Comments on: The Squid is Out

By: Stephen Schleicher

Stephen Schleicher — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:47:19 +0000

I think you guys are misinterpreting my words :P For a film, Wanted was enjoyable enough. As a comic book adaptation it was terrible.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:15:43 +0000

Yeah, seriously Wanted? The startling announcement that the fucking squid is out, almost pales in comparison to the fact that you liked Wanted… You have lost all credibiliy in my book.

By: sunshine superman

sunshine superman — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 06:26:54 +0000

the squids kinda like the war on terror, if people believe that then i dont see why it wouldnt have worked.. a stupid but effective plan.

By: ~wyntermute~

~wyntermute~ — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:55:27 +0000

Randall sums things up pretty durn well, I gotta say. The subplot involving the squid is, indeed, perhaps too “subtle” for the average movie-goer… I knew the story before reading the print version, and still had to take an extra read-through to put all the squiddy-bits together (at which point I had a minor brain aneurysm due to the sheer brilliance of it all). But movies are “broad strokes” generally, and not “fine lines”… Like every other movie that’s been changed from book form, the “new” ending will probably do just barely enough to explain away continuity AS PRESENTED IN THE MOVIE, but will leave “readers” going “well, it doesn’t explain that, and where did this go, and blah blah blah.”

By: Randallw

Randallw — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:13:00 +0000

Graciela has a point. I would have like to see the squid, but you can’t do anything about it so I don’t let it bother me.

It does introduce problems though. Wasn’t a subplot that various artists, scientists and people who were working on creating a bio-engineered squid went missing. I guess you could still have physicists go missing. Also, wasn’t the whole point of framing Dr Manhattan as a cause of Cancer to get him to leave Earth because he might stop the teleport stuff. Why would they want to make their scapegoat leave beforehand?. You also won’t have the pages where everyone who was mind blasted lie around the streets with the squid phased into a nearby building. If it’s a energy ray instead or something won’t that just blow up New York. I guess Alan Moore was right, the changes you have to make to make it as a movie sacrifices the elements that worked as a comic.

By: Ricco

Ricco — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:51:37 +0000

So, Rorschach will get killed why then? To keep the fact Dr. Manhattan is not dangerous!?
Wasn’t the whole point of the squid to join everyone against a danger no one could be blamed for? If Giant Smurf is the “bad guy” won’t the rest of the world blame the USA for creating him in the first place? How does that prevent WWIII?

I knew they’d probably remove things like the pirate comic and probably the news stand all together, the Comedian getting his scar and other stuff like that, but everything revolves around the creation and release of the squid… I hope they can pull it off, but I don’t see how.

By: Propane

Propane — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:54:52 +0000

That’s really disappointing news =( The squid could have still worked really well. The entire point of the squid – if I’m correct here – was that it was the most ridiculous attack plan ever.

I’ll still pay to see the movie, but the ending will probably feel like 2 hours of sex with no ‘finish’ =\

By: Dr. Pants

Dr. Pants — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:38:45 +0000

So you’re the one the Loom of Fate decided would like the “Wanted” movie. I wondered when you’re show up.

By: Graciela

Graciela — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:38:15 +0000

I hope I don’t get crucified, but I totally agree that it should be out. For the fans it would’ve been great but the average person, whose entire exposure to the Watchmen world will be the movie, will be challenged by the believability and climax of a “squid” psychic attack. Some things just cannot be translated to film and I think this is one of them.

By: Kirby

Kirby — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:56:11 +0000

Also, yes the squid works in Watchmen, but it took like five readings to figure out where Ozzy Davis got it from, and plus on the big screen it would look ridiculous.

By: Dr. Bolty

Dr. Bolty — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:41:08 +0000

I can see why they’d go for a Dr. Manhattan-as-menace idea instead of the squid. It streamlines the plot and keeps the foreshadowing together – the foreshadowing for the squid was really sparse and consists of the most otherwise skippable parts of a very long book. I think it’s a time issue moreso than a “believability” issue, and that this change is necessary to trim Watchmen down to movie length. It allows for the themes and characterization to remain intact around a change that allows for more plot-integrated foreshadowing.