Watchmen trailer

[Anguirus]

Electric cars were one of the most visible differences in the Watchmen universe - trying to 'add' a 'timely' subplot about 'alternative fuels' is not only deeply retarded and artistically bankrupt, but shows they've never even opened the book.

I don't think that's fair. While I don't think a new "subplot" in a movie adaptation that's already too long is wise, in all other respects Snyder seems to be hewing very closely to the book. That teaser was like an intentional love letter to Watchmen fans.

Heck, I'm pleasantly surprised that he won the battle to have Nixon as the president.

At any rate, they say the current cut is 3 hours long and shit needs to go. A subplot that wasn't in the original story is looking at the cutting-room-floor.

[SCRawl]

So this movie is about a group of superheroes that none have any super powers except for one?

Actually, both Ozymandians and Rorscharch are implied to have slight super-powers. They both do things that even Batman would be hard pressed to match.

I can understand Ozymandias - unless I misunderstood the TV scene - but Rorschach? He's a good brawler and a decent sleuth, but apart from that, what did he do a regular human can't do?

I just recently read the comics, and I can't say that any of the superheroes had any implied powers -- other than the obvious Dr. Manhattan. Ozymandias was a superb athlete and genius type (not unlike Batman, but without the psychological problems), Rorschach was a tough guy with a little deductive reasoning, Nite Owl was mostly a gadget man, etc. They were all above-average physical specimens, at the very least, and all seemed to be very well trained in combat techniques. Unlike most mainstream comics, though, the heroes of Watchmen actually fight dirty when they have to.

Actually, one scene from the trailer puzzles me: is that Nite Owl (in his civilian guise) who knocks a large chunk of masonry from what appears to be his living room with a single punch? I know that he was a capable combatant, but isn't that going into the fantasy realm a little?

[McC]

Actually, one scene from the trailer puzzles me: is that Nite Owl (in his civilian guise) who knocks a large chunk of masonry from what appears to be his living room with a single punch? I know that he was a capable combatant, but isn't that going into the fantasy realm a little?

I think that's supposed to be the Comedian, just before he gets thrown out of the window. Comedian is always portrayed as significantly more jacked than many of the others, including Nite Owl.

[SCRawl]

Actually, one scene from the trailer puzzles me: is that Nite Owl (in his civilian guise) who knocks a large chunk of masonry from what appears to be his living room with a single punch? I know that he was a capable combatant, but isn't that going into the fantasy realm a little?

I think that's supposed to be the Comedian, just before he gets thrown out of the window. Comedian is always portrayed as significantly more jacked than many of the others, including Nite Owl.

Yeah, I just got that. According to this analysis, it's supposed to be the Comedian. Oops.

[Molyneux]

Actually, both Ozymandians and Rorscharch are implied to have slight super-powers. They both do things that even Batman would be hard pressed to match.

I can understand Ozymandias - unless I misunderstood the TV scene - but Rorschach? He's a good brawler and a decent sleuth, but apart from that, what did he do a regular human can't do?

I just recently read the comics, and I can't say that any of the superheroes had any implied powers -- other than the obvious Dr. Manhattan. Ozymandias was a superb athlete and genius type (not unlike Batman, but without the psychological problems), Rorschach was a tough guy with a little deductive reasoning, Nite Owl was mostly a gadget man, etc. They were all above-average physical specimens, at the very least, and all seemed to be very well trained in combat techniques. Unlike most mainstream comics, though, the heroes of Watchmen actually fight dirty when they have to.

Actually, one scene from the trailer puzzles me: is that Nite Owl (in his civilian guise) who knocks a large chunk of masonry from what appears to be his living room with a single punch? I know that he was a capable combatant, but isn't that going into the fantasy realm a little?

Ozy had psychological problems, all right. He just had DIFFERENT ones from Batman.

[Ziggy Stardust]

I just saw the trailer (before seeing The Dark Knight a third time...). I never read the graphic novel, and know absolutely nothing about it, so my opinions are based only on the trailer. And it looks god awful. The special effects were silly at best, horrible at worst. The characters/villains all looked goofy. The few lines of dialogue that they gave us were just stupid. I probably won't see it.

[Bounty]

The characters/villains all looked goofy.

That's... sort of the point. It's commented on in the comic multiple times.

It's an interesting point you make though: while the trailer is great for people who know what the fuck is happening - or those like me who are stupid enough to go buy a TPB just to see what the trailer is about - it doesn't strike me as very effective to people who don't know the comic. Will there be a second trailer?

[McC]

It's not a trailer. It's a teaser. A teaser is the formal announcement of a movie, while a trailer actually tries to sell the movie. The entire purpose of this teaser (IMO) was to show fans what's in store for them, and to assure them that every care is being taken to remain true to the graphic novel. This was not a mass-market consumption trailer.

[Bounty]

Guess I got confused when everyone and their dog referred to this trailer-length movie preview as a "trailer". Silly me.

[McC]

Guess I got confused when everyone and their dog referred to this trailer-length movie preview as a "trailer". Silly me.

The terms are often interchangeable. Think about TDK, though. The first "trailer" (teaser) for the movie was just the bat logo with pieces being knocked out of it, to voice clips. It wasn't a trailer by any stretch of the imagination. Following trailers revealed much more about the plot of the movie, and worked to sell it. But the original teaser did nothing to sell the movie to people who wouldn't already be excited about it.

[Bounty]

The line's very blurry with this one, isn't it? Most teasers are, as you say, stylized affairs with maybe a few clips thrown in. This preview has finished footage, lots of it in fact, and only a few filler bits with the abstract watch gears. It's a teaser in spirit but not execution, so to speak.

[McC]

The line's very blurry with this one, isn't it? Most teasers are, as you say, stylized affairs with maybe a few clips thrown in. This preview has finished footage, lots of it in fact, and only a few filler bits with the abstract watch gears. It's a teaser in spirit but not execution, so to speak.

That's a reasonable point.

However, I think the short and (to a non-fan) obscure nature of the clips shown keep it within the realm of teaser. It's a flip book clip-show, which is usually a strong indication of a teaser.

[Adrian Laguna]

I just recently read the comics, and I can't say that any of the superheroes had any implied powers -- other than the obvious Dr. Manhattan. Ozymandias was a superb athlete and genius type (not unlike Batman, but without the psychological problems), Rorschach was a tough guy with a little deductive reasoning, Nite Owl was mostly a gadget man, etc. They were all above-average physical specimens, at the very least, and all seemed to be very well trained in combat techniques. Unlike most mainstream comics, though, the heroes of Watchmen actually fight dirty when they have to.

I don't know how you can say Ozymandias isn't super-human when the man caught a bullet with his bare hands, suffering only minor wounds. Not to mention that despite not being heavily build, he beat the crap out of the comedian and threw him out a window.

I agree that while Rorschach, like the Comedian, pushes the envelope but stays within the realm of reality. He is believable as just a human with innate skill and talent at fighting as well as superb physical condition. However I can't believe that there's nothing paranormal about Ozymandias, he is most definitely more capable than Batman, and Batman is known for really pushing it with his strength and endurance.

[Adrian Laguna]

BTW - I find it likely the wall that Blake is punching is made of plaster, not concrete, that's why it broke.

[SCRawl]

I just recently read the comics, and I can't say that any of the superheroes had any implied powers -- other than the obvious Dr. Manhattan. Ozymandias was a superb athlete and genius type (not unlike Batman, but without the psychological problems), Rorschach was a tough guy with a little deductive reasoning, Nite Owl was mostly a gadget man, etc. They were all above-average physical specimens, at the very least, and all seemed to be very well trained in combat techniques. Unlike most mainstream comics, though, the heroes of Watchmen actually fight dirty when they have to.

I don't know how you can say Ozymandias isn't super-human when the man caught a bullet with his bare hands, suffering only minor wounds. Not to mention that despite not being heavily build, he beat the crap out of the comedian and threw him out a window.

I agree that while Rorschach, like the Comedian, pushes the envelope but stays within the realm of reality. He is believable as just a human with innate skill and talent at fighting as well as superb physical condition. However I can't believe that there's nothing paranormal about Ozymandias, he is most definitely more capable than Batman, and Batman is known for really pushing it with his strength and endurance.

The first of your spoilerized feats is, certainly, almost laughable in its impossibility. While no human could ever possess the ability to do it routinely, one could imagine someone practicing such a feat, and prove able to do it, say, one time out of twenty. (One would practice with something nonlethal, I would think.)

The second feat you mention doesn't seem like a big deal to me. The Comedian was over 60, and therefore at least 15 years older than Veldt. And probably drunk at the time. Anyways, Ozy stated that he'd faced him before, had determined the best way to beat him, and employed it decades later. Hardly a stretch for a guy who's "The Smartest Man in the World".

[Admiral Valdemar]

Guess I got confused when everyone and their dog referred to this trailer-length movie preview as a "trailer". Silly me.

The terms are often interchangeable. Think about TDK, though. The first "trailer" (teaser) for the movie was just the bat logo with pieces being knocked out of it, to voice clips. It wasn't a trailer by any stretch of the imagination. Following trailers revealed much more about the plot of the movie, and worked to sell it. But the original teaser did nothing to sell the movie to people who wouldn't already be excited about it.

It's not that different to many other movies, actually. TDK is one with a classic teaser, but the previous film in that series had a teaser that showed a fair bit of footage and appealed only to those who knew the lore of Batman. In ways, you've got the two opposite extremes of a teaser trailer, with Watchmen sitting in the middle to an extent.

There will be another trailer, the damn thing doesn't come out for nearly a year, but I expect it will detail the actual story, no doubt with Rorschach's voice-over, rather than show random scenes again.

[Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba]

I just saw the trailer (before seeing The Dark Knight a third time...). I never read the graphic novel, and know absolutely nothing about it, so my opinions are based only on the trailer. And it looks god awful. The special effects were silly at best, horrible at worst. The characters/villains all looked goofy. The few lines of dialogue that they gave us were just stupid. I probably won't see it.

Er- it didn't give any lines of dialogue. I gave a part of one voice-over. Which, even if confused for dialogue, is still only one. And which special effects look bad to you? I'm interested.

[Ford Prefect]

I don't know how you can say Ozymandias isn't super-human when the man caught a bullet with his bare hands, suffering only minor wounds.

It should be noted that despite his comment to Owl about it, when he actually does it he is extremely astounded that he managed to do it.

Not to mention that despite not being heavily build, he beat the crap out of the comedian and threw him out a window.

While not exactly built like a fridge, to say that Veidt isn't heavily built is just silly. He's not huge, but he's certainly not lacking in the departments of height and muscle.

[Adrian Laguna]

I don't know how you can say Ozymandias isn't super-human when the man caught a bullet with his bare hands, suffering only minor wounds.

It should be noted that despite his comment to Owl about it, when he actually does it he is extremely astounded that he managed to do it.

Well yeah, he said, "I didn't think that would work." In all probability because it was so dammed dangerous he'd never done a real test. That doesn't change the fact that it's something I'd call flat out impossible.

[SCRawl]

I don't know how you can say Ozymandias isn't super-human when the man caught a bullet with his bare hands, suffering only minor wounds.

It should be noted that despite his comment to Owl about it, when he actually does it he is extremely astounded that he managed to do it.

Well yeah, he said, "I didn't think that would work." In all probability because it was so dammed dangerous he'd never done a real test. That doesn't change the fact that it's something I'd call flat out impossible.

The actual line is "There. Something else I wasn't sure would work."

Anyways, such a manoeuvre shouldn't be physically impossible -- just so stupidly difficult that it might as well be. I was way high in my earlier suggestion of how often someone might be realistically expected to pull it off, but relying on timing and really good reflexes, it should be possible to do. Better than the odds of dodging at that range? Probably not...

[Ziggy Stardust]

Er- it didn't give any lines of dialogue. I gave a part of one voice-over.

I mispoke, my bad.

Which, even if confused for dialogue, is still only one.

I thought I remember there being a couple voice-overs, but nevertheless, the line that was read was really awkward and silly.

And which special effects look bad to you? I'm interested.

All of the shots of whatever the hell that blue electric guy was. There were a couple of other ones, too, but I need to watch the teaser again.

[Bounty]

All of the shots of whatever the hell that blue electric guy was. There were a couple of other ones, too, but I need to watch the teaser again.

That blue electric guy looks virtually identical to how he did in the original comic. What exactly was wrong with it?

[Admiral Valdemar]

I thought I remember there being a couple voice-overs, but nevertheless, the line that was read was really awkward and silly.

"And the world will look up and shout 'Save us!', and I'll whisper 'No'."

How's that awkward or silly? And how is Dr. Manhattan looking exactly like he does in the graphic novel bad? Keep in mind that a lot of post-production work is still yet to be done, and even then, the shots shown were more than elegant and functional enough for the teaser.

[SCRawl]

I thought I remember there being a couple voice-overs, but nevertheless, the line that was read was really awkward and silly.

"And the world will look up and shout 'Save us!', and I'll whisper 'No'."

How's that awkward or silly? And how is Dr. Manhattan looking exactly like he does in the graphic novel bad? Keep in mind that a lot of post-production work is still yet to be done, and even then, the shots shown were more than elegant and functional enough for the teaser.

Ziggy's starting from a position of complete ignorance with respect to the original material. This is actually a useful perspective, as it's hard for someone who has read and appreciated the graphic novel to be completely objective about the film material. Nevertheless, suggesting that Dr. Manhattan's appearance can be chalked up to "silly" special effects is going too far; ignorance is only so useful.

[Admiral Valdemar]

It doesn't make sense even from a neutral perspective. The guy is a perfectly simulated male, like a blue Vitruvian man. That's not bad CGI at all, although the fact that he's blue and seemingly godlike might give others a few odd thoughts.