So, Did the Watchmen Movie Live Up to the Hype?

[John Freeman]

Well?

[Adam Grose]

Hi John, from what I have heard and read, my feelings for myself is to save my money for another. Being one for originals, I would rather stick with the story in the way it was intended... I just know I will be annoyed throughout the screening and would rather not put myself through the experience, personally. It is unfortunate the makers of the movie did not go for a 12 episode tv series, for all the story there is to tell... However, as Alan Moore says , "his books are written to be impossible to be made as movies". So at least he is assured readership of his books. ;)

[Cobblers]

I haven't seen it yet but don't go see Marley and Me. Read the book instead, far better.

[Ian M. Cullen]

It was okay. I rather enjoyed it, but not as much as I enjoyed Batman Dark Knight.

It sort of loses a little of the pace with the whole Silk Spectre and Nite Owl stuff, and those two acting performances are by far the worse two performances of the entire movie.

Rorschach and The Comedian are played pretty damn near to perfection, those two characters were beautifully cast.

An enjoyable 2 hours and 40 plus minutes. I didn't look at my watch once. So I was watching the watchmen, but my feeling is that its still best in its original book form.

Am I going to say its the most perfect comic book adaptation like the American fan boys out there. No. Will I say you must go see it. No. Is it worth seeing, yes, but its one that could easily wait for DVD to be honest.

[DAJB]

I'm going to asume this question is rhetorical ... Of course you should go! Even if you end up hating it, how could you not go?!

I saw it yesterday. For the most part it hits all the right buttons. The pace sags a little in the middle and certain sequences came across as a little "comic book" (hardly surprising really!) but overall it's undoubtedly the best film version of an Alan Moore book so far (okay, so the bar is set pretty low for that particular title, I know!)

I went expecting to spend the entire time mentally listing all the disappointments. Instead I spent the whole time reflecting on how much they got right. Spectre 2 and Ozymandias are maybe a little bland but Rorschach, the Comedian, NiteOwl 2 and Doctor Manhattan are all spot on. Even the much trumpeted change of ending didn't jar at all.

I'm really looking forward to the DVD now. Will that extra material be comprised of extra scenes or just lengthen what's already there? Hopefully there'll be something to liven up and improve the pacing of the middle section. If there is, I think Watchmen could become to comic book movies what Blade Runner is to SciFi. Remember how that got mixed reviews in the wake of Star Wars? And how much its reputation has grown with time?

I don't suppose Alan Moore will ever deign to see it but if, in some bizarre alternate reality, he could be persuaded to do so, I think even he would have to acknowledge that Snyder has done a damn fine job.

[Nic Wilkinson]

I didn't want to see this film, as I disapproved it on principle (the writer didn't want it made, the comic is so much about the form as well as the content, all films of Alan Moore's work have been travestues etc) but I was persuaded into going.

I am very glad I did. I really enjoyed it.

Of course it is not "the comic on the screen" - but as adaptations go I'd put it up there with Lord Of The Rings. Od course certain things were taken out / changed but that was going to happen.

I think it does what the best adaptations do - capture the essence and main plot beats of the original and translate them to another medium.

I don't know where these points are supposed to be in the film where it "drags on" that have come up several reviews I didn't feel that at all.

It looks spectacular and the soundtrack is spot on.

High Points:

The Comedian was perfect

The opening credits - wow (I know that sounds strange but you will see what I mean)
Dr Manhattan in Vietnam
I want a real Bubastis!

No real "low" points but:

Rorshach's journal doesn't really work as voiceover, but it was not written to be spoken. Also he doesn't come across as so uncompromising as he does in the book, but I am not sure why.
I wished Rorshach's mask had been shiny not fabricy.
The fighting scenes are much "bigger" than in the comic - but I think they needed it to get over the same feel/impact on a big screen in 2009.
Would have liked to keep more of the ending of the book beyond just the "squid thing" about how the aftermath is resolved, and Jon "skipping" in time as he is confused by the tachyons - but they are minor gripes.

Re the ending:

Given I haven't ever bought the premise of the original plan (in either book or film version) - that a common enemy will draw the world together (people are as likely to worship it, try to collaborate with it, use the opportunity to get one in on distracted enemies etc as all decide to team up on it I think) it didn't make much difference to the overall "what happens" plot, but it gives it a very different feel (humanity behaving because it is being watched, rather than because it feels more in common with other humans than external threats) but it was more convincing in the book.

I don't think it deserves and 18 cert - but then there were plenty of under 18s in the cinema as far as we could see - unless we are just getting too old to tell now!

[Scott]

Saw it on Friday and thought it was very good. So good, in fact, I'm going again tonight.

The look and feel are spot on, the faithfulness to the story very strong and the changed ending better, at least in 21st Century cinematic terms.

I'm going again in part to try to watch it without ticking off the expected bits and more as a movie.

I was curious to see the opening weekend box office was not as strong as hoped for, but I put that down to the relative known brand compared to Batman, Spider-man, etc. Maybe a comparison with the first X-men is a better guide.

I think it will stand up very well over time because of the period setting (how weird to call the 80s period).

I'm at a loss to fully understand why there is the view that previous films of Moore books have not been good. Okay, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was a bit so-so, but From Hell and V for Vendetta were, in my view, great and each work over repeated viewing. I am sure there were those who claim Gone With The Wind or Jaws was not as good as the book, but by God they are great movies.

[Scott]

Okay, pleased to report that the second viewing even better. I got to savour the bits that deserve savouring (almost every scene with Rorschach in it, for example) and enjoy the storyline and visuals as presented.

Interestingly I was accompanied by four young men (step-sons and their friends, aged from 27 to 17), none of whom have read the book. They all thought it was great, had no problem following what was going on and comment particularly on how well the characters were developed with the exception of Osimandius.

[Paul Harrison-Davies]

I didn't bother watching V for Vendetta and I should have avoided Watchmen too. It doesn't work as an adaptation and it doesn't stand on it own, think I might have liked about ten minutes worth of it. My main problem would be the direction, Zach Snyder has the lightness of touch of an obese rhino, everything was EPIC, cgi'd to death, slow motioned speed up stagey fake and tedious. Scenes that were lifted directly from the comic (and there were many) striped away everything I thought was smart and left it looking shallow and pretentious.

[Adam Grose]

Glad I have saved my very precious pennies... being a 'living on the bread line' artist, I am glad to stick with the book. ;))

[Norman]

Finally saw it on Saturday. I thought there were excellent bits - the credits were perhaps even superior to Saul Bass/Hitchcock's and they gave a review of many years in a few minutes. I felt the actors represented the comic likenesses brilliantly - a very brave move. I laughed out loud when the Night Owl's ship let forth a burst of fire at a particularly passionate moment. As far as the ending goes, I was disappointed with the graphic novel and I think the film matched that, for me.

But, my wife, having never read the book, thought it was great entertainment. I feel sorry for her having never met the pirate comic!