PODCAST:
SHOW NOTES:
I have been tasked with writing up our thoughts and feelings on the Watchmen movie. I can only speak for myself when I say that the movie was excellent to a point, and once it hit that point, it fell apart in a spectacular way. My other co-hosts were more generous in their praise.
Watchmen was directed by Zack Snyder and captured the look and feel of the comic. It took on the ambitious task of bringing the book to the screen, and it did so rather well. Picking and choosing which parts of the story, and dialogue, was done rather expertly. The look and feel of the movie captured that of the book, and the movie was able to add other elements that enhanced the original form. My particular favorite was the opening credit montage featuring the Bob Dylan classic “The Times They Are A Changin’.” So that was nice. But like most sexually transmitted diseases, you don’t know how much this movie is going to hurt until after the good part is over.
The movie crafted a different ending, one that seemed subtle, but nonetheless changed the overall message, theme, tone, and purpose of the book. And the book is a fucking work of art. It didn’t merely combine a character or omit a scene. It decided to create and kill a god. It drove out the only superhero, instead of showing him leave with an air of callous indifference. And it did not create an alien enemy for man to unite against. Instead it let an American agent go rogue. This, in my opinion, would only create a temporary peace and not inspire man to rise up and above their limitations. At least not for long.
So, while a seemingly minor flaw, this was a major one to me. But the consensus, even including me, was that this is still a movie worth seeing. Just maybe bring some penicillin.
-Wilk
WRITTEN FILM REVIEWS:
Film: “Watchmen (2009)” by Zack Snyder (Jackie Earle Haley)
Ryan: 4 Stars “…I don’t think it was perfect, but I did enjoy it thoroughly…”
Wilk: 3 1/2 Stars “…It’s well worth it, but if you enjoy it all the way through then there is something wrong with you…”
Rick: 4 1/2 Stars “…I’m recommending this movie, basically to everyone, but especially to those that don’t have a lot of experience with comics…”
Quinn Bayola (guest): 3 1/2 Stars “…If Dr. Manhattan was actually Keanu Reeves it would have gotten a 4 (stars)…”
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FUN FACTOIDS:
Our guest on this episode was Quinn Bayola who has his own show called “The ThisQ Podcast.” Check it out on iTunes, Spreaker or other podcast venues
On the show we mentioned that director Zack Snyder commissioned film versions of some of the meta fiction contained within the graphic novel. These released separately as a fully animated short “Tales of the Black Freighter” and mock TV tell-all-style show “Under the Hood.”
* DISCLAIMER: Please be advised that the views and opinions of the hosts and guests of NDIOS are completely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of the other hosts and guests or that of NDIOS.
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