The first news and reviews are in. All I can think of is, “I must get well! I must get out of bed and go into the city to see Watchmen before I die of an overdose of Theraflu!”
“The film that has emerged, however, is a mesmerising and brutalising experience, and will be, for some at least, more than worth the wait.
IGN:
“If it could be said that The Dark Knight legitimised comic book films with a level of maturity and sophistication that caught cynics off-guard, then Watchmen cements comic book films of this calibre as equals among any other, irrespective of genre.”
I could make it easy on you and tell you just to go look at Rotten Tomatoes where it is tracking 89% fresh.
“Weighing in at an arse-numbing 163 minutes long and featuring relentless close-up brutality in among scenes of near-rape, child murder and genocide – not to mention a supporting role for a outsized blue penis – Watchmen is unlikely to steal Slumdog Millionaire’s tagline of ‘The Feel-Good Movie Of The Year!’ But it’s searing, spectacular and simply unmissable.”
I so want to see this movie.
c
you and me both
Meanwhile over at Jim Emerson’s blog (which I arrive at through Roger Ebert’s), he’s debating the merits of rereading Watchmen before seeing the movie (he said he read it once, ages ago). The vast majority are telling him not to. I already bought me another copy (sold mine years ago) and read it. Couldn’t wait. Opinions? To reread, or not to reread?
(ps the only early reviewer that panned it was the trashy tabloid. Big surprise)
The very thought of going to see Watchmen makes me tingle, which either means I am experiencing an anticipatory art thrill or I need to do something about my love life.
Watchmen reread: I’m against it. Not for any reason other than I like to clear my head and try to give any movie based on a book a clean view.
I didn’t read LOTR or any other favorite novel before seeing the films.
I always read the novels afterward, or, in most cases, just listen to them on audiobooks while I work.
Do you know how long it takes to get through all the Harry Potter books on audio?
Long time.
Somewhere in my garage, I’ve got the original Watchmen comics, too. Funny, when I reread the GN a few years ago I enjoyed it even more than I did when it was first released.
aieee, just thought of what a Watchmen audiobook might sound like. My ears are bleeding XD
Hrm. Hrm.
Listen to books and not read them. Bad. Bad for skills.
Reading is fundamental.
Hrm.
Just remember- the next good film based on an Alan Moore comic will be the first.
(After V For Vendetta, as much as this looks like a good explody film, I’m not sure I’ll rush out and see it. That was a brutal experience, watching a graphic novel that I loved turned into a soulless film with bad acting.)
LOL! I’m the wrong person to come to with that complaint! Some of my favorite films are soulless and have bad acting.
I’ve been cautiously optimistic about this film since I saw the first trailer. It seems like they got it right. I’m going to see it right when it comes out, and avoid reading the reviews and especially the blogs, because you know if there’s one movie that will be whined and bitched over it’s this one. I hate it when I read or see something and really like it, and then turn around and see some blogger writing, “meh meh it sucked!” I know it shouldn’t matter, but it annoys me.
I thought this was funny: http://www.progressiveruin.com/2009_02_22_archive.html . Scroll down to February 25. And on your way down the page, you also get to see the Watchmen Halloween costumes!
Thanks, C Brown! There is nothing about that link that does not deliver the funny!
BTW, Watchmen screening to benefit MOCCA info here:
http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2009/02/26/events-around-town/
It just hit me — Rorschach’s fedora looks like the one Frank Miller sports. Hmmm. Behind that mask — is it Frank?!
Laurie: ssh! last person who said that got dropped down an elevator shaft
interesting… it was up to 94%, now it’s leveled off at 76% — mostly thanks to a couple of reviews by a couple of their “top” critics.
btw thanks CBrown for the progressive ruin link. That site is an epic timewaster, perfect for sitting home sick from work and surfing the web
Wankers.