Watchmen

[AcesandEights]

its hands down my favourite graphic novel, with kingdom come being a close second. Mmmm, now that's well said Good picks!

[MoonSylver]

Also too strong, and again - that's the likes of Scott and Cameron. Snyder may be directing panels from the comic book, but did he adapt it all into script form? Like I said that's IF he manages to do a 100% faithful adaptation of the graphic novel, which honestly I DON'T see happening. I don't know if ANY director could pull that one off. If you read the graphic novel, you'll understand. So IF he pulls that one off? Then genius might not be too strong a word. Damn impressive at the very least.

[bassman]

Hellsing - no, I've not read it - I don't really read much in the way of graphic novels, nor comics. Fair play to those who do, but I read Total Film and these things called "books" ... currently I'm reading "By Any Means" by Charley Boorman. And I'm keeping my nerd badge, and I busted your paddle ... ha! Hellsing's not kidding, man. You NEED to seek out Watchmen before you see this film. Even if this film didn't exist, you would still NEED to read this graphic novel. Seriously.... It's pure gold. It's been quite a bit since I've read it so I need to seek it out for myself. If you want to find it....it can be *ahem* acquired, i'm sure. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Like I said that's IF he manages to do a 100% faithful adaptation of the graphic novel, which honestly I DON'T see happening. I don't know if ANY director could pull that one off. If you read the graphic novel, you'll understand. So IF he pulls that one off? Then genius might not be too strong a word. Damn impressive at the very least. The novel is too big to fit into a two hour film. I'm sure he'll try to cram as much in there as possible, but he's said in interviews that in his opinion, the true adaptation will be on DVD. I think he said the cut he considers to be the most faithful(the one on the dvd) will be 3 1/2 - 4 hours.

[MinionZombie]

Even still, he's not the one writing it, and as he himself said he was using the graphic novel itself to compose his shots - i.e. just filming what was in the book. I duno about you lot, but is anyone else getting a kind of shoved-up-arsedness vibe from the makers about a film the public hasn't seen yet? All this talk of the running time being 161 minutes or whatever and such. Interestingly, it's being released uncut 18 in the UK. I'm surprised the studio didn't try and cut it for a 15 - which was the rating 300 got, if memory serves, certainly no higher anyway. Kubrick - that's another genius, and visionary to boot.

[AcesandEights]

Ugggh, an Eagle from on high, pluck out these withering eyes of mine! Are we still kvetching about adjectives Yeah, visionary is cu-razy in Zack's case. Maybe it was a typo in the ad copy? Maybe they meant to call him a visual director "From dreamy director, Zack Snyder. The man who brought you the Peachy Keen 300!"

[MoonSylver]

Hellsing's not kidding, man. You NEED to seek out Watchmen before you see this film. Even if this film didn't exist, you would still NEED to read this graphic novel. Seriously.... It's pure gold. It's been quite a bit since I've read it so I need to seek it out for myself. If you want to find it....it can be *ahem* acquired, i'm sure. Do yourself a favor and check it out. The novel is too big to fit into a two hour film. I'm sure he'll try to cram as much in there as possible, but he's said in interviews that in his opinion, the true adaptation will be on DVD. I think he said the cut he considers to be the most faithful(the one on the dvd) will be 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Understood. I may have been a bit harsh in my scoff-atude. I've been getting the vibe that, yeah, DVD all the way. Much like LotR, where you had the theatrical & the the extended (the better & more faithful version IMO, especially if you're a fan of the books). Seems like this one is going to be the same: ie I wanna see it in theaters but I REALLY wanna see the extended version!

[MinionZombie]

Bassman - apparently the theatrical version is 161 minutes ... I'm amazed that the studio is having a shred of faith and actually releasing a superhero type movie that's that long ... I mean The Dark Knight was quite long, but not as long (and was honestly in a whole other league of filmmaking talent - as well as an established brand for decades). Anyway ... ... I wonder how much OTT slow-mo will be chucked in? You have to wonder, how long would 300 have ran for without all that slow-mo?

[bassman]

Heres the ending paragraph from one of my favorite review sites, joblo.com... The graphic novel was all about the story, not the action, and Snyder is an action man. Action was certainly there and really overdone. The attack on the Comedian in the beginning went on far too long and the fight at the end did as well. It made the rest of the film suffer. And for all that, I didn't hate it. In fact, I'm pretty sure I liked it. I was just disappointed. I'm absolutely seeing it again, but disappointed nonetheless. SCORE: 6/10 Pretty much what I was expecting. "Pretty" action is more important than story when it's in the hands of Hack Snyder.

[CoinReturn]

Currently sitting at 91% at Rotten Tomatoes, a few quotes from different reviews: Okay, it isn’t the graphic novel, but Zack Snyder clearly gives a toss, creating a smart, stylish, decent adaptation, if low on accessibility for the non-convert. It's searing, spectacular and simply unmissable. It's the Watchmen movie you always wanted to see but never expected to get. A mesmerising and brutalising experience, and will be, for some at least, more than worth the wait. Not just another superhero movie. Gripping onto sex, violence and angst, it’s hard to imagine anyone watching the Watchmen as faithfully as Zack Snyder’s heartfelt, stylised adap. Uncompromising, uncommercial and unique. Decidedly not for kids, Snyder's Watchmen is the movie event of the season: Textually dense, visually rich, structurally complex, and a major contribution to neo-noir, conveying the culture of fear and paranoia like no other recent Hollywood movie. a must-see movie..visually orgasmic.. Sounds good to me, hopefully I'll be going to the midnight showing.

[MoonSylver]

Bassman - apparently the theatrical version is 161 minutes ... I'm amazed that the studio is having a shred of faith and actually releasing a superhero type movie that's that long Watchmen is not a typical superhero story in any way, shape or form. Batman, Superman, Spiderman these guys AIN'T. Debase yourself of that notion ASAP. Anyone that goes in expecting "another" superhero movie is gonna be SEVERELY shocked.

[bassman]

Watchmen is not a typical superhero story in any way, shape or form. Batman, Superman, Spiderman these guys AIN'T. Debase yourself of that notion ASAP. Anyone that goes in expecting "another" superhero movie is gonna be SEVERELY shocked. Ease back on the preaching there, pal. I've read the novel several times. I'm quite familiar with it. Perhaps superhero is the wrong word seeing as how Manhattan is the only one with actual powers, BUT....in most people's eyes, the film will still be considered a superhero film just for the fact that there are people in costumes.

[MoonSylver]

Ease back on the preaching there, pal. I've read the novel several times. I'm quite familiar with it. Perhaps superhero is the wrong word seeing as how Manhattan is the only one with actual powers, BUT....in most people's eyes, the film will still be considered a superhero film just for the fact that there are people in costumes. Hey..ease back on the easing back! Sorry if it cam across that way. Totally unintended. I was just trying to point out to MZ since he hasn't read it that it is quite different from standard comic book stuff. I'm not sure how else to convey my point...I guess what I'm trying to say is that think about say Spider Man or Iron Man. Great films & no slam on them or saying one is better than the other, but don't you think Watchmen is much different from them? Don't you think if someone goes into this film with an expectation that it's going to be like The Hulk or X-Men or Fantastic Four that they're going to get something different? Didn't mean to raise any ire...it just seems to me like Watchmen is almost the "anti-superhero" story given, as you said, not only the lack of powers, but how the characters (& superhero-dom itself) are viewed & portrayed, the moral ambiguity of the characters & their actions. The lack of black & white but many shades of gray. AND THE MOST GLARING ONE...   The fact that the "good guys" "win" by failing to stop the master plot, "save the world" by doing nothing & covering up a conspiracy, choose not to bring to justice someone responsible for the death of millions (albeit for what they perceive as the right reasons & for the greater good), & the "bad guy" wins!

[MinionZombie]

Watchmen is not a typical superhero story in any way, shape or form. Batman, Superman, Spiderman these guys AIN'T. Debase yourself of that notion ASAP. Anyone that goes in expecting "another" superhero movie is gonna be SEVERELY shocked. Hence why I said "type". And it's just short-hand genre labelling really ... but the average punter out there, and indeed the average Snyder fan will call it a superhero movie I bet, and will mostly all go in expecting something like The Dark Knight or Spider-Man or something. People dressed up in outfits and masks, kicking arse, flailing around - to the average punter that equals superhero movie.

[bassman]

MoonSylver - I was just joshin around, man. It's going to be really hard to describe this film to people without using the word "superhero" because that's what every movie-goer is going to call it. But you're right...it's not a typical superhero story at all. Which is another reason why MZ MUST read the novel before seeing the film. At least watch the animated version of the novel that's being released...

[AcesandEights]

Do eet, MZ! Do eeeeet! /applies one more torque to the peer pressure