>MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD<
After spending a few hours yesterday reading all the online fan comments on Watchmen, I realized that the film has been significantly altered from the graphic novel. (yeah, yeah everyone knows that.) Some of the changes were needed to trim the story down into a shorter runtime, other changes included subtle alterations in the main characters mannerism’s and abilities. Overall there was one change that everyone exposed to the graphic novel had an opinion on, the way the film ended.
To recap the films ending, Ozymandias used the Dr Manhattan reactors to cause massive explosions killing millions in major cites across America and Russia. In effect blaming Dr Manhattan, and using fear to unite the world in peace. Manhattan goes along with this, as he sees it as the best outcome after the fact.
In the graphic novel, Ozymandias uses a teleportation device to transport a giant alien squid into the heart of New York. Humans haven’t perfected teleportation quite yet and when the squid rematerialises it explodes killing hundreds of thousands of people. As a result, the world believes this is the beginning of a massive alien invasion. Russia backs down and the world unites to take on the alien threat.
That ending was removed by Zack Snyder for numerous reasons a few (that I’ve read), it would have been too jarring and new fans wouldn’t get it.
Now we all know that there will be a directors cut of the film, and possibly a extreme version with everything put back in.
But we will never see the “Giant Squid” ending.
After reading up on the graphic novel ending I have to say that I would have preferred the giant squid. It doesn’t throw me, it actually would have been very cool to see that ending. I can imagine a Cloverfield size squid exploding in a massive alien fireball. The alternate ending worked, but I now after the fact, I wish that Snyder had kept the graphic novel ending intact. I can’t tell you how many superhero comics take on alien intruders. What’s the big deal (pun intended)?
Anyway I want to know what you think? Would you have changed the ending, would you have changed anything at all? Were the characters accurately portrayed, was the dialog rewritten to often, did the rape scene bug you? Here’s your chance to sound off on how you would have done things differently…..