WATCHMEN - Movie Discussion and Grading (SPOILERS)

[Bishbot]

That's really sad to do that in any of those three films - I don't understand some people's lack of attention span.

The other possibility would be, of course, that they were bored.

Simply because something is widely agreed upon by big numbers of fans to be "brilliant" doesn't mean that it appeals to everyone. Even Tolkien's books had severe critics, particularly before rip-off paperback editions started appearing in America and kids started reading his stuff stoned.

Fair enough - but if I've laid down a chunk of cash to see a film, I'm in it until the end, no matter how dire.

I guess I can understand it more with Watchmen, despite the fact that I loved it - it's the kind of film that a lot of people might be surprised by when they go to see it, either postively or negatively.

But The Dark Knight - its a Batman film - you know what you're getting.

And The Return of the King was the third part of a single giant story - who wouldn't want to see the end of that? Seems kind of weird to leave twenty minutes before the end of 11 hours of film.

Then again I've got a friend who paid to see Transformers, knowing he couldn't stay to the end because he had somewhere to be - now that makes no sense at all, no matter what you think of the movie.

 

[archeryguy1701]

C- teetering on a D. I liked the base concept a lot. However, the concept and the point of the story just got lost in everything else. It was just over-sexed and over-violenced, and I just couldn't stay interested. However, the loss of interest had nothing to do with the time. I feel like they could have made their point faster with less fluff. It just got boring by the end.

 

[Norrin Radd]

C- teetering on a D. I liked the base concept a lot. However, the concept and the point of the story just got lost in everything else. It was just over-sexed and over-violenced, and I just couldn't stay interested.

I honestly think this movie could have easily been a hard PG-13. The most suitable rating would have been Mature...but that one's gone the way of the Dodo, unfortunately.

The only tricky part with a 13 rating would have been concealing Manhattan's nudity, but I think they could have got around it. The comics themselves are not overly violent or sexual, really...not by today's standards. It boggles the mind that they felt it necessary to ramp up the violence and sex even more for the flick.

 

[ITL]

The only tricky part with a 13 rating would have been concealing Manhattan's nudity, but I think they could have got around it.

 

[Mr Light]

Much of a Watchmen purist as I am, I wouldn't have blinked if they just had Manhattan wear the black speedo from Vietnam. Is it that important we see his dong?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Is it that important we see his dong?

You tell me - I didn't think it was much of a deal one way or the other.

 

[Dream]

Is it that important we see his dong?

You tell me - I didn't think it was much of a deal one way or the other.

It really wasn't a big deal. After a few seconds I completely forgot about it. I mean it wasn't like they zoomed onto his dong every time Dr Manhattan was onscreen.

 

[Praetor]

In some ways I think it represents subtly the fact that he doesn't really see himself as human anymore and doesn't feel necessary to 'conform.' But wearing the suit on TV kind of negates that a bit and none of the other heroes run around that naked (even Laurie) so no, more speedo wouldn't have hurt anything to pull the rating down a bit.

I also thought the ramped up sex scene was a bit much. The violence? Meh, so long as there's an uncut with the blood, it's okay by me.

 

[Dream]

In some ways I think it represents subtly the fact that he doesn't really see himself as human anymore and doesn't feel necessary to 'conform.' But wearing the suit on TV kind of negates that a bit and none of the other heroes run around that naked (even Laurie) so no, more speedo wouldn't have hurt anything to pull the rating down a bit.

In the book it's shown that Dr. Mahattan wears a suit if it's expected of him to like during The Comedian's funeral and the TV interview. However he doesn't care anymore about being naked since as the book goes on Dr. Mahattan starts wearing less and less clothes.

 

[Praetor]

I know. I'm just saying, based totally on the film.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Is it that important we see his dong?

You tell me - I didn't think it was much of a deal one way or the other.

It really wasn't a big deal. After a few seconds I completely forgot about it. I mean it wasn't like they zoomed onto his dong every time Dr Manhattan was onscreen.

Dong-Cam™. Should be a hit in The Valley.

 

[Dream]

You tell me - I didn't think it was much of a deal one way or the other.

It really wasn't a big deal. After a few seconds I completely forgot about it. I mean it wasn't like they zoomed onto his dong every time Dr Manhattan was onscreen.

Dong-Cam™. Should be a hit in The Valley.

Maybe that'll be in the director's cut?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I thought Manhattan was uncut?

 

[Praetor]

It would have tied in nicely to the propsed sequel 'Jon and Laurie Make a Porno.'

And it looked that way to me too, Polaris.

 

[Dream]

I thought Manhattan was uncut?

I'm just glad the audience that I was with didn't giggle every time it was on screen.

I was too busy drooling at Laurie.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

You know Norrin, both of those are good points that I hadn't really let sink in fully.

I left the theater feeling that Laurie not being clearly defined as Jon's government comfort woman took some elements of sympathy from her, as well as being annoyed by the Doc 'memory plot device' and the removal of his line. I hadn't thought quite as deeply as you have but I agree with your points.

Also, I think you have a very valid point regarding the end scene. It did seem rather anti-climactic.

In my opinion, this movie shows the folly of being almost faithful to the source material. If you're going be faithful and use that to as a selling-point for your movie, then you should be completely faithful (within reason of course). You don't do it for 90% of the movie and then make up so much of the last 10%. Because it's that last 10% which is often the most important and memorable part to the fans. It is, after all, the climax of the whole work. I'm just saying, it undermines the rest of that 90% if all of a sudden you're trying to do your own thing for arguably the most essential part of the story.

Exactly! That's why Watchmen is so damn hard to film. So much of it is in the little details, details that are just impossible to cram into a feature film. And once the details are gone, everything else seems banal & confusing. The movie presented as much of the story as they could fit in but mostly failed to adapt it to better fit the film format.

 

[Tomato]

In some ways I think it represents subtly the fact that he doesn't really see himself as human anymore and doesn't feel necessary to 'conform.' But wearing the suit on TV kind of negates that a bit and none of the other heroes run around that naked (even Laurie) so no, more speedo wouldn't have hurt anything to pull the rating down a bit.

In the book it's shown that Dr. Mahattan wears a suit if it's expected of him to like during The Comedian's funeral and the TV interview. However he doesn't care anymore about being naked since as the book goes on Dr. Mahattan starts wearing less and less clothes.

Exactly as time passed from when he got zapped he went from full suit, to shorts and tank top, to g string to butt nekkid. Not as easy to spot but pretty cool and fits in overall with his arc.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Exactly! That's why Watchmen is so damn hard to film. So much of it is in the little details, details that are just impossible to cram into a feature film.

Ah, but Snyder succeeded magnificiently.

 

[Dream]

Exactly! That's why Watchmen is so damn hard to film. So much of it is in the little details, details that are just impossible to cram into a feature film.

Ah, but Snyder succeeded magnificiently.

Snyder did a fine job. I'm not sure which other director would have done better.

 

[Norrin Radd]

A director with more subtlety.