Watchmen: Ultimate Cut + Graphic Novel (BD) (2009)

The director's cut runs about 25 minutes longer, and incorporates more elements from the comics, adds more violence, as well as more shots of Dr. Manhatten's schlong. Some of the previous scenes are reworked with additional dialogue. Information has been supported by sites such as AICN etc.

Overall, the storyline and conversations are better fleshed out, and this version is truer to the comics. The largest additional addition is that of Hollis Mason's death, which is spectacularly directed to the score of the Intermezzo from the opera Cavalleria Rusticana (think Godfather III).

(1) Rorschach gets additional dialogue, some straight from the comics.

(2) When Rorschach searches the Comedian's apartment shortly after the opening scene, he encounters two cops still stationed there. He fights briefly with them before jumping back out the window.

(3) Conversation between Dan and Rorschach (beans scene) is extended.

(4) All flashbacks extended, with the exception of Sally's.

(5) Dr. Manhatten discussing the symbol on his forehead. Additional questions in the face to face with Dr. Manhatten. Dan and Hollis watch Dr. Manhatten go crazy on their TV set.

(6) Laurie getting interrogated by the military as they try to determine Dr. M's whereabouts (on Mars). Alessandro Juliani's (Lt. Gaeta from Battlestar Galactica) scene has been reinserted. He plays one of the scientists who bursts in during the interrogation of Laurie to tell the military that they've located Dr. M on Mars.

(7) Probably the biggest addition is the depiction of Hollis Mason's death at the hands of the knot heads. Interestingly, the death is done from poor Hollis' POV, where he imagines himself fighting the gangsters of the 1940s. He delivers left and right hooks to Captain Evil, before being done in by "Moloch". The score for the death scene is very fitting.

(8) Dan taking revenge on an isolated knot head at a bar, post Hollis' death. It's a brutal revenge.

(9) The shootout by hired hitman Roy Chess is much more brutale.g. more blood and gore, fingers blown off.

(10) Conversation between Dr. Long and Rorschach is extended.

(11) Longer jail-break scene with arguments between Rorschach and Laurie. Prison guards open fire on Dan's ship.

(12) Longer conversation between Dr. M and L on Mars.

(13) Riot scene is longer with more conversation between the Comedian and the rioters.

(14) Agent Forbes (Fulvio Cecere) has a larger role as the government agent in charge of handling all the Watchmen.

This is THE version to get. It feels complete.

Finally, Zac Synder's vision as it was meant to be. I can't believe they milked the DVD release for literally ever last penny they could. Nevertheless, I am incredibly pleased to own 'Watchmen: the Ultimate Cut'.

The Set Includes:

Disc 1

Watchmen, the Ultimate Cut (1080p/VC-1 Transfer, 215min)

Commentary from Zac Snyder and Dave Gibbons (Explains everything from prop inspirations to plot alterations)

BD Live

Disc 2

The Phenomenon: The Comic That Changed Comics (HD 25min)

Real Super Heroes, Real Vigilantes (HD 26min)

Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic World (HD 17min)

Watchmen: Video Journals (HD 36mmin)

Under the Hood (HD 38min)

Story Within a Story: The Books of Watchmen (HD 36min)

My Chemical Romance, 'Desolation Row' Music Video (HD, 3min)

Disc 3

Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comics (1080p/VC-1 Transfer, 325).

Watchmen Video Journal, Dave Gibbons (HD 3min)

Wonder Woman Sneak Peak (SD 10min)

Disc 4

Bonus Digital Copy (Not Blu-ray)Digital Copy of the Theatrical Version. (Not Blu-Ray, Expires November 2010)

WARNING:

Disc 1 does not include 'Watchmen' WITHOUT 'the Black Freighter' integrated. The digital copy may somewhat compensate for this, but if you're still not satisfied, you'll have to purchase the 'Director's Cut' and 'the Black Freighter' separetely.

'The Ultimate Cut':

With 'The Black Freighter' interwoven into segments throughout the film, it extends the movie to over three and a half hours long and fills in the missing pieces from the graphic novel along with a few other small live-action scenes, that weren't in the 'Director's Cut' and that bookend the 'comic within a comic', making it all the more magnificently epic and unique. And the extra material is massive, analytic and comprehensive, which is only fair to the fans, who feel milked and cheated, or who just love the 'Watchmen'.

'The Black Freighter' is a grim tale that parallels the lives of different Watchmen, particularly Veidt's and Rorschach's, and their compulsion to fight evil everywhere they think they find it, blinded to the consequences of their actions. Tremendously beautiful yet raw and simplistic animation and the voice of Gerald Butler, bring this intriguing and fan-favorite aspect of the story to life, but it's the effective and pragmatic interweaving of it, that reflects on the Watchmen and stays true to the original source.

In order to match the significance and caliber of the graphic novel, the cinematic version had to embody every thematic nuance and concept behind the 'Watchmen', yet still understand itself as a medium and push the limits of it's own boundaries. And if the 'Theatrical Cut' didn't than that's exactly what the 'Ultimate Cut' does.

The notion of a fluid time-line, explored by Dr. Manhattan's character and the story's complex degree of structuralism is as prevalent as ever. The dark realities of nuclear weapons and humanity's abuse of great power are portrayed in the film through the superhero genre as effectively as they are in Moore's literary masterpiece. The alternative chronology of Cold-War America, defined mostly by the social acceptance of costumed vigilantes, the existence of a superhuman, victory in Vietnam, an endless Nixon presidency and proliferating social rot, reflects upon actual history with profound relevance and cleverly parodies it as well. The cast of talented but unfamilair actors embraces the moral, emotional and psychological aspects of their characters, and the 'Watchmen' universe is equally fleshed out with over 200 elaborate and painstakingly detailed movie sets, that are literally straight out of the comic.

Inevitably, the plot is altered but constructed in a possibly more coherent manner, due to the controversial but practical trade of the bio-engineered squid fore an even more diabolical scheme to frame Dr. Manhattan. Also somewhat diverting from the novel, Snyder pays homage to the 80's inserting a few of his own era-specific grace notes via time-capsule references to Lee Iacocca and "The McLaughlin Group, the film's Reagan generation-friendly soundtrack, head-nods to films like 'Brazil' and 'Apocalypse Now, and capturing the fear and uncertainty felt during the Cold War .

The films depiction of brutality transcends the standard Hollywood repertory of effects; it is more like a cause, a principle.. an ideology. Snyder's marriage to violence exposes the shallow nihilism lurking beneath the intellectual and sophisticated pretensions of 'Watchmen'.

'Watchmen' is a post-modern tale about costumed vigilantes with complicated and true-to-life psychological profiles and a man with god-like earth-shaking powers, trying to function in a world without hope , and it was said to have been impossible to film. Some tried, and failed before they even began. It's probably a miracle it took decades to make the movie, Zac Snyder was the right man to do it.

The film is uncompromising, uncommercial, and unprecedented. It's the 'Watchmen' movie you always wanted, but never thought you'd get, but now, even more so. All the gritty crime-noir, political satire, superhero mythology and science fiction is still there, so unless you forgot or missed the most ambitious, most reverent, most obsessively faithful (to a point) cinematic adaptation of a graphic novel ever and all the stunning and innovative movie magic and gore-porn that went with it, then there won't be much else new for you to get your hopes up for.

O, except maybe for the 3 additional discs with extra material. The Box it comes in, is pretty snazzy and durable too.

I love 'Watchmen: the Ultimate Cut'. I'm glad I bought it. If you're a fan of the 'Watchmen', and need the complete version of the film, then you'll love it and be glad you bought it too.

Buy Watchmen: Ultimate Cut + Graphic Novel (BD) (2009) Now

This edition is an improvement over the theatrical release and is closer to the book. My only disappointment related to this edition was that I opened the package to find a coupon for the ULTIMATE edition, which is to be released Decemberish. The next (and I hope final) version will have the Black Freighter story woven into the main story as it is in the book. If you don't want multiple versions of this film, hold off buying until the end of the year.

I agree with the other reviewers who note the film's ending is an improvement over the book's. It just makes more sense in the context of the story. This is not a knock on Mr. Moore, of whom I am a big fan.

I don't understand the folks who are so down on this film, unless it is that they just had the wrong expectations and/or didn't do their homework before watching it. It was never meant to be another Spiderman, Superman or Hulk story.

Kudos to Mr. Moore. Kudos for the team who produced this film.

Read Best Reviews of Watchmen: Ultimate Cut + Graphic Novel (BD) (2009) Here

This is just to point out something not mentioned in the description. As you know, this comes with an exclusive Nite Owl Ship.

First, it looks cool. Nice details, looks 'properly used'. But here's the thing. After I unpacked it I noticed a slip of paper at the bottom of the box. It described how to replace the batteries in the Nite Owl Ship. Wait... BATTERIES?

So I then discovered the ship is made to easily come off it's stand. Under it there is a battery compartment. It requires a small Phillips head to open. I opened it to confirm... yup a battery compartment with two batteries!

But for the life of me I could not figure out what the Nite Owl Ship was suppose to do! I saw no switch. So I even tried talking to it... nope, no voice recognition.

*** spoiler **

Finally... I figured out the top plate (circular on the very top) is a hidden switch! You press it... and it lights up (detail lights and bright main front lights)! And, for about 5-10 seconds... it makes the SOUNDS of the Nite Owl Ship flying around! The lights stay on until you press the hidden switch again...

This ended up being much more than advertised! :)

And of course the movie is great... but you already know that (or else what the heck are you reading this for)!!!

Want Watchmen: Ultimate Cut + Graphic Novel (BD) (2009) Discount?

Geez, it looks like in April we will be getting the official "Watchmen: The 'This is really the final cut, I'm serious guys' Cut". Or so I thought. I am a huge fan of the Watchmen universeI read the graphic novel twice, I saw the movie on opening night at the theatre, I bought the Director's Cut on Blu-Ray when it got released. Then I went and bought this when it got released. Greed getting the best of me, I think so.

I was pretty damn amazed when I saw it in the theater. Then when I got it on Blu-Ray, I felt like I had seen a totally different movie (in a good way) with it being the director's cutIt had better pacing, an extra 23 minutes to tie the loose ends, and in the end it was a satisfaction. And then I got this.

For one, the packaging is nice and lovely to hold and look at, and to disassemble it is exciting too, just like when the director's cut of Sin City got released back in 2005, which came with the graphic novel, which was a nice little classy touch. However, in terms of content, this is nothing new. It is essentially the director's cut with "Tales of the Black Freighter" shoved in there.

The problem with it is that it's just unnecessary. TOTBF does nothing but just extends its length, and not in a good way. The movie was already long enough with the 3 hour 6 minute Director's cut. The runtime of the Ultimate Cut is 212 minutes, almost an hour longer than the theatre cut. And the TOTBF just creates an awkward transition from the movie scenes to the animated scenes. Every time the TOTBF scenes come in, they take you out of the movie, thus makeing it hard to enjoy.

Another problem is that the TOTBF scenes ruin any ambiguity there is to Veidt's plan. It basically tells whoever hasn't seen the movie and is watching it for the first time that Veidt's plan is doomed to failthat he will murder 15 million people and try to cover it up by making Dr. Manhattan look responsible. It also tries to spoonfeed the "good versus evil" cliche to kids under 12 watching the movie. Rorschach good! Veidt bad! The comic let you decide who's good/bad, yet the UC spoonfeeds it to you.

Picture quality is amazing (and I am speaking for both the DC and the UC here since they both have the same picture quality); I remember when The Dark Knight came out on blu-ray and people were oh-so-swayed by its supposedly amazing picture quality yet I couldn't get my mind past the failed attempts to recapture the IMAX scenes, the distracting edge enhancement and the shifting F-stop in some scenes. Whereas Watchmen looks vintage and sharpa lovely film grain enhances the 80s feel of the movie, the colors are really vibrant (especially in the Dr. Manhattan scenes and Laurie's coat in the "Forest room" interrogation scenes). The Audio is fantastic toothough not different than the DC.

In short, it is worth purchasing, but for the packaging only.