Watchman - The Ultimate Cut

[Gaith]

It seemed to adhere to the original work visually. It was such a slave to the original artwork that when Snyder altered the ending he had Gibbons draw new artwork for it. But I don't think the film really understands the themes and ideas represented by the graphic novel. It's hard to reconcile glorified badass violence (in slow motion!) with the graphic novel that I read.

QFT. The big showdown with Veidt - gripping in the GN, because of the slow burn of the dialogue and emotions - left me cold; the mini-scuffles completely distracted me from the intended scene. I also thought there was something self-aware and parodic about how the GN never explained or addressed just how these non-super vigilantes were able to be effective. Actually showing them as competent asskickers, I think, misinterpreted the spirit of the work.

What would have been really interesting is if Snyder had shot a few key scenes twice during the regular filming process. If budgetary requirements had always forbidden a faithful adaptation of the GN without enough violence to put in the trailer, what if he'd shot alternate scenes that featured a bare minimum of violence (as in, the Veidt confrontation with only dialogue)? Now that would have been a fascinating DVD.

As it is, I've only seen the Director's Cut, and since I felt it got the spirit of the thing wrong, if I see it again, I'll be trying the theatrical.

 

[Ethros]

I don't get why people moan when they say its too close to the source material. To say the big fuss people made when they heard the Squid ending had been changed, they'd probably have gone nuclear if the whole film was also different. Say updated to the modern day, Dr Manhattan preventing 9/11 or something.

Seems to me people just love moaning at any opportunity

 

[DarthPipes]

While Alan Moore has done some amazing things with the medium of comic books, Frank Miller is an ultra-violent, misogynistic moron.

And Alan Moore isn't misogynistic?

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

While Alan Moore has done some amazing things with the medium of comic books, Frank Miller is an ultra-violent, misogynistic moron.

And Alan Moore isn't misogynistic?

I heard he's a misogymystic, actually.

 

[Dick Whitman]

It's hard to reconcile glorified badass violence (in slow motion!) with the graphic novel that I read.

Because the graphic novel was about deconstructing Superheroes. All but Dr Manhattan are just normal, flawed people in goofy costumes. They are not really Superheroes at all. Synder did not understand this at all. A stripped down, non styled, documentary style should been the way to go.