John A Massie's Review

Summary - Great 4.0

While never reaching the sublime brilliance of the source comic, the movie version fo Watchmen is an entertaining and intellectually stimulating movie. Very stylised, the film manages to subvert expectations at every turn even those of people who are familar with the comic. While probably better for someone who hasn’t read the comic, speaking as someone who has I find it a very good adaption streamlining without simplifing and the few changes from the comic have both their negative and positive aspects.

Overall, Watchmen is a very good film, for newbies and comicfans alike.

Acting - Great 4.0

All the performance fit within the style of the movie.

Film - Great 4.0

Very styilised, some people will complain about the slow motion etc, but I think it works for the film.

Edge - Horrid 4.3

Some explicit violence and sex. Theres not that much but it is pretty shocking.

Reality - Supernatural 3.5

Its realistic for the worlds its set in, but very unrealisitc for ours.

7 Comments

• MJ5K Mar 3, 2010 6:11PM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  You thought the visuals were bad, Wick? Visually, this film was amazing, IMO. Sure, some of the costumes looked a little cheesy but the CGI on Nite Owl’s ship, the Vietnam war scene, and Dr. Manhattan’s Mars fortress were pretty cool, at least I thought.

• Spaceghost Mar 22, 2009 8:38AM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  The more I talk to people about this movie, the more I wonder if my love of it comes from knowing the source material so well. Those who have read the comic seem to love the movie, those who have not seem to dislike or not even understand what happens. Wick talks about the adolescent nature of the ideas, but in my head that’s a good thing. The large point of Watchmen is to dissect the adolescent nature of comics and superheroes in general.

  Wish I could separate my head from the comic on this one and be a bit more objective.

• Wick Mar 15, 2009 1:57PM

  Regarding Wick’s Review
  Sorry for the buzzkill dudes, but I found the movie as flawed as its heroes. Happy I saw it though. Sure was interesting.

• Wick Mar 10, 2009 9:19PM

  Regarding Snackula’s Review
  Best review line yet: “the end result is a bit pulpy and mashed, as if a giant squid were laying on top of it.”

• Fire at Will! Mar 7, 2009 10:59PM

  Thanks Spaceghost – I had been waiting for this film for a while, so I felt it justified a good one! Yours is brilliant though – especially your points regarding adaptation at the start. We disagree on the music, but then reviews are subjective! It’s excellent that we’ve been able to see a film such as this and feel so passionate about it.

• Spaceghost Mar 7, 2009 7:31AM

  Regarding willjros’s Review
  Fantastic review on this one Willjros. I disagree to an extent on the music, but otherwise very good descriptions all around.

• Wick Mar 6, 2009 7:26AM

  Regarding John A Massie’s Review
  Congrats to Massie for posting the first review of Watchmen. As someone who hasn’t read the comik, I’m very much looking forward to the seeing the movie, especially after reading this review.

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