I think the thing with Rorshach's diary is that when you read the comic you are aware that you are reading a diary and simultaneously seeing the scenes it describes, or else ones that in some way inform what is being written about.
However, while you may write like this, you would not speak like this - and that is even so in the comic. Although Rorshach's dailogue is very clipped where he speaks does not sound the same as where he writes.
Re the best of the medium -
Watchmen is a great technical achievement (although many have learned from it, so people reading it for the first time now may not see such a stand out difference from all other comics as those who read it at the time) but I have always found it more intellectually than emotionally satisfying.
Dark Knight is a roller coaster that leaves your heart pounding in your chest. Somatic story telling at it's peak - but the story is very simple.
Both great - but I would take V for Vendetta over both of them. _________________
Saw this today and I quite enjoyed it though I think it requires a second viewing for people who haven't really read the story previously as it is quite convoluted.
The voiceover thing didn't bother me and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm the only person who thinks Christian Bales 'Batman Voice' is a good thing :S
The tone of the film in terms of colour and texture perfectly fit the nature of the novel. While Catfang said the violence was more overt than in the novel, again I felt that it fit with the subject matter and was far more 'true to life' than most. If you have two trained people in a fight for their lives, there is going to be blood spilt.
Rorsach for me was perfectly cast and executed though I had forgotten that he popped his clogs at the end (Did he in the novel?).
For a moment I thought the film was about to go Return of the Kings on us and not end, personally I felt that they should have ended it as Nite Owl and Laurie left Ozymandia's stronghold in the Antartic.
Considering this was dubbed unfilmable I think Zach Snyder has done a fantastic job, while there are still better comic book movies out there (That might change with repeat viewings), Watchmen turned out to be a cracking film. _________________ Pro Massacre Boy!
The more I think about Watchmen, the more I like it.
It wasn't perfect, and it was more than a little meandering in places, but:
It's the most faithful comic-to-film adaptation I have seen, and I actually preferred it to the source text. Heresy I know, but there it is.
The soundtrack was awesome, and worked so so well - particularly during The Comedian's funeral. Simon and Garfunkel have never sounded so good.
The acting was spot-on. If The Joker can win as Oscar, then The Comedian and Rorscach deserve a Nobel prize. I'm very impressed that Snyder hired Malin Ackerman, rather than just some actress who looks nice but can't act.
How spot-on was Doc Manhattan?
The violence was just edgy enough without being gratuitous.
The lack of squid attack is a bonus in my book. It was ridiculous in the comic, and would have been even more so on the big screen.
I'm sure there's more - but that's all I've got to say right now. _________________ "I thought your damn ninja was supposed to take care of Robocop"
I have been keeping away from the forum until i had a chance to see the film, and i did so this very evening, and it has to be said, it was a real achievement.
Waffle:
Quote:
The more I think about Watchmen, the more I like it.
and i couldn't have put it better, its been a long time since i have seen a film that i want to immediately see again, and if i had the time i would go and see it again, but i don't, so i will have to wait for the DVD, i may have to go out and buy a high definition television and a blue ray player just so i can watch it in HD, then again i might just invite myself round to someones house who i know has such equipment in order to be able to play the blue ray disc once purchased.
What? what can i say. why should i buy one if someone else has already made the investment, tell you what, i will bring popcorn, crisps and cola, hows that
i am not going to get into any deep and meaningful analyzing of this film, all i will say is that should it end here, should this be the last ever film based on a comic book, then job done.
But i don't think that there's much chance that it will end here, filmmakers will continue to bleed every penny they can from this form of entertainment until like a vampires feast the corpse is dry, and when they have had their way they will move on to the next full blooded body.
we will however be in for one hell of a ride if they keep up this kind of quality.
Because and films go, this one will stand as a pinnacle in much the same way as the watchmen comic book series has.
Well, I've finally witnessed the fine spectacle that is Watchmen and, unlike Bats, I'm going to bore you senseless with my review (which will hopefully be shorter than my Dark Knight one).
Watchmen
The obvious problem in developing Watchmen has been to answer one very simple question. How can a Producer and/or Director downscale an immensely complex twelve-issue mini-series into a two-three hour film, without sacrificing the story's heart or intent?
Terry Gilliam made the effort and ultimately described it as unfilmable. Paul Greengrass was hampered by the studio's indecision. Zack Snyder? Well, Snyder delivers.
The 300 director delivers a solid film, one that captures the dark, brutal heart of the comic book, all the while enhancing the product for a mainstream audience. The direction is slick, moving fluidly not only from scene to scene but also from present to past and back to present again. A film awash with flashbacks should fall apart; however, each one is carefully presented to serve the present-day (1985) story.
One of the more delightful aspects of Snyder's direction is how the story progresses with careful deliberation, allowing each character to breathe when on camera, before exploding in powerful, crimson-red violence. Even though you may know the violence to come, the suddenness still takes you by surprise by its unapologetic, visceral detail.
Both Nite Owl and Rorschach are ably brought to life by their respective actors, each one carefully nuanced on camera when both in action and simply talking. Rorschach's moments in prison, a highlight of the comic book, are a highlight of the film itself, the actor superbly bringing to life the famed 2D creation. We also should not forget The Comedian, superbly recognised on film.
There were two disappointments here though. Ozymandias simply came across as a one-dimensional character and the occasional drifting into a German accent was simply too distracting, and comedic, for a character who plays the role of both hero and nemesis (not villain). The other was Dr Manhattan, a character deftly spoken through by Billy Crudup and, at times, lost by some dodgy CGI (the large Dr Manhattan looked far too clumsy and Scorpion King-lite to truly be effective).
The much-debated ending was also a success. Dare I suggest the ending on film is actually better than the one on the printed page? Is a faked attack by Dr Manhattan actually far more reasonable than one by a giant squid?
This was a film I really enjoyed. It captured the essence of Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons' creation (note how Alan Moore is not credited in the opening sequence - unless I missed it) but also offers an appeal to the non-comic book reading audience. These are super heroes made real; after all, a Spider-Man would likely rip someone's head off with one punch while Superman would be nothing less than a Kryptonian serial killer. It's also given me a real hankering to read the TPB again.
The largest disappointment surrounds its reception. There are some critics who simply fail to understand the film and who casually dismiss this as an over-violent gore-fest for geeks. I've seen films far gorier than this, films that are pointlessly violent and visceral and do so almost intentionally to provoke a reaction (Hostel) but these are almost universally celebrated as a fine example of its genre. So why not Watchmen? I suspect this will find an even wider audience on DVD, particularly if we do indeed see the oft-rumoured four hour cut.
Rating the film is far more difficult. I rarely offer a film a five-star rating (it has to be a personal favourite to achieve that with me) but I feel almost dirty for not giving it one. So I shall give one star to Malin Akerman as The Silk Spectre (see, I'm giving her one - who wouldn't?), and give the film...
****
Oh, Bats will kill me. _________________ With Great Power, Comes Great... Potential to ROB BANKS!!! HAHAH! THAT'S HOW TO BEAT THE RECESSION!!!
I quite enjoyed the film on the second viewing at the weekend, one of the guys I went with wasn't so enthused. He had just read the book and decided that the film missed out many of the important points and things like 'Who watches the watchmen' were not addressed enough.
It's a shame that an 'adult' (I use the word loosely) comic book film isn't received well when it really deserves to be. _________________ Pro Massacre Boy!
You are all thinking far to deeply, just watch the film, and wallow in it.
But then maybe that's the difference.
i was there when it happened.
for you its like reading a history book, an interpretation of events which to all intents are now past, old news.
for me its a live interpretation of something that happened....to me.
just be thankful for this incredible effort, and if you really don't like it, then you deserve Constantine and Cat woman. and don't fucking complain about them, because they were made just for YOU.
Although, seriously, Watchmen is a difficult film to just watch; the same applies to the actual story. You don't sit down to simply read Watchmen; you read it when you're ready to read it, when you're ready to accept the subtle plot nuances and the myriad wonders of Alan Moore's world. As a film, Watchmen is no different. You can sit down and just watch Iron Man; you can't Watchmen. _________________ With Great Power, Comes Great... Potential to ROB BANKS!!! HAHAH! THAT'S HOW TO BEAT THE RECESSION!!!
You can sit down and just watch Iron Man; you can't Watchmen.
Behave... i watched them both, and its been a long time since i have wanted to watch a film again after seeing it for the first time, but that's what i wanted to do with both Iron-Man and the watchmen, immediately rewind it, and watch it again.
it wasn't difficult to watch, those 2 1/2 hours flew by, and i was left wanting Moore.
an astonishing achievement, no more no less. and for once, i really really really glad that i was proved wrong, as i had some deep reservations about this film.
Mind you i had similar feelings about Iron-Man, and thought that that was pretty fucking awesome too.
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