The Energon Pub

So, who's seen the new trailer? Rorschach seems to be awesome as I thought he would be, and the Smashing Pumpkins music really hits the spot. I did hear, however, they changed the ending slightly. Any thoughts on this?

Well to be honest, a giant squid being morphed into buildings while it's wailing kills people seems pretty damn stupid to me. Has since I read the book. Definitely a giant WTF moment. Otherwise things seem fine and dandy.

I've read the book sure, but I think the movie will be just as awesome.

I'm pumped to see this movie!

I heard about the changes to the ending and it makes sense in context to the movie. Spoilers for those interested...


























The movie does not have the Tales of the Black Freighter comic framing device. Since there's no comic, there's no need to introduce the comics' artist who designs the squid monster along with the other scientists. Writers David Hayter and Alex Tse have made an interesting choice. Since Dr. Manhattan self-exiles himself from Earth, Ozymandias' sends a Dr. Manhattan projection that destroys New York.

If there was a squid that destroys New York, it would not make sense at all. I think it's clever.

I loved the book! In my opinion, it is the single greatest piece of fiction ever written. Every bit was just great. I even liked the giant squid, since Ozymandias explained it as the 'world's greatest practical joke'

I don't think the movie will be as good, but I can'nt wait to see it/

I always thought the squid was the low part of the book, along with tlaes of the black frieghter, since I couldn't get it's relation to the story.

I actually did not like Tales of the Black Freighter all that much. About the third or fourth time it showed up, all I could say was "Okay, we get it, he's nuts. When is Rorschach going to punch more people?!"

The giant squid I was okay with, though. It wasn't he best idea ever, but it definitely wasn't the worst.

Weel, I really liked the Tales of the Black Freighter. It just left an eerie tone to the whole book, I enjoyed that. I thought it also related to the storyline, its text fit in with what was actually happening at the present moment.

Armorock wrote:Weel, I really liked the Tales of the Black Freighter. It just left an eerie tone to the whole book, I enjoyed that. I thought it also related to the storyline, its text fit in with what was actually happening at the present moment.

I've always known it's symbolizes what's going on in the book but I honestly could not figure out how. Is it just that people are going crazy as the story progresses?

As much as I pimp literacy in the world, I couldn't write a paper on how The Black Freighter correlates with Watchmen.

Supreme Convoy wrote:

Armorock wrote:Weel, I really liked the Tales of the Black Freighter. It just left an eerie tone to the whole book, I enjoyed that. I thought it also related to the storyline, its text fit in with what was actually happening at the present moment.

I've always known it's symbolizes what's going on in the book but I honestly could not figure out how. Is it just that people are going crazy as the story progresses?

As much as I pimp literacy in the world, I couldn't write a paper on how The Black Freighter correlates with Watchmen.

I've read that it's supposed to be something of an allegory for Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias. A good man, then bad things happen to his friend's while he's left standing, and he begins to have increasingly bad ideas. Then he starts killing people for a supposedly noble cause.

It should be noted that after the Squid incident (Squidcident?) Adrian mentions to Doctor Manhattan about having a dream about a black ship.

EDIT: Oh wait, I got this off of Wikipedia:

A man uses the dead bodies of his friends (Or washed-up superheroes) to reach his goal, while doing increasingly stupid things, and then he starts killing the people who he thought he was trying to save.

I once considered naming my firstborn after Rorschach,(Walter Kovacs) assuming I ever manage to reproduce. Maybe I am taking this obsession too far...

Anyway, is it just me or did Zach Snyder really put extra effort into making Viedt look gay? I mean, Rorschach did suggest it in the book, but I mean, come on, Bat-nipples? Are you @#$%ing kidding me? People are supposed to dislike him, not laugh at him.

I guess now is as good a time as any to post this:

Theatrical trailer!

Now with more stuff, such as spoken lines from people other than Rorschach.

Shadowman wrote:I guess now is as good a time as any to post this:

Theatrical trailer!

Now with more stuff, such as spoken lines from people other than Rorschach.

Awesome-sauce!

Am I the only one who thinks this movie looks absolutely stupid? The character designs look ridiculous, and those awful slow motion shots look even more corny than the ones in 300. Snyder is an overrated director who substitutes violence and slo-mo shots for any actual substance. Oh, and that Smashing Pumpkins song is as out of place as Linkin Park was in Transformers....

I laugh everytime I see the tagline "based on the most celebrated grahpic novel of all time". Yeah, the most celebrated graphic novel that I never heard of until now.

For me, the whole thing reaks of another crappy superhero movie. Oh, and Rorsharch sounds exactly like Batman...

I've you've never heard of Watchmen, that's your fault. Take a look at Time Magazines all time bestseller list and it's on there. The novel is an excellent work of fiction that anyone who is a fan of comics should read.

And Rorschach is supposed to sound like Batman because he's a play on the Batman character.

TheMuffin wrote:And Rorschach is supposed to sound like Batman because he's a play on the Batman character.

Batman mixed with the Question

Skowl wrote:Am I the only one who thinks this movie looks absolutely stupid?

Yes.

Skowl wrote:I laugh everytime I see the tagline "based on the most celebrated grahpic novel of all time". Yeah, the most celebrated graphic novel that I never heard of until now.

If you've read it, you'd agree.

Skowl wrote:For me, the whole thing reaks of another crappy superhero movie. Oh, and Rorsharch sounds exactly like Batman...

Considering the things Rorschach has seen and done, Batman is a wimp by comparison.

I'd head of Watchmen years ago, but I only recently bothered to read it. Skowl, trust me, it might not be the greatest graphic novel of all time (as I haven't read every graphic novel ever I'm not qualified to make that kind of statment), but if it isn't it has to be in the top five. Just, damn.

I'm really looking foward to the movie, as it looks awesome, but a few things are making me nervous. First, the trailers are making me worry that they are overdoing the slow motion effect. And most of all, the rumored changes to the ending. Really nearvous about that.

It's not a rumor. It was changed. Which is fine by me because that was the one WTF moment of the book.

TheMuffin wrote:It's not a rumor. It was changed. Which is fine by me because that was the one WTF moment of the book.

I actually liked the Giant Psychic Squid Bomb, but I can understand where people might have a problem with that...for example, it's a Giant Psychic Squid, and essentially a bomb. It's a bit weird, even by comic standards. The replacement doesn't sound too bad, and I think you can see some of it in the trailer.

TheMuffin wrote:It's not a rumor. It was changed. Which is fine by me because that was the one WTF moment of the book.

That's the point. The entire Graphic Novel is a serious tone throwback to Noir and similar story lines. The abruptness of the Alien (it's not a god damn squid either. It's a genetically engineered animal similar to Bubastis) and it's garrish design is on purpose it's either an homage or parody of the Golden and Silver Age comic books.

I've heard it was replaced with either Doctor Manhattan being replicated and destroying New York nor a bunch of Nukes. Both of which are stupid. But the Doctor Manhattan one is less stupid as it sticks with the original theme in that Adrian is trying to unite humanity to stave off World War 3.

Rumor has it that they've filmed two versions of the ending (which is speculation and just wishful thinking IMO) the changed version has Nite Owl, Rorscach and Silk Spectre fighting Ozymandis until Doc Manhattan crashes in as a giant. Sometime during the fight Nite Owl gets away and crashes his ship into Adrian and incinerates him. Then Doc Manhattan finishes Ozy off. Nite Owl's reasoning for killing Veidt? "It's what Rorscach would have done." Which leads me to believe that Veidt kills Rorscach and not Doc Manhattan. On top of all of this the ending won't be a massive speech and recap of everything while Ozy absentmindedly avoids Rorscach's attacks. Nope. It's going to be a brief "I did it lol" and then a movie fight.

Ugh.

Also no spoiler tags, you've had over 20 years to read the Graphic Novel and about a year's worth of knowledge of the movie. So if I ruined part of the story for you it's your own fault for Slowpoking.

TheMuffin wrote:Well to be honest, a giant squid being morphed into buildings while it's wailing kills people seems pretty damn stupid to me. Has since I read the book. Definitely a giant WTF moment. Otherwise things seem fine and dandy.

Does anyone have pictures of this giant squid?

Gyro-Robo wrote:

TheMuffin wrote:Well to be honest, a giant squid being morphed into buildings while it's wailing kills people seems pretty damn stupid to me. Has since I read the book. Definitely a giant WTF moment. Otherwise things seem fine and dandy.

Does anyone have pictures of this giant squid?

Issue 12, page six. That's really the only clear picture of it that I can think of.

EDIT: I'd upload I scan I have of it, but it seems I can't attach anything.

Skowl wrote:I laugh everytime I see the tagline "based on the most celebrated grahpic novel of all time". Yeah, the most celebrated graphic novel that I never heard of until now.

For me, the whole thing reaks of another crappy superhero movie. Oh, and Rorsharch sounds exactly like Batman...

???
Watchmen is one of the few "graphic novels" to get any literary recognition.
Have you not heard of Maus, The Dark Knight Returns, or Sandman either?
Those four books lay the grounds for graphic novels in American culture. One could compare them to, say, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Nausicca and the Valley of the Wind, and Princess Mononoke's relationship to Anime in America. Not the first. Not necessarily the best. But the groundbreakers.

As for the characters' resemblance to other super heroes... that's INTENTIONAL. Watchmen uses the familiar archetypes to create a one-off of the familiar worlds of DC (and Marvel?... more DC, certainly.)

When I saw Pixar's The Incredibles, I felt like I was seeing Watchmen for kids.

Skowl wrote:
I laugh everytime I see the tagline "based on the most celebrated grahpic novel of all time". Yeah, the most celebrated graphic novel that I never heard of until now.

Then appaerently you've never once in your entire life stepped into a real comic book shop, or talked with a fan of comics over the greatest of works.

People who don't even like comics have heard of, and respect, the literary greatness that is Watchmen.