Watchmen: A Clock Without A Craftsman 

I like how in the book Dr Manhattan was asked why he didn't save JFK and he explained that John was being shot at the same time they first shook hands; meaning that experiencing all time all at once is to exist in a information paradox.

The Watchmen comic is a miracle, totally unrepeatable, and this movie, while clumsy and confused at times works great as a homage. Everybody knows that it cannot be topped, it can only be admired

“The film is Eyes Wide Shut, while the book is the parody from Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Genius!

dude, that edit you did where Dr. Manhattan voices over the meeting between Lori and Dan while changing scenes was smooth af

You know, Laurie attacking straight to thr camera could have added a whole new meaning to the scene in a very cinematic way, but we cut away too early for that to work. It would've been great to see the glass shattering from the other side of the glass.

In the end, the movie made more people who aren't comic fans or Moore fans aware of the graphic novel, and maybe even inspired sales to go up, which might have made them admire the original and see how unfocused the movie is. The graphic novel will never go out of print. That's the best thing about the movie; it's an excellent ad for the novel.

"The reality is that for anyone to decide to go out in the streets wearing a costume to beat up criminals, they are inherently weird... This is the point of Watchmen: dressing up in costumes is silly" One of the most basic and central themes to the book that I think both the movie and HBO series missed. This is an excellent video, I think all the points you made here are perfectly presented and spot on

I love your re-edit at 13:40 Makes it feel like you're peering through time with Dr. Manhattan

He's the one Who like all our pretty songs And he likes to sing along And he likes to shoot his gun But he don't know what it means

I think like most people there's a complicated relationship with Watchmen, and the musical bits with montage does take some away, but I will say I loved the opening. It was a great way to establish the passage of time, the consequences, and the time period. Zack Snyder did do a great job at that. Just wish it could have been a mini series at least, there's so much intricacy and detail it would never have been able to fit in a film.

I remember watching this movie years ago, having no prior knowledge of The Watchmen. After watching this video, I think I'll give the graphic novel a read.

Holy shit that edit of the Jon/Laurie/Dan scene is great

It's the only movie really that has something to do with superheroes that I actually liked. It was amazingly flawed, but at the same time, I liked it. I can't explain why.

14:14 I watched Watchmen in the theaters with friends who had never read the book and they walked out of the theater thinking every Watchmen had super powers. They came out of the movie asking questions like _"Aside from super intelligence does Ozymandias have super speed like the Flash? I mean that scene where there was the attempted assasination he just strolled through those executives before the gunman could even pull the trigger and calmly knocked him out. He had to have super speed right?_ (One also tapped me on the arm and asked _"He's the bad guy right?"_ The MOMENT Adrian appeared with that psuedo Transatlantic-British-German accent and mustache twirling demeanor instead of the sad and troubled man bearing the weight of the world from the comics.) _Did every Watchmen have super strength? Rorschach is coming back right? He must has Wolverine healing abilities since he got up from those vicious beatings? Does his magic mask grant him those abilities? What's the origin behind his magic mask?"_

Considering Reznor is now scoring the series, it's quite a lovely coincidence that an excerpt of "Pilgrimage" kicks in at about 8:14.

18:14 Okay so this muffled, somewhat distorted version of All Along The Watchtower seems ever more chilling. You see the bodies piled and one of the most powerful people in existence saying "he can't do anything" I honestly think there needs to be a remake, but with more gritty but unflattering moments. But the impending doom is perfect. And I think that covers it perfectly. Straight out of a horror film

I'd pay money to see your own feature-length edit of Zack Snyder's Watchmen tbh. Those scenes were kickass.

And yet, I think it's Snyder's best movie. I do admire him for trying to film the purportedly "unfilmable" ones. Both "Watchmen" and "300" are books that fit the feature film format very poorly (for different reasons) but he still went for it and made a surprisingly decent action flick here. I think it does look better when compared to the other Snyder movies than with the original book, though.

"I don't read the words, I just like when he punches people" - Bart Simpson. "This will look cool" - Zack Snyder.

The 1990 TMNT movie is criminally underrated. I consider it one of the best graphic novel adaptations of all time.

For years I was never able to fully articulate the reason why the watchmen movie felt odd to me, thank you so much, this was beautiful! However, I would have also liked if you included that lack in subtlety in small details, like showing the Who Watches The Watchmen sign in full

Hands down best Watchmen 'review' on the entire platform

Amazing video lad. It's very well made, well argued, and quite thorough. I'm amazed at how well you managed to present the problems I've had with the movie, and even bring more stuff to my attention. Truly a phenomenal video essay

i think zack snyder working from the perspective of hollis mason is the only way he could’ve adapted a comic like watchmen as a film and kept (a majority) of its integrity

I read the graphic novel long before the film, and I knew the film would not be the comic, or truly great. But the film was great in it's own way, and offer's a lot. If general audiences can't or couldn't get something out it, that's their loss & problem.

Oh my god, the comparison of the book/movie of Watchmen to Eyes Wide Shut and Always Sunny is so unexpected but so perfect!

I feel like the opening fight between The Comedian and you-know-who sums up the problem with Snyder. First, the comic shows The Comedian is dead before it shows any of the fight itself. When reading the fight scene in the original, I get a feeling of despair and futility. This is a pitiful, broken down old man who is putting up a hopeless fight against a superior opponent. Snyder looks at that, and what he sees is a wicked cool action scene!

I love the whole idea that Zack Snyder, a libertarian, would make this movie a comic book that bashed libertarian ideas. Rorschach is supposed to be a character based on Ayn Rand ideas (she is a heavy libertarian influence) and Alan Moore turned him into a psychotic mass murdering lunatic that is sexually confused. Alan Moore did show pity on the guy by giving him a real sob story that makes you sympathies with him (he did the same with the Joker) but still, he made it clear that Rorschach was insane pathetic anti-hero.

Understand this, as a filmmaker myself, we are ARTIST. We create as well as adapt. It is in our blood. Now, when comics or books are adapted, it is important to still have creative freedom on the things we adapt. Because if not, we are just stealing a story and saying "I want money from this too". Take batman and take the Dark Knight trilogy. Those were darker than any other Batman comics I read, even the dark ones. But it was Christopher Nolan's dream allied with the Batman stories that made it great. For watchmen, I think Snyder showed Moores work amazingly while also showing his love and potential as a director, and that's why I love it.

This might be the best video essay on the film and book I've seen. Good job!

I still really love the Watchmen movie

tfw you just finished Watchmen, just started Slaughterhouse-Five, and are in the middle of watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex before watching this video. Fantastic essay, and god tier taste, my friend.

I think the opening montage is probably one of my favorite scenes in any movie

I actually like the film for trying to do something different, Snyder's problem though is that he is obsessed with a certain style (slow motion and unnecessary combat). What if Sam Mendes did this film, would it be better? I don't think a faithful adaptation is possible.

The movie was as good as a hollywood film version of it could be. Its Snyders best film.

Shame it took almost a year for this to come up in my recommendations.

A pale imitation of a great comic is still good. I can still enjoy the movie yet understand its many shortcomings which you described quite well.

After finishing this video, I scrolled to see how many views it had.. This piece of work is extremely underrated, you've earned a new sub sir! Amazing film but clearly has it's flaws, of which you pointed out unbiasedly which a lot of people cannot do nowadays with films.

A lot of people seem to forget how many studios dumped the screenplay and refused to make the movie calling the novel "unadaptable". Of course Snyder had to "action-movie" it up, or else the graphic novel wouldnt have even a shred of the popularity it does now. The movie is just as good as it needs to be to appeal to comic movie fans while adding just enough from the novel to interest hardcore Watchmen fans

Another amazing video! This taught me some subtle (and not so subtle) differences between film and comic mediums that can’t really be interchanged. Very strong re-edits and a very clever ending! Also loved the montage and dialogue overlay starting at 18:13, it really works!

I never thought I would say this but your essay made me think "Snyder was right". I think the comparisons between the movie and comic are perfectly right but I love that the movie works so well as a movie and leaves the parts of the comic commenting on exactly that. Like Alan moore's nightmares of what "regular" people leave his work with ideas of. Art belongs to and individual but every time it is used becomes more homogeneous. Slick but more of a neutral taste. I think whether Snyder was trying to prove this point (which lets be honest isnt)the way the film was made only reinforces the ideas in the novels. What more can I ask for?

Alright, it’s time to tackle the show and by tackle I mean a video essay about its brilliance

the best chill-hop video essay channel.

i didnt expect to be watching a dozen Jesse Tribble videos this week, but here I am. After the absolutely spot-on House analysis I am hooked.

The ending bit made me laugh out loud. Brilliant video man!

all of your points are well made, including the point were i still love it

I'm writing an essay on film adaptation of other media for school and I'm 200% gonna reference your analysis in this video bro, this is dope, thank you.

So essentially, the Watchmen movie is a Cargo Cult watchmen. It replicates the superficial look in an attempt to replicate the deeper meaning.

The Comedian's fight scene/death serves a second purpose, though: Part of his character is that his savagery made him the most effective of the Minutemen. In their youth, he's said to have beaten Ozymandias (who thinks of himself as the perfect man) in a fight. Ozy could have poisoned the Comedian or something, but he showed up to kill him personally as a private rematch. The fight shows that (1) the Comedian is a very dangerous man, (2) Ozymandias' methodical violence trounces C's savagery, and (3) Ozy is still petty enough to want to settle the score.

Watchmen was and still is my favorite "Super Hero Movie"

We like what you did with the trimmed edit. It was a bit 'naughty' how you ended this video, but we agree. Zack Snyder did a faithful frame-by-frame retelling of the graphic novel Watchmen and in doing so raped the meaning. Accidentally, leaving room for further analysis and appreciation of the source material, rather than the film.

I noticed that in the graphic novel several times Rorschach will be speaking while the panels will be showing something unrelated, almost like a narration within the novel.

This is an amazingly detailed and considered video essay. Really enjoyed your points of view!

Jesus, this channel is criminally under subscribed to. That was one of the best video essays I've ever watched. Seriously, and I have watched a ton Just Write, Lessons from the Screenplay, Nerdwriter, Lindsay Ellis, Every Frame a Painting... on and on. Typing that out I realize I might have a problem... Anyways, that was a wonderful watch and interesting insights into both the book and adaptation. Also, like you, I read the comic and watched the film. I should, and in some ways do, dislike the film. Yet, for whatever reason, I do enjoy it and have watched it multiple times and felt entertained. I think that might be the problem. It succeeds at being an entertaining film but fails at being a deep philosophical masterpiece like the material it's adapting. Which, in all fairness, might be too high and expectation to place on anything but that begs the question, "Why would you adapt it at all if there's no way to maintain or improve the quality?" The answer, obviously, is money. It's always money. The fans of the book are a in built audience that will do the leg work of getting word out about a film being made if it's a property that they love. That's always a good place to start for any project. That's one of the reason superheroes are so popular at all. (Hot take, I know, right?) Though I completely fall for it every time. Right now it's "His Dark Materials" for HBO. If you've read the books you know how good the story is and if you haven't then I'm telling you, right now, that you should. (I'm proselytizing a story that's anti-proselytizing.) So, TLDR, I love your channel, your analysis, and the media you choose to discuss. I don't like your sub count. It needs to be way, way, way higher and now I'll not rest until I do some legwork to make you more popular!

That fucking last clip was poetic and fucking hilarious. Thank you for pointing out the things about this movie that bothered me but I couldn’t quantify

your re-edits are FANTASTIC holy cow

Woo I just subscribed and notice you had made a video 5 hours after I did! Your stuff is so great can't wait for more!!! Okay so I wanted to add to your video. I saw the movie before I read the comic and I loved it. It looked cool, aesthetically amazing, it respectfully /tries/ to take its time with scenes/moments, and it made you really care about its characters despite them not being completely likable. However, after I read the graphic novel I was like ".... oh so this is why Alan Moore didn't want his name in the movie." As a stand alone, like you said its done pretty well. But I agree a big flaw was the movie strangely chooses and disregards parts it wants to from the comic. The references fly over audience's head who are not familiar with the comic. It can actually make it distracting not understanding why that happened or this showed up. I think the movie was made just a bit early. Watchmen was made just before the intense wave of mainstream comic influenced movies. Disney is pumping out so many Marvel movies and has turned into a crazy corporate machine (I guess some can argue its always been that way). If Watchmen was made 5 or 10 years after it was originally made, I'm sure it would've been able to use its medium better. Because Watchmen didn't have the wave of Marvel movies, it was a movie adaptation of a comic that was parodying comics. But it was made later, I think it could've done a better job of parodying recent comic movies the way the comic did it to comics.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the new watchmen series

Ahh good journalism is another art always in places where you don't expect it. Just like Alan Moore putting his talent in comic book form.

Dude, you are a genius! Its beautiful to see you do your thing. Thanks.

Shout out for playing one of my favorite NIИ songs.

I almost wish you had your own edition of the film with how well those edits work.

You make incredibly captivating videos, thank you.

Great review! I’m also a huge fan of the graphic novel, but I gotta say, I still love this movie

I was recommended this exactly 1 year too late.

Really fantastic video, man. Felt like you really understood the topic and criticized the movie without bashing it needlessly. Great edits btw

Great video! Loved the re-edits.

I LOVE your alternate edits!

Goddamn how is this video still sitting at such a low view count, this needs to get some promotion or something :)

I'd consider myself the general audience, and this film absolutely worked for me. It's my favourite comic book film bar none.

Binging your channel and I gotta say these videos are A+

Oh man, props for you Such a great video Don't know much about Watchmen, but it kept me interested all the way through

I enjoy the Manhattan segments of watchmen

The movie is good, the comic is a masterpiece

Dude. I've been sampling your videos and that last bit sealed the deal on the subscribe. Great work!

Just started watching your videos. I may have ran across them in the past, but I just took notice. I love you. Subscribed.

Well, I’m impressed. Great review sir!

I want to congratulate you on making the one video essay on watchmen that opens saying explicitly why it is essentially a comic book, why the form of watchmen can't be divorced of it's content, explaining the best formal exercises of Gibbons and Moore, and the comic book history that informs what Moore means with the story. And for all of this to be included in half of a 20 minute video shows how a good lecturer you are. I would disagree with your take that Dan's breakdown is an improvement, i think it is one more example of the script and direction guiding the characters to a more heroic version of themselves. In the comic, the fact that all those colorful super heroes were so scared of the nuclear Armageddon that they prefered to go along Veidt's plan (after some hesitation, of course) instead of doing what we morally expect of a super hero, and that the deranged and psychotic Rorschach is the only one who acts "heroically", but it comes out of his unpractical and dangerous moral absolutism, that we have seen before informing horrible acts by him, is very much part of what Watchmen wants to say about super heroes. I think it is incoherent for movie Dan to be so antagonizing and self confident towards Veidt and to still be part of the conspiracy to keep his "utopia". I also disagree about Holis Mason's death. The point of it, much like the Comedian's death, is to show how the violent lives of these weird people end violently, and without glamour, the comic putting Hollis beating side by side a romanticized Golden Age like comic fight to explicitly put in question the violence. In the movie's death scene, Mason is glorified. Loved the video, wish you the best!

I just watched this for the second time after 3 years. It's brilliant, my favourite video essay film review.

I also watched the film before reading the graphic novel. I guess I never really thought this deeply about it but I do like both.

First off, I just stumbled into your channel and have so far been absolutely delighted with your content. I love finding a creator before they get popular. Nothing is more tragically pretentious than being a RU-vid Hipster like myself. Anywho keep up the good work. Second, I never read the comic. Caught the movie while it was steaming on HBOgo a while back and enjoyed it. Proceeded to download the Directors Cut because more is always better I thought. I couldn’t make it through. If I knew the source material I might could have at least appreciated it, but the pirate cartoon absolutely killed the pacing. I never finished it.

nice use of the nin sample!

13:43 That transition was one of the best I've ever seen. It's actually perfect.

Thanks Jesse, Great Work! Great 20 mins of my life!

Still love the movie, brought me to the comic and I very like the stylish slow scenes to a fine tune of music.

This was one of the best video essays ive ever seen, keep them coming man!

It's crazy, but after watching Watchmen, it actually got me started with comics. That's when I read the Watchmen comic. The comic remains one of the greatest comics of all time, right by Kingdom Come and The Dark Knight Returns. I loved the movie when it came out. Yes, it was long, but the cinematography, the visual effects, as well as the storyline were really top-tier. It's a shame that this movie came out before the superhero-craze in Hollywood. Just like Hancock, Superman Returns, The Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk, this movie was panned and not considered serious. But I'm glad that after all this time, these movies are considered great, and in the case of Watchmen, a masterpiece

*Rorschach walking past Dan and Laurie sitting in the restaurant*

Love the use of Pilgrimage from NIN.

This channel is criminally underrated. Amazing video, helped me understand more about what was missing from the adaptation aside from simple cuts for time. Subscribed my dude keep it up

Your analysis and scene edits were legit

Thank you for making this video.

I get the critique, I just don't think that the movie necessarily has to convey the same message as the original comic book. The movie doesn't take anything away from the comic book and should be enjoyed as it's own piece of media. The movie certainly does work on its own. An occasional weird reference to something from the comic book does not take away from that.

I personally love the movie more than the comic, but maybe bc I saw the movie first b4 reading the comic

Your statement about Snyder, that he "can't help himself" but make every character a cool sexy action hero even when it runs counter to the message of the story, perfectly encapsulates why I always have such difficulty taking his movies seriously. I think he has a lot of passion for making films, and I do genuinely respect the man for the hard work he's clearly put in, but it always comes off as, I dunno... a little juvenile? Like, he's made some quality movies in the past (the Dawn of the Dead remake was pretty good imo), but he always seems to get bogged down in this sort of self-imposed "rule of cool" every time he makes a superhero movie specifically.

I love your edit. It was amazing

I absolutely adored the film, best adaptation ever made imo.

To me the biggest offender of Snyders MO clashing with the sources intention is the apartment fire scene. In the novel, NO ans SS fly down in Archie, squirt a little fire suppressent, and SS helps the civilians on Archie via a plank. Once on, NO plays some easy listening music to calm peoples nerves and SS brews coffee for everyone. in the film, NO shoots a BADDASS MINIGUN at a water tower and SS BREAKS THROUGH THE ROOF SUPER EPIC STYLE WITH FIRE BEHIND HER, they help the civilians on and SS OUTRUNS A FUCKING FIREBALL IN SLOW MO AND JUMPS ON ARCHIE JUST IN TIME LIKE A BOSS!!! NO and SS were meant to just be well-equipped good Samaritans who treat saving people like a normal public service, not the gang from the later F&F movies

Love the edits.

I think it works better than you give it credit for, but I also understand and agree with just about every you've said. I've shown this movie to a few people who have no idea who these characters are, and I myself am not very versed in it, and only know then second hand, not from their own comics, but through the media I watch and consume, and I've yet to have people not understand the majority of the concepts and ideas. Does it lose a lot of stuff from the comics? Sure. Could it be better or fixed or made to stand alone? Sure. But it doesn't have to, it still works how it is, and it's a great movie honestly.