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Watchmen The Director's Cut DVD Review
WATCHMEN, arguably the greatest Graphic Novel ever written. It changed the face of comics forever; I remember hanging out at my comic shop waiting for when I had enough money to get the book. Of course being a teenager in this day-in-age, I had never heard of Watchmen until the announcement of the movie. So I got really hyped, and I really wanted to read the book. But hey, you don't want to here me talk about what Watchmen did to me, you’re here to read a review.
Zack Snyder's Watchmen movie was...ok. It's not bad. It's not great. It's good, but not like "OH MY GOD THIS IS GOOD" just good. The movie is very entertaining, for the near 3 hours (and I think the Director’s Cut is a little over 3 hours) I was never bored. The first time I watched it, I was always comparing it to the book and I was very mixed about the movie, the second time I watched it, I watched it as a movie not an adaptation. As a movie I think it's entertaining, and I liked it, despite its flaws I liked it. My biggest problem is the Music, its terrible, it turns dramatic scenes, into a comedic moment, and that pisses me off. Its like Zack Snyder plays a lot of stuff for jokes, it like him, or the editor, while making the movie, said "Hey, you know what would be funny". Still I like it. As an adaptation, I don't think it’s very good. Everybody thinks that just because it captures the images of the book doesn't mean that its faithful, the movie doesn't capture the feeling of the book, it doesn't capture the urgency or the tragicness (?) of the book.
I was really waiting for the Director's Cut, could possibly be closer to the book, that maybe that Zack Snyder would pull a Peter Jackson, and change stuff around and make it closer to the book. Then they said that it would be 25 minutes longer, and I though "Cool, that should be enough time to add some extra scenes". Nope. You know how Director's Cuts usually improve the movie; it's not the case here. In fact I think it makes it a little worse. A lot of the extra stuff is just extended scenes, that weren't in the comic, and new full scenes that aren't in the comic book. WHAT THE FUCK!!! Why would you have a Director's Cut of an adaptation, which makes it distance itself more from the book. One story line I missed from the movie was Hollis Mason's death from the Original Cut. So I was very happy that they put it back in, I thought it was one of the saddest scenes in the book. In the movie, it goes a lot like the comic(With a lot of slow-mo), until the final blow, the music gets very dramatic, the scene could bring a tear down your cheek, but as soon as that gang member hits him with the trophy, the music stops, and it makes you want to laugh, you'll know when you see it. So to me I didn't like the Director's cut, is not as good Original Cut.
Now for the Special Features.
First we have 'The Phenomenon: The Comic the Changed Comics: The Graphic Novel's Groundbreaking Impact' - This is a short Documentary that’s pretty cool. It has interviews by some of the cast, Dave Gibson, some of the people who know Dave & Allan, and ALLAN MOORE...nah just kidding. This feature is about 10 minutes long, and it's pretty cool to watch for anyone interested.
Second is 11 Video Journals, that you can watch all of them online.
And last and deffinetly least a music video of the My Chemical Romance song Desolation. Dull.
So my final thoughts are, it’s not worth your money. There’s not a lot added to the film, and the stuff added, takes from the film. And the Special Features aren't that special. Now, I didn't get the Blu-ray version of the movie, so I don't know if I missed any Special Features that would be on the Blu-Ray. This cut is only worth your money if you really loved the movie. If your so-so about the movie, I'd say borrow it from a friend.
Zack Snyder's Watchmen movie was...ok. It's not bad. It's not great. It's good, but not like "OH MY GOD THIS IS GOOD" just good. The movie is very entertaining, for the near 3 hours (and I think the Director’s Cut is a little over 3 hours) I was never bored. The first time I watched it, I was always comparing it to the book and I was very mixed about the movie, the second time I watched it, I watched it as a movie not an adaptation. As a movie I think it's entertaining, and I liked it, despite its flaws I liked it. My biggest problem is the Music, its terrible, it turns dramatic scenes, into a comedic moment, and that pisses me off. Its like Zack Snyder plays a lot of stuff for jokes, it like him, or the editor, while making the movie, said "Hey, you know what would be funny". Still I like it. As an adaptation, I don't think it’s very good. Everybody thinks that just because it captures the images of the book doesn't mean that its faithful, the movie doesn't capture the feeling of the book, it doesn't capture the urgency or the tragicness (?) of the book.
I was really waiting for the Director's Cut, could possibly be closer to the book, that maybe that Zack Snyder would pull a Peter Jackson, and change stuff around and make it closer to the book. Then they said that it would be 25 minutes longer, and I though "Cool, that should be enough time to add some extra scenes". Nope. You know how Director's Cuts usually improve the movie; it's not the case here. In fact I think it makes it a little worse. A lot of the extra stuff is just extended scenes, that weren't in the comic, and new full scenes that aren't in the comic book. WHAT THE FUCK!!! Why would you have a Director's Cut of an adaptation, which makes it distance itself more from the book. One story line I missed from the movie was Hollis Mason's death from the Original Cut. So I was very happy that they put it back in, I thought it was one of the saddest scenes in the book. In the movie, it goes a lot like the comic(With a lot of slow-mo), until the final blow, the music gets very dramatic, the scene could bring a tear down your cheek, but as soon as that gang member hits him with the trophy, the music stops, and it makes you want to laugh, you'll know when you see it. So to me I didn't like the Director's cut, is not as good Original Cut.
Now for the Special Features.
First we have 'The Phenomenon: The Comic the Changed Comics: The Graphic Novel's Groundbreaking Impact' - This is a short Documentary that’s pretty cool. It has interviews by some of the cast, Dave Gibson, some of the people who know Dave & Allan, and ALLAN MOORE...nah just kidding. This feature is about 10 minutes long, and it's pretty cool to watch for anyone interested.
Second is 11 Video Journals, that you can watch all of them online.
And last and deffinetly least a music video of the My Chemical Romance song Desolation. Dull.
So my final thoughts are, it’s not worth your money. There’s not a lot added to the film, and the stuff added, takes from the film. And the Special Features aren't that special. Now, I didn't get the Blu-ray version of the movie, so I don't know if I missed any Special Features that would be on the Blu-Ray. This cut is only worth your money if you really loved the movie. If your so-so about the movie, I'd say borrow it from a friend.
Comment
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Comment by magicka on July 28, 2009 at 8:44am -
I'll probably wind up picking up a copy of this sometime (either DC or UE), but I don't think that any amount of re-releasing will change this from an OK movie to a great one.
My biggest problem with the TC wasn't the scenes that were cut in the interest of run time, and it wasn't (really) the ending. It was the portrayal of Adrien Viedt. Reading the book, I see him as a popular, well-liked, charismatic guy. It's a surprise half way through when the clues all start to point towards him, and even at the end it doesn't seem like he's coldly calculated the atrocity he's committed, more like he's cracked under the pressure of his own hype. He's done something terrible, because he thinks it will push the world over a cusp and save it once and for all. When he asks Dr. Manhattan if he "did the right thing at the end," the answer "Nothing ever ends" is crushing blow.
In the movie, you can tell he's broken from the start. Cold, detached and arrogant. It may be all in the way you read the book, but to me that was the biggest dissapointment of the film.
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Comment by Josh C. on July 27, 2009 at 8:46pm - I must disagree, I thought that Hollis Mason's death scene was handled perfectly. The abrput stop of the music intensified the tragic feeling of the moment because it was (visually and orally) the death of Hollis. To be honest, I thought the majority of the cut was somewhat superfluous. Not bad (though that police scene with Rorscach in the beginning was dumb) but just barely noticable.
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Comment by GorTheMovieGod on July 27, 2009 at 5:35pm - I got the digital copy but it isnt the directors cut its the regular edition even if you bought the directors cut
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Comment by Holden on July 27, 2009 at 1:22am - I preferred the Director's Cut over the Theatrical Version, but i must say that there were some bullshit additions like the cop shooting at Rorschach and missing at point blank range. It was also advertised as having a digital copy, but I didn't get one.
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Comment by Churnobyl on July 26, 2009 at 9:09pm - I totally agree about the Hollis Mason death scene. I thought the whole thing was done rather brilliantly... until they stopped the fucking music. Its just way to abrupt, and I wound up laughing instead of crying.
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Comment by Ben on July 26, 2009 at 1:45pm - Great review! but I actualy liked the directors cut better. Correct me if im wrong, but i don't think Night owl 1's death scene was in the final cut. But I guess youre right about the other scenes, just extended scenes that were taken out for a reason.
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Comment by DavidBray on July 26, 2009 at 12:55pm -
I downloaded this to spare my pain.
I heard they were going to add an extra hour on to bring it closer to the comic and heal the gaping wounds Snyder tore into the classic.
Istead what i got was an extra twenty minutes of superflous bullshit which made me instantly delete it from my computer the minute i stopped watching it. Fuck this movie and, with exception to Jeffrey Dean Morgan, everybody attached to it.
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Comment by Captain Gundam on July 26, 2009 at 2:17am - when there's two versions of the movie like rated or different rating/unrated/directors cut, i go with the latter since I want to see the difference from the rated version i saw. usually its an improvement (like how i saw daredevil r rated version) but if the film is something i like, ill keep it and watch it over and over again. if not, ill give it to someone else, or keep it and never view it again or like i said, return it if possible. you point about spending money is right but i spent my money to buy it and its up to me if i want to return it or not, no offense. Sure there are choices like the pay per view or borrowing it from someone else but i made my choice and im paying for it now.
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Comment by Jean Genie on July 26, 2009 at 1:29am - Watchmen- blah blah, Directors Cut- yawn, this movie was a waste of $10- wouldn't see it again if you paid me to.
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Comment by Brock on July 25, 2009 at 12:42pm -
I did at my local Movie Rental store before I decided to go out and buy it on Blu-Ray.
Even if you can't find a place to rent it, wait for a few week and it'll be on Pay-per-view.
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