Poll: Anyone else prefer the Watchmen movie ending?

[Nautical Honors Society]

I read the graphic novel, and it was amazing. But the movie ending made so much more sense. Even the author praised the movie, so honestly it isn't that big of a deal.

Um, I'm pretty sure the author vowed never to see the movie after his previous works were ruined (in his opinion) on film. Could be wrong though.

He saw this one, and said "at least it was close to the novel."

Also, V for Vendetta was good...

 

[Daffy F]

I'm going to have to say comic, as I never saw the movie.

 

[escapistraptor]

The movie ending is the only thing that makes sense in this modern period. 9-11 was like a slightly scaled down version of the squid ending, what with a major attack on NY and a worldwide threat (aliens/terrorism), and we only had the world's sympathy for about 6 months. Not only is an attack on several nations more likely to make peace last, but the idea of the world living in fear of a god instead of aliens fits the franchise better.

 

[InsomniJack]

I prefer the comic version. But then again, I'd always choose the comic over the movie any day.

 

[gmer412]

I kinda prefer the book, but only because I read it first.

If you think about it, the giant squid ending really wouldn't have worked for the movie. It required all the newsstand scenes which would have been too awkward for the movie. All the setup about the author who had gone missing would need to be there.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

It's far too difficult to tie this to one or the other. Both had their strengths, both tie in nicely to the themes, but there are so many themes that neither one nor the other can be said to be truly better as such (in my opinion, of course.)

I like the movie ending, it works for the movie and ties things up without too many loose ends. I suppoe my only wonderment would be that the book ending would not work in the movie, but the movie ending would work for the book, suggesting that the movie ending is more versatile, but the rest of the book allows itself for more versatility.

In the end, impossible to call, I prefer neither, I just like the resolution of the story.

 

[RanD00M]

Both were great.But I liked the movie one more.

 

[Heathrow]

I prefer the comic even if the end is slightly out of the blue.

 

[Kiefer13]

I haven't actually read the graphic novel, but I have read about the differences in the endings between it and the film, and I have to say that having Dr Manhattan take the blame makes a lot more sense than "OMG GIANT SQUID". Like I said though, I haven't actually read the graphic novel, so I could be missing something.

 

[Cakes]

Oh, and why are we calling it a book when it is clearly a comic? I don't say that to imply a comic is in anyway inferior or less academic than a book. Quite the contrary in fact. I hate the term "graphic novel" because it implies that a "comic" must be a less adult, less intelligent product. If more people went around calling Watchemn of V for Vendetta a comic, people would respect the medium a lot more. "Graphic Novel" just sounds like a desperate attempt to get away from the childish image "comic" has, when instead people should refuse to reinforce such a view and treat comics like an adult entity. (well, some comics anyway).

There actually is a difference between a graphic novel and a regular comic, it's just that the term graphic novel is so horrifically misused that it's pretty much lost all meaning.

A graphic novel is a series that has a beginning, middle and end, as opposed to an ongoing series like Spider-Man. Watchmen is a graphic novel, as is V for Vendetta.

 

[Space Spoons]

I understand what Moore was shooting for when he wrote the original ending, but frankly, I think the movie's ending is much more relevant to today's audiences. On a personal level, I preferred the movie's ending because I always thought the book's ending seemed a bit... Well.. Ridiculous. Regardless of how convincing you can make an fake alien attack seem, it's still faking an alien invasion.

Belief in the existence of extra-terrestrial life life was a fringe belief in 1985, and still is today (whether or not it should be a fringe belief is another argument entirely). It just always struck me as odd that a man as smart as Veidt would try to pull off his scheme using something as immediately suspect as an alien invasion. It's basically asking skeptics to dig deeper into the circumstances of the situation.

 

[boholikeu]

He saw this one, and said "at least it was close to the novel."

Also, V for Vendetta was good...

I enjoyed V for Vendetta, but apparently Alan Moore hated it.

I like the movie ending, it works for the movie and ties things up without too many loose ends. I suppoe my only wonderment would be that the book ending would not work in the movie, but the movie ending would work for the book, suggesting that the movie ending is more versatile, but the rest of the book allows itself for more versatility.

Aside from simple versatility, I just think the movie ending works better thematically. It does change the message a bit, but I like how it ties everything together instead of coming out of almost nowhere.

It just always struck me as odd that a man as smart as Veidt would try to pull off his scheme using something as immediately suspect as an alien invasion. It's basically asking skeptics to dig deeper into the circumstances of the situation.

I always felt this way as well. It really seemed almost out of character for him.

 

[Mother Yeti]

The "alien" really dated the book, in my opinion, although it provided for some fun vaginal imagery. The movie's plot makes a lot more sense, given that Ozymandias' plan is predicated upon getting rid of Dr. Manhattan anyway.

 

[Good morning blues]

I found the idea that people would buy Dr. Manhattan turning on them more readily than attack by giant psychic alien octopuses much more credible. Additionally, a giant psychic alien octopus just wouldn't have worked in the medium of film; it wouldn't have moved, it just would have sat there and looked silly. The movie's ending was definitely a better ending for a Watchmen movie, and I think also would have been better for the book as well.

 

[ribonuge]

People who say the movie ending was better make me sad. So very, very sad.

 

[Soxafloppin]

Never read the book, but i honestly dont like the idea of a giant squid.

 

[XJ-0461]

I prefereed the comic ending. It seems like it would be a better rallying point than Doctor Manhatten getting the blame.

 

[evilartist]

Tough to say, really...
I wish there was a third poll option, because I find them both pretty acceptable. One gives Dr. Manhattan direct plot involvement, and the other is more plausible in terms of two nations uniting under fear of something they don't understand or comprehend. Either ending is doable.

 

[userwhoquitthesite]

Everyone who says the movie ending is better is stupid. I am ashamed of you all.

Yes, the Dr. Manhattan ending fits a MOVIE better, because the other ending would have taken another hour and less coherent shooting to set up. Then no one except people that knew the book first would have been able to follow it (although pandering to moviegoer stupidity is still morally reprehensible in my book, it DID have to make some money).

The psychic bomb, on the other hand, fits better with the theme of Watchmen overall. It also makes more sense. "Shit, under attack from an extraplanetary adversary, we'd better all team up to fight it" makes a helluva lot more sense than "Shit, superman said we aren't allowed to fight anymore, we'd better not in case he's looking"

Plus, the comic book didn't have Nite Owl fag fuck foul FOWLing up the tragic and heroic death of one of the best characters ever created. So comic book book ending is clearly better.

rawr