider-man, and even then it's nothing like LotR, rather what we have here is a thinking man/womans book, which was translated to moving pictures. Do not go into a movie like this thinking X-men, Spider-Man, or hell Star Wars, you will be VERY disappointed.
Also the soundtrack, could've used work. How in Gods name are you going to take a sex scene seriously when Hallelujah is playing in the background? Seriously? I get that it was trying to have somewhat a sense of humor about it but really? I focused more on the song then the actual sex scene itself, cause quite frankly I was a little embarrassed. Just a little.
Also movie goers who aren't aware of who Dr. Manhattan is and how he thinks will be disturbed. Many of the critiques I've heard were about his manhood, not legit critiques but critiques.
Also Veidt was my favorite character in the film, not in the actual book, but the film because his size made him easier to relate to.
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I for one loved (most of) the sound track. Yes, Hallelujah during the sex scene was... different. But other than that.
I haven't read the book, and I think I grasped the movie fairly well. Guess that puts me in a minority.
As far as criticism, I think the violence should have been toned down. There were several times I shut my eyes or looked away. I understood what was happening, and that was enough. I didn't need to actually witness the inmates arms being sawed off, for example.
hwell:
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Shai Gar
Think the violence should be toned down? Don't go watch the movie. If you don't like blood and gore, why did you go to watch Saving Private Ryan?
SH - I went to watch it with an INTJ mate of mine, and he came out really surprised, he went in thinking it would be a superhero movie, like wolverine/batman/superman... He came out enjoying it immensely.
SH - I went to watch it with an INTJ mate of mine, and he came out really surprised, he went in thinking it would be a superhero movie, like wolverine/batman/superman... He came out enjoying it immensely.
I think I may have preferred it if it were a 20 episode high budget miniseries on HBO or something along those lines.
Touche', statement retracted.
It may not be superhero film, going in expecting one will leave you surprised and if you were looking forward to one then you will be disappointed.
- Sep 28, 2008
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Shai Gar
My (not-so-small) review of what could have been.
Let me start off by saying I liked Watchmen. I didn't love it, but I liked it. I liked the ambition of Zack Snyder to try and pull it off, and I liked the idea that he really had some strong characterizations to bring those heroes to life. That being said, here are some of the problems I saw - and some of the things I felt could've improved the movie. This is from my side, as someone who writes a lot of adaptations.
1. Adaptation. The #1 problem? Trying to turn something that epitomizes the words, "graphic novel" into a new medium (movies). Watchmen as it stands can't be a movie because it has too much in it. Even as a mini-series it loses much of the draw and pull of a book. For example, Rorschach is walking up and down the street with the "End is Nigh" sign. Can that be conveyed in a movie? Not really; only those familiar with the book will realize the impact of de-masking Rorschach, because they would have gone back and recognized his face as the same person with the placard in earlier frames.
To me, this is lost in a movie version.
Those small details, which were vital for the book, are meaningless in a movie version, and not really necessary. The only folks who might complain would be the fans, but you're trying to reach a larger audience than just the fans. So taking parts like this and others out of the movie helps serve your wider audience.
2. Focus/Storyboarding/Editing. The movie ending shifted from an event to a *character* event. We suddenly have an important wrap up of the events which makes sense, but the whole rest of the movie did not lead up to this event. We have too much emphasis on other characters and not enough emphasis on the one major character bringing all of the story together. Although Watchmen the book is a multileveled character piece, Watchmen the movie should have focused more on John, because he's now central to the plot with the new ending.
To do this, scenes should have been cut. Downplay the emphasis on Daniel and Sally - they're extraneous characters now, and only needed for a few key scenes that highlight John. Although the Comedian's death triggered the story, we need only see how John viewed the Comedian now. We only need to see how Daniel and Sally affect John, and how Rorschach affects John. How Adrian affects John. Such things would have made the story stronger, without so many extra plots.
Yes, yes - I loved Rorschach and Adrian. I thought they were fantastically played and wonderfully acted, but was everything necessary? No. Not the jail or some of Adrian's discussions.
Essentially, we have to ask the question: Who is this story about? Making it about every Watchmen won't service a movie audience. Something new had to be done for this to succeed on a more powerful level.
3. Soundtrack. Ohh, no. So much wrong. So much fail for timing. Just far enough on the sarcastic side so that things seemed unintentionally funny ("Hallelujah"...). What would have worked for "Hallelujah" is if that had been Daniel and Sally's very first time.
There are probably more things, but as someone who works with adaptations, there are ways of keeping the essential story without overdoing it. It takes a talented person willing to think outside the box to do it. It's more than just cutting out a few scenes here and there; it takes a total revamp of what does exist, and making it fit a new medium.
Let me start off by saying I liked Watchmen. I didn't love it, but I liked it. I liked the ambition of Zack Snyder to try and pull it off, and I liked the idea that he really had some strong characterizations to bring those heroes to life. That being said, here are some of the problems I saw - and some of the things I felt could've improved the movie. This is from my side, as someone who writes a lot of adaptations.
1. Adaptation. The #1 problem? Trying to turn something that epitomizes the words, "graphic novel" into a new medium (movies). Watchmen as it stands can't be a movie because it has too much in it. Even as a mini-series it loses much of the draw and pull of a book. For example, Rorschach is walking up and down the street with the "End is Nigh" sign. Can that be conveyed in a movie? Not really; only those familiar with the book will realize the impact of de-masking Rorschach, because they would have gone back and recognized his face as the same person with the placard in earlier frames.
To me, this is lost in a movie version.
Those small details, which were vital for the book, are meaningless in a movie version, and not really necessary. The only folks who might complain would be the fans, but you're trying to reach a larger audience than just the fans. So taking parts like this and others out of the movie helps serve your wider audience.
2. Focus/Storyboarding/Editing. The movie ending shifted from an event to a *character* event. We suddenly have an important wrap up of the events which makes sense, but the whole rest of the movie did not lead up to this event. We have too much emphasis on other characters and not enough emphasis on the one major character bringing all of the story together. Although Watchmen the book is a multileveled character piece, Watchmen the movie should have focused more on John, because he's now central to the plot with the new ending.
To do this, scenes should have been cut. Downplay the emphasis on Daniel and Sally - they're extraneous characters now, and only needed for a few key scenes that highlight John. Although the Comedian's death triggered the story, we need only see how John viewed the Comedian now. We only need to see how Daniel and Sally affect John, and how Rorschach affects John. How Adrian affects John. Such things would have made the story stronger, without so many extra plots.
Yes, yes - I loved Rorschach and Adrian. I thought they were fantastically played and wonderfully acted, but was everything necessary? No. Not the jail or some of Adrian's discussions.
Essentially, we have to ask the question: Who is this story about? Making it about every Watchmen won't service a movie audience. Something new had to be done for this to succeed on a more powerful level.
3. Soundtrack. Ohh, no. So much wrong. So much fail for timing. Just far enough on the sarcastic side so that things seemed unintentionally funny ("Hallelujah"...). What would have worked for "Hallelujah" is if that had been Daniel and Sally's very first time.
There are probably more things, but as someone who works with adaptations, there are ways of keeping the essential story without overdoing it. It takes a talented person willing to think outside the box to do it. It's more than just cutting out a few scenes here and there; it takes a total revamp of what does exist, and making it fit a new medium.
If they had to adapt it like this to have a successful movie, I'd rather they just not adapt it all.
I'm sticking with my sentiment that'd it been better off as a high budget miniseries.