I'm starting this separate topic to specifically discuss the Watchmen film. There are no limits on discussion so a hearty

=== SPOILER WARNING! ===

to anyone who has not seen the film and doesn't want any details spoiled for them.

Watchmen is a film that will warrant watching over and over - Roger Ebert, of all people, agrees and is on at least his third viewing.

Besides obvious elements of the film and the endless issues of the adaptation from the graphic novel, there are small points, details, that may not be noted without close attention.

One grabbed me right at the start. In the opening credit montage (about six minutes long and worth the price of admission alone, IMHO), there is a shot where Dr. Manhattan is taking Neil Armstrong's picture on the moon. As Armstrong steps down and turns around to reveal Dr. M. reflected in his visor, crackly audio in his voice says, "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky."

Now, that's either going to make you fall out of your chair laughing (as it did me, in the theater) or make you stare blankly. Here...

Sure, NOW you're laughing...

Also noted: the Apple "1984" ad running on one of Adrian Veidt's wall of monitors.

Here's an article about 'easter eggs', quick referenced things:


I ended up seeing it tonight, got home from work early enough that we were able to leave the kids with our neighbor, have some dinner in peace, and see the movie.

All in all, I thought it was pretty good. I need to go back now and look at the source (and probably listen here for more nits).

Joe and I saw the movie yesterday. He's a huge fan of the comic; I've read the comic and enjoyed it despite that not being my usual kind of thing. The movie is pretty good, and quite faithful to the book. There was one huge plot adjustment, of course -- getting rid of the nonexistent space aliens at the end and letting Dr. Manhattan himself take the blame for the nukefest. IMHO if anything that's an improvement on the original plot. (Yes, I know I'm a complete heathen.)

I'll see it again, probably after rereading the book.

Just saw it. I wonder how much I would have followed if I hadn't read the novel a few weeks ago. The attention to reproducing specific frames was practically slavish. Kudos for the effort.

Funniest moments: "Have to visit men's room", and "I *am* on Mars". As to the former, the blood pouring under the door was superfluous. It would have been funnier to leave it with just the toilet flushing. We all know Rorschach wouldn't have just been giving him a wedgie.

There were several moments I thought overdone. The blood - or water - pouring out from the bathroom is in the book. I agree that it could have been played more subtly.

The meeting of Dan and Laurie in the restaurant is almost painfully bad. It looks like the start of an SNL skit between Chevy Chase and Jane Curtin. I hope Snyder has the sense to cut that to the bare "Dan Dreiberg's table?" and a master shot, and dump the big, smarmy grins at each other. But then, that's the key scene for Malin Akerman to radiate "Ain't I smart for remembering my lines?" which is about the height of her acting ability.

I'll put my real worries here in this spoiler thread. I think the changed ending with Dan and Laurie reverberates badly and screams of sequel setup - which, of course, there cannot be and must not be. But there's an even more ominous touch. When Jon is taking his final leave and Laurie questions him about his attitudes towards life, he replies, "Perhaps I'll create some." ...And a cloud of blue particles swirls around Laurie and coalesces into her.

*Shudder*. They wouldn't DARE.

Found a great catch (reported - have not had time to dig up a video to confirm):

In the opening montage, the Comedian is subduing a robber while his apparent victims, a well-dressed man and woman, stand looking on. Behind them is a poster for Die Fledermaus, with a strange bat shape to its design.

It's almost certainly meant to be Thomas and Martha Wayne. Since they weren't killed, their son Bruce never became Batman...

<fx enormous grin>

I loved seeing the war room from Dr. Strangelove, that movie doesn't get enough referencing

Someone has done a for the Watchmen universe. There are many more characters than I was aware of! But then, I haven't read any of the books.

I believe that's for the X-Men universe, lapping into the general Marvel Universe. There are, of course, about 12,000 X-Men characters.

Dang! I'm closer to senility than I thought. <sigh> Sorry for the mis-post.