Watching the Watchmen

[JoitheArtist]

So I went to a midnight showing of Watchmen last night with a friend of mine. (Short review of movie: characters were great, Rorschach done particularly well, plot could've used some help, some scenes unnecessarily gory, overall very fun). Now, this theater that we were at is pretty big with the local geeks, us included. They're very friendly towards the fan base, let us play games and such in line, etc. Plus, the screen is freakin' huge, and the main theater seats 1100 people. So very fun.

Anyway...me and my friend brought our face paints. I'm not posting the pic of me: she did the bloody smileyface on my face, but it kinda ended up looking like a yellow bloody Jack Skellington.

However...The facepaint job I did on her turned out pretty darn good, especially when I let her borrow my hat. (the pic doesn't do it justice--it was a little unsettling in person)

And I apologize for my incoherence--the movie ended at 3am, I got home at 4am, and had to go to work at 7.

[JambaBamba]

That is truly an awesome paint job! No one did face paint or dressed as a character at the theater I was at, but there was a lot of yellow shirts and buttons.

[JoitheArtist]

There was one guy in full Rorschach costume at our theater--his mask wasn't great, but he was a lot of fun anyway. Honestly, I was really surprised that there were so few costumes, but I guess most of the Watchmen costumes would be pretty tricky to recreate.

[JambaBamba]

Did your theater have people who brought the graphic novel? Mine did and I didn't understand if it was just reading material while they waited in line or if they were planning to compare scenes during the film.

[KiaKat]

I was going to bring the book, but forgot to grab it before work yesterday.

Unfortunately, my theatre was filled with a bunch of little idiots who either had never read the book, or couldn't deal with the very adult themes being translated to screen.

The Beavis-and-Butthead giggling at the various nudity scenes got to be really annoying.

But oh my god SO GOOD!

I think I'll probably go see it again, and bring the book for comparison. There are a few bits that I feel like they brushed over too quickly, but I can't remember what.

[JoitheArtist]

Ok, some of the nudity went over the top for me, and some of the time on the main sex scene really could've been spent better elsewhere. But that's a minor complaint.

I was frustrated with some of the scenes that seemed unnecessarily gory (we don't really need to see the saw cut into the guy's wrists), since it was used more for a sudden shock rather than actual effect (Rorschach's killing the guy in the bathroom was MUCH more effective). But hey, it's a brutal story, so...

I thought the characters were just spot on--really well done. Rorschach in particular impressed me, though the Comedian and Dan Dreiberg were also great.

Oh, and the opening credits were BRILLIANT.

[JambaBamba]

I'll admit I giggled a bit too about the blue male genitalia...it just seemed to be everywhere!

I went with a friend who hadn't read the novel (I loaned him my copy way back in October but he didn't get past like 10 pages because the type was small? And he calls himself a geek). Parts of it that were pretty true to the book (Rorschach and the dogs) he was shocked at.

I kinda missed there being a giant squid though...I understand why they changed the ending, but I really wanted to see the visual effects for the squid.

Overall I was really happy with it. I get to go see it again this weekend with my dad

[KiaKat]

Yeah, I turned away during some of the gorier scenes.

And, JB - when I say they were snickering...it wasn't just a few giggles. It was constant, nervous, outright laughter. Couple of the kids got thwapped by their companions for laughing at completely inappropriate moments.

I missed the squid too.

I loved Moloch. Matt Frewer is one of those character actors that really should get a lot more recognition than he does.

[Buglady]

I missed it... The Boy wanted to go to the midnight showing but I was just too fracking tired (3 hour movie starting at midnight? Uh, no. I conked out at 11 pm and slept straight through till nine, and I was still tired this morning...). He went with a friend and said he really enjoyed it. Sounds a bit too intense for me really - especially if overtired.

[Shangri-laschild]

It was so awesome. We had a silk spector, comedian, ozzymandius (I probably spelled that one wrong...), and a bunch of Rorschachs. While the violence was a bit much for me, it seemed to fit well for a movie based on a book written by Alan Moore. Overall I loved it

[karath]

have to say, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. The actors did brilliant jobs...Rorshach could have stepped straight out of the comic. Even the minor differences added some depth. All in all, a fine adaptation of the novel.

The giggling during Dr. Manhattan's scenes got old in a hurry, of course. I wouldn't mind if it hadn't been the premiere, honestly, but I wanted to get absorbed into the movie during the first run-through. Still, that's what the next viewings are for...with better choice of viewing companions

[smileyeagle1021]

I actually didn't giggle at the blue penis... unlike some of the less mature in the audience... actually my first thought was "omg, did they seriously put that in the film" second thought was "sweet, they did".

I will admit to never having read the book
That said, I really respect any book/movie that is willing to break the inviolate rule of masked heroes and have them take their masks off.

[GingerBiscuit]

I enjoyed it. They flinched on stuff but it was all on... stupid stuff, that they didn't really need to flinch on. Could have been a lot worse.

However it could have also been awesome, and it didn't quite make it.

I was very impressed, and despite having read the comic and KNOWING what was coming I was genuinely upset and uncomfortable in some scenes.

So I am happy!

[sportsmom]

Honestly, I was really surprised that there were so few costumes, but I guess most of the Watchmen costumes would be pretty tricky to recreate.

Just be glad no one did a full on Dr. Manhattan costume. That could be rather disturbing. Where in the world would someone get that much blue body paint?

[ShinyGreenApple]

I took the nephew to see it today, and I really enjoyed it. Mind you, it's not a popcorn flick by any means, but it really makes the viewer think, which is rare these days. I'll admit to not having read the novel, but I plan to now. And maybe I'm just a horrible, desensitized person, but the violence and gore didn't really bother me, except I felt really bad for the guy in the opening fight scene. I won't say much for those who haven't seen it yet, but yeah, that made me kind of sad, even with his circumstances and past being what they were. I thought the sex scenes were pretty gaudy and tacky, even though people said it was supposed to be played as funny. I dunno, it just seemed like it could have been better executed. Or it's just the fact that 16 year old nephew was sitting beside me and that was awkward, perhaps?

Although I am very proud to report that no one in my audience laughed at the big blue penis.


However . . . to the people who brought the aged 10 and under kids to this film . . . WTF people?!