For People Who Have Not Read The Book

[Camisado]

I am starting to get really annoyed by people complaining the movie is so confusing when they haven't even read the book. (No on the boards, people I know) I went to it with a good friend of mine and kept having to answer his questions for almost every scene. IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING WATCHING THE MOVIE AND HAVE NOT YET READ IT, please, please read it, it will make so much more sense to you and will make the movie twice as enjoyable. Thank you.

 

[akfj]

Should it have been necessary for people to have to read the book beforehand? Or could it have been made in a way that was more accessible to general audiences while still touching on all the important moments and themes of the book?

 

[Camisado]

Should it have been necessary for people to have to read the book beforehand? Or could it have been made in a way that was more accessible to general audiences while still touching on all the important moments and themes of the book?

Well I am not saying people have to read the book. I really respect Snyder for sticking to the books original story for almost all the movie. So I will say, if you get a chance, read the book, if not, it's not a must do type of thing it will just make the movie easier to understand and more enjoyable IMO

 

[LostSon88]

I didn't read the book and I followed the movie perfectly fine.

Everyone's different.

 

[Drizzle]

While I think you can understand the movie perfectly without reading the book, I do believe that if you read the book first, you would enjoy it more.

 

[[A]]

some people say the movie is confusing..? whaaaa..!??!?!??!!!!?!?!111''?'?'1'2'2

 

[DeGenerate10]

I never read but I didn't find it confusing at all. Great movie all around

 

[DACrowe]

I've seen it two times and each time I saw it, it was with people who hadn't read the book. They had a few small plot lapses and threads they needed to be expanded upon because they missed it or it was not in the movie, but they both ENJOYED the film and understood it.

With that said this thread's point is ridiculous. No film should EVER require you read the book first. In fact, the best movies based on literature reach the same level of importance or a greater level of transformation for the audience that gives them lasting impact. No one was saying you had to read The Godfather to enjoy the films, or Jaws, or Psycho, or Lord of the Rings, etc.

The book I don't think is a prerequesite for the movie. But if you've read the book, I think you're inclined to like the movie more (or dislike it more if you are unsatisfied). However, that is a WEAKNESS OF THE FILM not the viewer.

 

[Ryudoz]

Saw it again Monday night, this time with my wife, and she had no trouble following it. She's read the first two pages of the book and thought it was boring. Plus, she's hardly what I would call a "deep thinker". So if she could follow it and understand it, that's enough for me.

 

[Cadetak]

Having to read the source material to understand a movie is ridiculous. If you have to do that then that means the movie isn't very good, bad film making. Plenty of movies have bin made were you didn't have to read the source material to understand the plot.

 

[Bren]

I never read but I didn't find it confusing at all. Great movie all around

Agreed, for my Wife and I both.

 

[PierreS]

I never read the book either,


And I completely understood it,

I mean, there's probably some stuff I missed because I did not read the book but for the most part IT WAS EASY TO FOLLOW.

What was so hard to understand about the plot??

So what if I don't know the whole roster of the Minuteman or Ozymandias' pet??

I still understood the whole thing.


And I loved the film!!!!

Anyways,

I've heard 80% from the book was in the film.


What was the 20% from the book that wasn't in the film besides the Squid ending??

 

[Kane52630]

I never read but I didn't find it confusing at all. Great movie all around

thats great to hear, are you going to read it since you like the movie?

 

[OctaviusINC]

The only thing that I felt would be a bit confusing to non-readers would be the appearance of Bubastis towards the end of the film. I know my friend whom never read the book was a bit confused when she was onscreen. Other then that, it's pretty much all laid out in a accessible way.Sure, readers will probably understand things a bit more, but maybe only a bit.

 

[Kane52630]

The only thing that I felt would be a bit confusing to non-readers would be the appearance of Bubastis towards the end of the film. I know my friend whom never read the book was a bit confused when she was onscreen. Other then that, it's pretty much all laid out in a accessible way.Sure, readers will probably understand things a bit more, but maybe only a bit.

yea, my friends was questioning why Bubastis, or that "cat thing" was there
i had to explain it since i read the novel and they havent

 

[PLAS]

I never read the book either,


And I completely understood it,

I mean, there's probably some stuff I missed because I did not read the book but for the most part IT WAS EASY TO FOLLOW.

What was so hard to understand about the plot??

So what if I don't know the whole roster of the Minuteman or Ozymandias' pet??

I still understood the whole thing.


And I loved the film!!!!

Anyways,

I've heard 80% from the book was in the film.


What was the 20% from the book that wasn't in the film besides the Squid ending??

mostly subplots
the squid ending
the missing people subplot
the detectives' story
tales of the black freighter
the corner of doom subplots (newsstands, center for extra spatial studies, Gordian knot, etc)
the emphasis on Nova Express and New Frontiersman
Hollis Manson's fate
the subtle commentary on heroes' sexuality

most of these were explored throughout the movie, but not as deep as they were on the GN, and most of them could be added seamlessly in a DC or EE

 

[Raiden]

My brother never read the GN, but he seemed to like it overall (had a few nitpicks with the movie's ending until I explained it to him).

 

[Shivsguy616]

None of my friends found it confucing. It was all well explained throughout the film.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Personally, if you have to read the book in order to understand the movie, the movie failed at doing it's job. And i think the movie succeeded in it's job in being a great story, clear and very understandable.

Though there may be some concerns, like with Bubastis's sudden appearance and what not. But if that honestly hinders the film going experience, it's the fault of the viewer, not the film. That said, i'm almost positive that Bubastis will be explained in the director's cut. Atleast i'm hoping so. I always liked that scene.

 

[darkseid26]

i friend of mine who hadn't read the GN didn't like it. his excuse Bubastis took him out the film. i got mad and told him, It wasn't a 100ft blue guy killing vietcong with the point of his finger or a naked Dr. Manhattan on mars building a crystal palace, but a genetically altered lynx with antlers... not a really a large stretch thou

 

[Cosmic]

You shouldn't have to read the book to enjoy or understand the movie. And yet, even people on these forums, who are familiar with the book, commonly admit to having issues with the pacing of the story and various other things. There's a lot going on this movie, and some important themes and different key aspects only get lightly touched upon. It shouldn't be too hard to sympathize with someone having problems putting it all together.

 

[Darthkush]

I didn't read the book and I followed the movie perfectly fine.

Everyone's different.

That's because you have an brain. I can understand people who didn't read the book not liking it, but what annoys me is these people who "didn't understand" it. Book or no, it might be Adult, but it's not that complicated. It really isn't.

 

[Sparta*]

If you read the book you'll notice a lot more things in the movie and understand a lot more stuff that isn't quite said

 

[tzarinna]

So far I know three people who have seen it and have never read the book. One has a hard time with really long movies and missed a few things, and was confused with character names. So it was hard trying to explain things to her since she had no idea who I was talking about. I directed her to Wikipedia, but she insists on aggravating the **** out of me. She does want to read it, and wants to see the movie again with me. I really want to see it again by myself though.

My boyfriend was familiar with the GN, never read it, but knew all about Rorschach and thought he was spot on. He loved the movie, I hope he'll read the book soon.

Another friend, thought it was too dark, and was just confused on the entire concept. There's no helping him.

 

[SuperFerret]

I think the book is the more confusing of the two. Granted, I had an understanding of the book well before the movie even came out, but I did have to reread it a few times to fully grasp it all.