Is the Watchmen movie any good?

[Swede]

It's out this week,and I'd like the lounge's thoughts.

[Curtland1015]

1. I loved it.

It may be a bit hard to follow if you've never read the graphic novel... and it is rather graphic. But as long as you don't mind those things, and are willing to watch a "comic book" movie that is different from the usual mindless summer popcorn flick, you might really enjoy it. It's a really interesting story about human psychology, society, and where we're all headed.

Just a warning, there is a fair amount of naked man in it. I didn't care, but some people were so scared of seeing a penis (!!!) that it apparently ruined the movie for them.

Still, it's up there as one of my all time faves. It's not 100% faithful to the source material, but more than enough to satisfy the geek in me. I recommend it!

[Cannikin]

2. I second Curtland's post. I enjoyed it enough to buy the director's cut.

[W_HAMILTON]

10. Guessing whether or not...

...the blue guy would show up with his penis out or not was one of the best parts of the movie!

Why would he be naked some times, and wearing that loin cloth at others? Hmm.

[Curtland1015]

11. His nudity was meant to represent his detachment from humanity.

As his detachment grew, he cared less and less about the social foibles of mankind, and thus didn't bother putting on clothes because he saw no reason to.

He's usually wearing clothes in the flashbacks, and any time "logic" would dictate he should. But if it was just him walking around, he didn't care.

...and stuff.

:P

[W_HAMILTON]

12. Ahhh...

...well, that makes sense :)

[Orsino]

3. Very, very good.

Rich, bent characters. Lots of back story woven in about as well as possible. Fine acting.

Lousy Nixon impression (and make-up).

The director's cut doesn't strike me as being significantly better.

[Orrex]

4. It's extraordinarily okay

A fine effort, but absolutely not great.

Two and a half stars, tops.

[MilesColtrane]

5. The movie is spotty and seems overall flat and lifeless to me.

The sex scene was needlessly graphic. I found it more funny than erotic.

The graphic violence was sprinkled throughout the movie instead of being reserved for the ending (which was changed from the novel) where it could have been much more effective.

In a sign of a weak director, some of the performances were very good, and some were just there.

Good:

Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach
Patrick Wilson as Night Owl II
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the Comedian

Not Good:

Malin Akerman as Silk Spectre II
Matthew Goode as Ozymandias
Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan

Watchmen is visually interesting and fairly accurate in that respect.

I'd say it's worth a rental, especially if it makes you want to read the book.

[Iggo]

6. I grabbed it off of iTunes in HD.

So far, I like it a lot. (I'm about 47 minutes into it...)

Beautifully photographed. Many scenes were painstakingly ripped straight from the pages of the book...not just the dialog, but visually as well.

The story to me seems more straight ahead linear than the book. (I read half the book to get ready for the movie.)

Based on 47 minutes worth, I confidently recommend it.

[nuxvomica]

7. It's worth it for the opening credits

The segment goes on for 15-20 minutes, I think, and brilliantly depicts an alternate history of the U.S. The rest of it is just what Orrex said.

[sakabatou]

8. Perhaps this thread should have been named

"Is watching the Watchman actually watchable?"

[W_HAMILTON]

9. I almost never get to write my opinion about movies!

But I've become a movie nut lately, and happened to watch this one.

It's hard to describe. I didn't know anything about the Watchmen lore, and I think it would have been better if I had known a little bit before watching it. It sort of jumps right in.

It is a long movie, and I didn't fast-forward through any parts, so I guess that's a good sign.

Overall, it wasn't a GREAT movie, but it wasn't awful. Maybe slightly above average. I think I would have appreciated it more if I knew more about the Watchmen history before I watched it. It took me awhile to figure out whether these people were superheros, or regular people dressed up like superheros, or what the hell was going on.

What was the guy's name that looks like the Batman knock-off? I still don't know :P

[quakerboy]

13. Meh

I was not terribly impressed, and I had been given to understand beforehand that I would be, which made it disapointing. If I had gone in without expectations, a C.

[elocs]

14. It got great reviews for being a great Blue Ray dvd so I ordered it on Amazon

and received an immediate 24 hour free streaming video using my Roku box. Streaming video even looks good on my 50' plasma so I watched "Watchmen" about 2 and 1/2 times. I liked it because I knew I would like that kind of movie and it will be nice to view in Blue Ray HD. There is a lot there to take in on just 1 viewing.