# Watchmen: The Movie (reviews and spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 19, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579 "2009-02-19T18:47:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/21 "2009-02-20T17:57:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yes, the whole meme that none of the other Watchmen have superpowers is bogus. Ozymandias has powers that no real person has. Traditionally, there is a distinction between: A. Powers portrayed as though any biologically normal human being could attain them with enough practice B. Powers portrayed as though biologically normal human beings could not attain them even with practice. I just read Watchmen, and it seemed pretty clear that everyone but Dr. Manhattan was portrayed as having powers only of type A, not of type B. This includes Ozymandias. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/22 "2009-02-20T18:22:12Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I just read Watchmen, and it seemed pretty clear that everyone but Dr. Manhattan was portrayed as having powers only of type A, not of type B. This includes Ozymandias. Yes. If Watchmen were portrayed as taking place in our world, then Ozzy’s abilities would count as superhuman. But it’s not, and within the Watchmen universe, they merely represent the pinnacle of human achievement. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/23 "2009-02-20T18:30:56Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Yes. If Watchmen were portrayed as taking place in our world, then Ozzy’s abilities would count as superhuman. But it’s not, and within the Watchmen universe, they merely represent the pinnacle of human achievement. Welll… not to quibble, but I’m not convinced that the Watchmen universe is supposed to be distinctive by virtue of the capabilities of its biologically normal human beings. In other words, I think human capabilities are being portrayed in the comic as being no different from actual human capabilities. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/24 "2009-02-20T18:39:06Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Welll… not to quibble, but I’m not convinced that the Watchmen universe is supposed to be distinctive by virtue of the capabilities of its biologically normal human beings. In other words, I think human capabilities are being portrayed in the comic as being no different from actual human capabilities. No, it’s not a distinction point that is made, but still, the conclusion that since Ozymandias does something that’s not possible for a human, therefore he must have superpowers doesn’t work _even if_ it is actually something impossible for human beings in the real world – within the narrative, he is clearly a non-superpowered character. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/25 "2009-02-20T18:50:31Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > No, it’s not a distinction point that is made, but still, the conclusion that since Ozymandias does something that’s not possible for a human, therefore he must have superpowers doesn’t work _even if_ it is actually something impossible for human beings in the real world – within the narrative, he is clearly a non-superpowered character. “does something that’s not possible for a human” is pretty much a definition of a superpower. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/26 "2009-02-20T19:06:48Z")
I think them not having powers hurts the book for me (sorry but this is a personal issue and I don’t mean to start a flame war). A 16 year old girl, no matter how well trained would be useless in most situations. I think giving them all a modicum of ultra human powers would have made more sense particularly given the ending. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/27 "2009-02-20T19:21:47Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > “does something that’s not possible for a human” is pretty much a definition of a superpower. “…in the real world.” Jeez, is it ‘bring your inner pedant to work’ day today? If he’s meant to have no superpowers in the narrative, he can leap over tall buildings for all I’m concerned, he still doesn’t have superpowers. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/28 "2009-02-20T19:24:23Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > A 16 year old girl, no matter how well trained would be useless in most situations. Both a more sweeping and trivial generalization than you probably meant. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/29 "2009-02-20T19:49:00Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Wait what? It’s clearly established in the comics that Ozymandias is by far the most powerful of the heroes (discounting Doc Manhattan). Even Rorschach writes in his journal … (That next should probably be spoilered, presumably some people will see the movie that haven’t read the graphic novel.) What I mean to say is that as Ozymandias’ character is developed, there’s a sharp contrast there. Don’t think about what you know about the character, remember how he appeared when you first read it. He “sold out,” became preoccupied with commercial pursuits, seems a bit of an intellectual dilettante, and a half-measure of Siegried & Roy presenting the _image_ of a hero in the most cartoony way possible, and then, when the narrative narrows in on him… “Wait, what?” ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/30 "2009-02-20T19:52:41Z")
I had my doubts about the quality of the movie the second I saw the release date. Studios just don’t release movies that they believe in in early March, and at this point the studios should all believe in a comic book movie. Shame, I was really really hoping that they just didn’t understand it and that it would be brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/31 "2009-02-20T20:15:04Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I had my doubts about the quality of the movie the second I saw the release date. Studios just don’t release movies that they believe in in early March, and at this point the studios should all believe in a comic book movie. Shame, I was really really hoping that they just didn’t understand it and that it would be brilliant. That may be a consequences of the rights dispute with Fox. Which, by the way, I actually admire. What Fox did was gruesome but brilliant. They could have made a stink when they first heard about it. This would hav delayed the movie indefinitely, and the makers would have probably lost interst in the project. Instead, they waited until it had been fully made, was ready to go, and then made a fuss. Ths way, they actually get a cut of something substantial. It’s almost cruel, but effective. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/32 "2009-02-20T21:14:40Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I had my doubts about the quality of the movie the second I saw the release date. Studios just don’t release movies that they believe in in early March, and at this point the studios should all believe in a comic book movie. Shame, I was really really hoping that they just didn’t understand it and that it would be brilliant. I don’t think that a March release date is necessarily a warning sign. And one big reason for the March release date is that **300** made a domestic gross of $210 million two years ago. The studio probably thought March would work well for another Zach Synder comic book movie. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/33 "2009-02-20T21:43:50Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > That may be a consequences of the rights dispute with Fox. > > Which, by the way, I actually admire. What Fox did was gruesome but brilliant. They could have made a stink when they first heard about it. This would hav delayed the movie indefinitely, and the makers would have probably lost interst in the project. Instead, they waited until it had been fully made, was ready to go, and then made a fuss. Ths way, they actually get a cut of something substantial. It’s almost cruel, but effective. Does anyone have a quick and dirty synopsis of the legal dispute? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/34 "2009-02-20T22:12:19Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I read the comic a long time ago. It made no appreciable impact on me, probably because I didn’t understand or care about the politics, and because I think superhero comics are lame. > > I therefore have no interest in this movie, but am curious to see if the so-called “unfilmable” story has been pulled off. > > Wil Wheaton seems to [think so](http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2009/02/spoiler-alert-watchmen-is-fucking-awesome.html), if his opinion matters any. > [@Linked Blog](#): > > Then the studio came to him after 300 and asked him to make the movie. He didn’t want to do it at first, partially because he was so afraid he’d screw it up, but also because the script was just horrible. It was set in the current day, it was about Doctor Manhattan going to Iraq, something about “The War on Terror” and was a PG-13 monstrosity that would be left open to a sequel. It was, in other words, exactly the kind of thing we’re so afraid the studios will do to things we love when they adapt them for film. So, even as we prepare to bitch and complain, let’s at least be glad we didn’t get _that_. I’m amazed a major studio was willing to release an R-rated superhero movie. In fact, I want everybody, just for a moment, to imagine the movie being set in modern times, PG-13, and directed by Michael Bay. That about that; let it soak in. Maybe Zack Snyder ain’t so bad, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Discordia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Discordia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Discordia)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/35 "2009-02-20T22:18:12Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Does anyone have a quick and dirty synopsis of the legal dispute? The [all knowing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchmen_(film)) Wikipedia does, of course 😉 Sounds messy. Think I’ll wait to see a few more reviews, since Kevin Smith and Wil Wheaton, probably others (haven’t been following it too closely) think it’s awesome. Perhaps one of those polarising films. And Ozymandias totally has superpowers. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/36 "2009-02-24T17:23:35Z")
Things are looking up! Good reviews on [RottenTomatoes.com](http://RottenTomatoes.com) (80% Fresh as of 2/24): [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/watchmen/](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/watchmen/) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/37 "2009-02-24T18:23:06Z")
A lot of good reactions linked to on [AICN](http://www.aintitcool.com/node/40214). The fanboy sites all seem to like it. There’s a reader review on AICN which assures us that Snyder has kept things dark and faithful. Apparently, the movie even retains Dr. Manhattan’s “swinging blue cock.” I’m kind of amazed that the studio let him make a 3 hour, R-rated superhero movie with dick shots and kids getting their faces eaten off by dogs, but I’m going to be there opening night. Malin Ackerman looks unbelievably, excruciatingly hot in that Silk Spectre suit, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/38 "2009-02-24T19:14:35Z")
I still say Ozymandias does NOT have superpowers. Rorschach’s comment about him being the most dangerous, or whatever, has to do with Ozy’s _mental_ acuity. Remember the story, “The Most Dangerous Game?” Humans the “most dangerous” animals to hunt not because of strength, or speed, but because they are _smart_. I took Rorschach’s assessment of Ozy to mean that he is smarter than anyone else, that’s why he’s so dangerous. And surely, that’s the way his character is written. His intelligence, also, allows him to control his own mind in such a way that he can physically train his body and senses to do amazing things. He’s basically a ninja. In the scene re: the bullet, he even says– “That’s another thing I wasn’t sure would ever work.” Plus, he was bleeding. Now, Mythbusters has made clear to us that such things _aren’t_ possible, though for a long time they’ve been considered maybe just plausible enough that given the right circumstances, the right reflexes, and specific technique maybe it could be done. I think it was clear that the Watchmen universe didn’t contain people with superpowers. Dr. Manhattan changed things significantly. Ozy is different from the others, but he’s a _supergenius_, which allows him superior powers of concentration, meditation, bodily control, etc. that he uses to maintain superior physical condition to everyone else. But do I think there’s anything _meta_physical to his abilities: no. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/39 "2009-02-24T19:22:45Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Apparently, the movie even retains Dr. Manhattan’s “swinging blue cock.” Retains? While it was certainly blue in the book, it was by no means ‘swinging.’ Like a sad little snail peeking out of its shell. Let’s just hope he was waiting to manipulate his matter once things got hot and heavy… ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579/40 "2009-02-24T23:33:38Z")
By the way, it’s been a while since I read it, was there any explanation of why nobody ever tried to recreate the experiment leading to giving Doc Manhattan his powers, or else why it didn’t work? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watchmen-the-movie-reviews-and-spoilers/486579.md?page=3)