With the dust settled and Hollywood hindsight in sharp focus, there were clear winners at Comic-Con International, which ended last week in San Diego.
The makers of "Watchmen" are absolutely living up to the hype, while the wide-eyed "Twilight" team is just now realizing how huge the fan expectation is for its vampire romance. "The Spirit," meanwhile, quieted some of the anxieties of comic-book purists who have wondered why exactly Will Eisner's gentle noir needs a "Sin City" treatment, and the stylish "Max Payne," the upcoming video-game adaptation starring Mark Wahlberg, was a flat-out hit with surprised fans.
The biggest news, though, is that "Terminator Salvation" might actually live up to the second half of its title. The movie came to San Diego with a lot to prove. The killer-robot franchise looked pretty thin the last time it was on-screen in 2003, and new director McG has his share of skeptics. Star Christian Bale (or is it "Bail"?) didn't show up in San Diego -- he was caught up in an ugly family scrap in London.
Even with all that, the new "Terminator" got a huge ovation with its sinister and unsettling look and a story that combines elements of "Blade Runner" and "The Road Warrior." After the panel, I saw McG backstage and congratulated him on his smooth stage manner. He winced.
"I'm just trying to keep my lips shut these days, really; I want to let my films speak for themselves," he said. "I want to take me out of it. I need to do less talking. I don't want to be 'McG the cheerleader.' I'm just trying to grow as a filmmaker and let the films be judged."
It's a mature and savvy attitude for Joseph McGinty Nichol, who turns 40 this month. If he seems younger it's because his nickname and public enthusiasm have sometimes made him a target for people who have tagged him as more flash than substance.
You can sense that the "Charlie's Angels" director is on a more serious mission. The director and his team were in New Mexico shooting until 3 a.m. the night before San Diego. "And Sam [Worthington, one of the stars] cut . . . his hand. We only snoozed for about two hours, but, hey, we wouldn't have traded it for the world," he said. "This is what we want to do, bring this movie here and then bring it to the world."
It's elementary, dear Watson
