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Watchmen (2009)
Watchmen (2009) poster

Watchmen (2009)

Mystery, Action, Science Fiction • 2h 43m

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Malin Åkerman, Patrick Wilson, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Carla Gugino, Laura Mennell, Matt Frewer, Stephen McHattie, Rob LaBelle, Gary Houston, James M. Connor, Mary Ann Burger, John Shaw, Robert Wisden, Jerry Wasserman, Don Thompson, Frank Novak, Sean Allan, Garry Chalk, Stephanie Belding, Michael Kopsa, William S. Taylor, Chris Burns, Malcolm Scott, Danny Wattley, Nhi Do, Walter Addison, David MacKay, Keith Martin Gordey, Fulvio Cecere, Ted Cole, Mark Acheson, John Destry, Chris Gauthier, L. Harvey Gold, Jay Brazeau, Jesse Reid, Manoj Sood, Dan Payne, Niall Matter, Apollonia Vanova, Glenn Ennis, Darryl Scheelar, Clint Carleton, Brett Stimely, Carrie Genzel, Greg Travis, Greg Armstrong-Morris, Andrew Colthart, Bruce Crawford, Sal Sortino, Eli Snyder, Lori Watt, Tony Bardach, John Kobylka, Carmen Lavigne, J.R. Killigrew, Steven Stojkovic, Martin Reiss, Frank Cassini, John R. Taylor, Tara Frederick, Daryl Shuttleworth, Jaryd Heydrick, Ron Chartier, Carly Bentall, Matt Drake, Haley Guiel, Sonya Salomaa, Tyler McClendon, Salli Saffioti, Neil Schell, Michael Eklund, Deborah Finkel, Louis Chirillo, Marsha Regis, Patrick Sabongui, John Tench, Santo Lombardo, Jason Schombing, Darren Shahlavi, Marshall Virtue, Colin Lawrence, Chris Weber, Alessandro Juliani, Alison Araya, Sahar Biniaz, Matthew Harrison, Bernadeta Wrobel, Youri Obryvtchenko, Heidi Iro, Kit Noon, Parm Soor, Cristina Menz, Lynn Colliar, Tony Ali, Katie Bennison, Ian Farthing, Calvin Lee, Alexander Mandra, Isabelle Champeau, Ashley O'Connell, Mark Gash, Suzanne E. Smith, Agam Darshi, Tom McBeath, Kevin McNulty, Mark Docherty, Clay St. Thomas, Dale Wolfe, Ken Tremblett, Dawn Chubai, Manuelita Kinsey, Tamara Stanners, Sahara Davis, Dave Hospes, Greig Hospes, Ali Dunn, Jeffrey Frieler, Kurt Evans, Sylvesta Stuart, Terence Kelly, Mi-Jung Lee, Ted Friend, Tiffany Burns, Michael Adamthwaite, Danny Woodburn, Zack Snyder, Clay Enos

Best English-friendly & video release

Theatrical: Some of the International Paramount BDs

Director's Cut: US WB or International Paramount Blu-ray?
Ultimate Cut: US WB or International Paramount 4K Blu-ray?

Video notes:

(Paramount 4K Blu-ray has Dolby Vision but different colors compared to the WB)

Updated 1 year ago


About the film

In a gritty and alternate 1985, the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown. But after one of the masked veterans is brutally murdered, an investigation into the killer is initiated. The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so they uncover a sinister plot that puts all of humanity in grave danger.

Alternative Titles
Watchmen: Ultimate Cut, Watchmen: The IMAX Experience, Watchmen Director's Cut, Watchmen The Ultimate Cut

More from Zack Snyder

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Director: Zack Snyder

Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray
Caveat: No Dolby Vision metadata

Additional Info:

Justice is Grey Edition (black-and-white version) is exclusive to HBO MAX 4K Streaming

Director: Zack Snyder

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The Complete Experience Blu-ray has more extras

Director: Zack Snyder

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Director: Zack Snyder

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Regular AR: 2016 WB 4K Blu-ray

IMAX Version: 2021 WB 4K Blu-ray

Director: Zack Snyder

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Director: Zack Snyder

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Scream Factory 4K Blu-ray

More from Warner Bros

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Director: Steve Gordon

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB Blu-ray

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB 4K

Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

An undeniably significant improvement from the BD yet still severely flawed. See DFIC's review.

Best Audio:

1984 MGM Hi-Fi VHS

Director: Frank Darabont

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

2021 WB 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

2008 US Blu-ray 5.1

Audio Notes:

(the 2021 4K's 5.1 was flawed, with unnecessary bad tweaking)

Director: Sam Peckinpah

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion Blu-ray or WB DVD depending on the cut.

Best Video:

First Preview (Turner): Germany Plaion Blu-ray

Second Preview (Final Preview): Germany Plaion Blu-ray

Theatrical: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

2005 Cut: WB DVD

2024 Cut: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Directors: Ernest B. Schoedsack & Merian C. Cooper

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB Blu-ray

Director: Orson Welles

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · blah-ray.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

WB Europe 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

WB Europe 4K Blu-ray slightly better encoding than Criterion (caveat: missing Criterion extras)

Director: Sylvester Stallone

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Bros 2024 Ultimate Knockout Collection 4K Blu-ray/ Warner Bros 2023 Knockout Collection 4K Blu-ray (replacement disc)

Additional Info:

All foreign language tracks were pitched too low, replacement disc and Ultimate Knockout Collection disc fixed the error. 

The Steelbook and UK standard edition are the same disc as the 2023 knockout collection. 

Director: Sylvester Stallone

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

2024 Ultimate Knockout Collection Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray Box Set 

Video Notes:

2024 Ultimate Knockout Collection Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray Box Set > 2023 Knockout Collection 4K Blu-ray

2023 disc has a brief moment where the aspect ratio changes from 1.85:1 to 1.78:1, 2024 release fixed the error

Additional Info:

Both cuts of the movie are on the same disc and don’t appear to be seamlessly branched. 

The Steelbook and UK standard edition are the same disc as the 2023 knockout collection.

Director: John G. Avildsen

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Bros 2024 Ultimate Knockout Collection 4K Blu-ray/ Warner Bros 2023 Knockout Collection 4K Blu-ray (replacement disc)

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Original Mono: Ultimate Knockout Collection/Knockout Collection replacement disc

Audio Notes:

Original Mono: Ultimate Knockout Collection/Knockout Collection replacement disc > Knockout collection original.

The Mono mix on the initial release of the Knockout Collection is a stereo fold-down of the 5.1, it also has a missing piano cue. The replacement disc and the ultimate knockout version fixed the error. 

Additional Info:

The Steelbook and UK standard edition is the same disc as the 2023 knockout collection.

Director: Sylvester Stallone

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Bros 2024 Ultimate Knockout Collection 4K Blu-ray/ Warner Bros 2023 Knockout Collection 4K Blu-ray (replacement disc)

Additional Info:

Original Knockout Collection release had its 5.1 mix pitched too low, replacement disc and Ultimate Knockout Collection fixed the error. 

The Steelbook and UK standard edition are the same disc as the 2023 knockout collection.

More Mystery on Blu-ray

Director: Roman Polanski

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

UK 4K teased by 88 Films https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=24252379

Video Notes:

Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray > Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray (better encode on Carlotta without any low-pass filtering, more extras and English subtitles on Vinegar Syndrome)

Director: Roy Del Ruth

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration of the original 3D left eye and right eye camera negatives

Director: Jonathan Demme

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Vinegar Syndrome/Cinématographe 4K

Sources: vitalpassenger.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

FiM are mistakenly credited, one of the four known instances of this for a Cinématographe title (the other three being Thieves Like Us, Who Killed Teddy Bear?, and The Gambler). 4K encode was done by Vital Passenger.  https://vitalpassenger.com/our-work

Director: Buster Keaton

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber new Seven Chances / Sherlock Jr. Blu-ray?

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

MoC 4K Blu-ray late 2027

Video Notes:

Lobster Films (Kino Lorber?) > Cohen/Eureka https://slow.pics/c/3KWXoMyR The new Kino Lorber's Seven Chances / Sherlock Jr. might be using the same restoration as Lobster Films

TV series

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Best Video:

Germany Nameless Blu-ray

For uncut Dream Cruise: Germany Splendid Film standalone Blu-ray?

Video Notes:

Germany Nameless collection is uncut except Dream Cruise

Director: Doug Liman

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly & Video:

US Cut: US Universal HD-DVD

International Cut: International Universal HD-DVD

Video Notes:

The Universal Blu-ray is slightly filtered and DNR'd compared to the HD-DVD, and the Universal 4K Blu-ray, on top of being upscaled, adds additional DNR and is softer than both previous HD releases.

Best Audio:

Universal Blu-ray DTS-HD 5.1

Additional Info:

Versions:
- The International version contains a short additional scene (part of the "Farmhouse" extended scene from the special features). See additional detail below.
- The US version does not contain this scene during the film. Director Doug Liman confirms in his audio commentary that the scene was cut from the original US theatrical release "for time".
- "The Explosive Extended Edition" found on some DVD releases is not an alternate cut of the film, simply an access mode that plays "The Bookend Scenes" features via non-seamless branching.

Deck the Halls scene:
The U.S. release is 118:17 while the European/Australian/Japanese releases are 118:36. There is no difference between the two running times from the start, but at 81:21, the U.S. version cuts from a kitchen scene of Marie and Eamon washing dishes, to a scene of Eamon bringing blankets to Jason and Marie. On the European/Australian releases, at the same point, there is a scene of Jason, Marie, Eamon and his children eating dinner while "Deck the Halls" plays in the background. There is no dialogue, the characters just each exchange uncomfortable glances. The scene goes to 81:40, then picks up the same scene of Eamon bringing blankets. This scene is included as an extra ("Farmhouse" extended scene) albeit sans the holiday themed music. Many thanks to Rewind user Mark Bowen for comparing these releases and letting us know the difference.

Director: David Fincher

Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

20th Century Studios Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Digipack release includes an Amazing Amy book the standard edition doesn’t have.

Director: Stanley Kubrick

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the WB release without the filtering; WB 4K early pressing has errors of a shot, later pressings fixed. Comparison between Criterion and WB.

Best Audio:

6-Track 70mm mix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray (restored for the box set), 1997 MGM LaserDisc, 1998 MGM DVD
35mm Mono Mix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Matrixed Stereo Remix: MGM Japan LaserDisc (1985) [G158F5509]
5.1 Remix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Alexandre Aja

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly:

US Lionsgate Limited 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Lionsgate Limited, France ESC, or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray?

Video Notes:

Germany Plaion is reportedly better than UK Second Sight.

Not sure about the US Lionsgate or France ESC.

Director: Ryuhei Kitamura

Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical Cut: Austria NSM Blu-ray
Director's Cut: US Lionsgate Blu-ray

Best Video:

Theatrical Cut: Austria NSM Blu-ray
Director's Cut: France Metropolitan Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Metropolitan got better picture (higher bitrate + better grain + more detail) than Lionsgate

Best Audio:

Director's Cut: US Lionsgate Blu-ray

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Researched and maintained by

tyyux

· last reviewed 1 year ago

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