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MysteryActionScience Fiction

Watchmen

- Justice is coming to all of us. No matter what we do.

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.

Release Date : 2009-03-04

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Warner Bros. PicturesParamount PicturesLegendary PicturesDCLawrence Gordon ProductionsLloyd Levin Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Watchmen: Ultimate CutWatchmen: The IMAX ExperienceWatchmen Director's CutWatchmen The Ultimate Cut

Cast

Malin Åkerman

Character Name : Laurie Jupiter / Silk Spectre II

Original Name : Malin Åkerman

Gender : Female

Patrick Wilson

Character Name : Dan Dreiberg / Nite Owl II

Original Name : Patrick Wilson

Gender : Male

Billy Crudup

Character Name : Jon Osterman / Dr. Manhattan

Original Name : Billy Crudup

Gender : Male

Matthew Goode

Character Name : Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias

Original Name : Matthew Goode

Gender : Male

Jackie Earle Haley

Character Name : Walter Kovacs / Rorschach

Original Name : Jackie Earle Haley

Gender : Male

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Character Name : Edward Blake / The Comedian

Original Name : Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Gender : Male

Carla Gugino

Character Name : Sally Jupiter / Silk Spectre

Original Name : Carla Gugino

Gender : Female

Laura Mennell

Character Name : Janey Slater

Original Name : Laura Mennell

Gender : Female

Matt Frewer

Character Name : Edgar Jacobi / Moloch the Mystic

Original Name : Matt Frewer

Gender : Male

Stephen McHattie

Character Name : Hollis Mason / Nite Owl

Original Name : Stephen McHattie

Gender : Male

Rob LaBelle

Character Name : Wally Weaver

Original Name : Rob LaBelle

Gender : Male

Gary Houston

Character Name : John McLaughlin

Original Name : Gary Houston

Gender : Male

James M. Connor

Character Name : Pat Buchanan

Original Name : James M. Connor

Gender : Male

Mary Ann Burger

Character Name : Eleanor Clift

Original Name : Mary Ann Burger

Gender : Female

John Shaw

Character Name : Doug Roth

Original Name : John Shaw

Gender : Male

Robert Wisden

Character Name : Richard Nixon

Original Name : Robert Wisden

Gender : Male

Jerry Wasserman

Character Name : Detective Fine

Original Name : Jerry Wasserman

Gender : Male

Don Thompson

Character Name : Detective Gallagher

Original Name : Don Thompson

Gender : Male

Frank Novak

Character Name : Henry Kissinger

Original Name : Frank Novak

Gender : Male

Sean Allan

Character Name : Norad General #1

Original Name : Sean Allan

Gender : Male

Garry Chalk

Character Name : NORAD General

Original Name : Garry Chalk

Gender : Male

Stephanie Belding

Character Name : Janet Black

Original Name : Stephanie Belding

Gender : Female

Michael Kopsa

Character Name : Paul Klein

Original Name : Michael Kopsa

Gender : Male

William S. Taylor

Character Name : Prison Psychiatrist

Original Name : William S. Taylor

Gender : Male

Chris Burns

Character Name : Dumb Thug

Original Name : Chris Burns

Gender : Male

Malcolm Scott

Character Name : Fat Thug

Original Name : Malcolm Scott

Gender : Male

Danny Wattley

Character Name : Huge Prisoner

Original Name : Danny Wattley

Gender : Male

Nhi Do

Character Name : Vietnamese Girl

Original Name : Nhi Do

Gender : Female

Walter Addison

Character Name : Lee Iacocca

Original Name : Walter Addison

Gender : Male

David MacKay

Character Name : Child Murderer

Original Name : David MacKay

Gender : Male

Keith Martin Gordey

Character Name : Auto CEO

Original Name : Keith Martin Gordey

Gender : Male

Fulvio Cecere

Character Name : Agent Forbes

Original Name : Fulvio Cecere

Gender : Male

Ted Cole

Character Name : Dick Cavett

Original Name : Ted Cole

Gender : Male

Mark Acheson

Character Name : Large Man At Happy Harry's

Original Name : Mark Acheson

Gender : Male

John Destry

Character Name : Happy Harry's Bartender

Original Name : John Destry

Gender : Male

Chris Gauthier

Character Name : Seynour

Original Name : Chris Gauthier

Gender : Male

L. Harvey Gold

Character Name : New Frontiersman Editor

Original Name : L. Harvey Gold

Gender : Male

Jay Brazeau

Character Name : News Vendor

Original Name : Jay Brazeau

Gender : Male

Jesse Reid

Character Name : Teenager at Newsstand

Original Name : Jesse Reid

Gender : Male

Manoj Sood

Character Name : Karnak Scientist

Original Name : Manoj Sood

Gender : Male

Dan Payne

Character Name : Dollar Bill

Original Name : Dan Payne

Gender : Male

Niall Matter

Character Name : Mothman

Original Name : Niall Matter

Gender : Male

Apollonia Vanova

Character Name : Silhouette

Original Name : Apollonia Vanova

Gender : Female

Glenn Ennis

Character Name : Hooded Justice

Original Name : Glenn Ennis

Gender : Male

Darryl Scheelar

Character Name : Captain Metropolis

Original Name : Darryl Scheelar

Gender : Male

Clint Carleton

Character Name : Young Hollis Mason

Original Name : Clint Carleton

Gender : Male

Brett Stimely

Character Name : John F. Kennedy

Original Name : Brett Stimely

Gender : Male

Carrie Genzel

Character Name : Jackie Kennedy

Original Name : Carrie Genzel

Gender : Female

Greg Travis

Character Name : Andy Warhol

Original Name : Greg Travis

Gender : Male

Greg Armstrong-Morris

Character Name : Truman Capote

Original Name : Greg Armstrong-Morris

Gender : Male

Andrew Colthart

Character Name : Naked Man At Warhol Party

Original Name : Andrew Colthart

Gender : Male

Bruce Crawford

Character Name : Bank Robber

Original Name : Bruce Crawford

Gender : Male

Sal Sortino

Character Name : 1940 Watchmen Photographer

Original Name : Sal Sortino

Gender : Male

Eli Snyder

Character Name : Young Rorschach

Original Name : Eli Snyder

Gender : Male

Lori Watt

Character Name : Rorschach's Mother

Original Name : Lori Watt

Gender : Male

Tony Bardach

Character Name : John With Rorschach's Mother

Original Name : Tony Bardach

Gender : Male

John Kobylka

Character Name : Fidel Castro

Original Name : John Kobylka

Gender : Male

Carmen Lavigne

Character Name : Anti War Protester

Original Name : Carmen Lavigne

Gender : Female

J.R. Killigrew

Character Name : David Bowie

Original Name : J.R. Killigrew

Gender : Male

Steven Stojkovic

Character Name : Mick Jagger

Original Name : Steven Stojkovic

Gender : Male

Martin Reiss

Character Name : Brezhnev

Original Name : Martin Reiss

Gender : Male

Frank Cassini

Character Name : Sally's Husband

Original Name : Frank Cassini

Gender : Male

John R. Taylor

Character Name : Priest

Original Name : John R. Taylor

Gender : Male

Tara Frederick

Character Name : Aggressive Hooker

Original Name : Tara Frederick

Gender : Female

Daryl Shuttleworth

Character Name : Jon's Father

Original Name : Daryl Shuttleworth

Gender : Male

Jaryd Heydrick

Character Name : Young Jon

Original Name : Jaryd Heydrick

Gender : Male

Ron Chartier

Character Name : Carnival Photographer

Original Name : Ron Chartier

Gender : Male

Carly Bentall

Character Name : Wally's Girlfriend

Original Name : Carly Bentall

Gender : Female

Matt Drake

Character Name : Older Boy Bully

Original Name : Matt Drake

Gender : Male

Haley Guiel

Character Name : Laurie - 13 Years

Original Name : Haley Guiel

Gender : Female

Sonya Salomaa

Character Name : Adrian Veidt's Assistant

Original Name : Sonya Salomaa

Gender : Female

Tyler McClendon

Character Name : Veidt Enterprises Security Guard

Original Name : Tyler McClendon

Gender : Male

Salli Saffioti

Character Name : Annie Leibovitz

Original Name : Salli Saffioti

Gender : Female

Neil Schell

Character Name : Man In Riot Crowd

Original Name : Neil Schell

Gender : Male

Michael Eklund

Character Name : Man In Riot Crowd

Original Name : Michael Eklund

Gender : Male

Deborah Finkel

Character Name : Woman In Riot Crowd

Original Name : Deborah Finkel

Gender : Female

Louis Chirillo

Character Name : Face To Face TV Producer

Original Name : Louis Chirillo

Gender : Male

Marsha Regis

Character Name : Face To Face TV Receptionist

Original Name : Marsha Regis

Gender : Female

Patrick Sabongui

Character Name : Knot Top Gang Leader

Original Name : Patrick Sabongui

Gender : Male

John Tench

Character Name : Knot Top Gang Member

Original Name : John Tench

Gender : Male

Santo Lombardo

Character Name : Knot Top Gang Member

Original Name : Santo Lombardo

Gender : Male

Jason Schombing

Character Name : NY SWAT

Original Name : Jason Schombing

Gender : Male

Darren Shahlavi

Character Name : NY SWAT

Original Name : Darren Shahlavi

Gender : Male

Marshall Virtue

Character Name : NY SWAT

Original Name : Marshall Virtue

Gender : Male

Colin Lawrence

Character Name : Officer Kirkpatrick

Original Name : Colin Lawrence

Gender : Male

Chris Weber

Character Name : Officer O'Brien

Original Name : Chris Weber

Gender : Male

Alessandro Juliani

Character Name : Rockefeller Military Base Technician

Original Name : Alessandro Juliani

Gender : Male

Alison Araya

Character Name : Foreign Newscaster

Original Name : Alison Araya

Gender : Female

Sahar Biniaz

Character Name : Foreign Newscaster

Original Name : Sahar Biniaz

Gender : Female

Matthew Harrison

Character Name : Foreign Newscaster

Original Name : Matthew Harrison

Gender : Male

Bernadeta Wrobel

Character Name : Foreign Newscaster

Original Name : Bernadeta Wrobel

Gender : Female

Youri Obryvtchenko

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Youri Obryvtchenko

Gender : Male

Heidi Iro

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Heidi Iro

Gender : Male

Kit Noon

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Kit Noon

Gender : Male

Parm Soor

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Parm Soor

Gender : Male

Cristina Menz

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Cristina Menz

Gender : Female

Lynn Colliar

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Lynn Colliar

Gender : Female

Tony Ali

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Tony Ali

Gender : Male

Katie Bennison

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Katie Bennison

Gender : Male

Ian Farthing

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Ian Farthing

Gender : Male

Calvin Lee

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Calvin Lee

Gender : Male

Alexander Mandra

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Alexander Mandra

Gender : Male

Isabelle Champeau

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Isabelle Champeau

Gender : Female

Ashley O'Connell

Character Name : Foreign Newcaster

Original Name : Ashley O'Connell

Gender : Male

Mark Gash

Character Name : On Location Reporter

Original Name : Mark Gash

Gender : Male

Suzanne E. Smith

Character Name : On Location Reporter

Original Name : Suzanne E. Smith

Gender : Male

Agam Darshi

Character Name : On Location Reporter

Original Name : Agam Darshi

Gender : Female

Tom McBeath

Character Name : News Analyst

Original Name : Tom McBeath

Gender : Male

Kevin McNulty

Character Name : News Anchor

Original Name : Kevin McNulty

Gender : Male

Mark Docherty

Character Name : Newscaster

Original Name : Mark Docherty

Gender : Male

Clay St. Thomas

Character Name : Newscaster

Original Name : Clay St. Thomas

Gender : Male

Dale Wolfe

Character Name : Keene Act Anchor

Original Name : Dale Wolfe

Gender : Male

Ken Tremblett

Character Name : Keene Act Anchor

Original Name : Ken Tremblett

Gender : Male

Dawn Chubai

Character Name : Keene Act Anchor

Original Name : Dawn Chubai

Gender : Female

Manuelita Kinsey

Character Name : Keene Act Anchor

Original Name : Manuelita Kinsey

Gender : Male

Tamara Stanners

Character Name : Vietnam 51st State Anchor

Original Name : Tamara Stanners

Gender : Male

Sahara Davis

Character Name : Young Tenement Fire Child

Original Name : Sahara Davis

Gender : Male

Dave Hospes

Character Name : Tenement Fire Child

Original Name : Dave Hospes

Gender : Male

Greig Hospes

Character Name : Tenement Fire Child

Original Name : Greig Hospes

Gender : Male

Ali Dunn

Character Name : Tenement Fire Child

Original Name : Ali Dunn

Gender : Male

Jeffrey Frieler

Character Name : Tenement Fire Policeman

Original Name : Jeffrey Frieler

Gender : Male

Kurt Evans

Character Name : Tenement Fire News Reporter

Original Name : Kurt Evans

Gender : Male

Sylvesta Stuart

Character Name : Destruction Firefighter

Original Name : Sylvesta Stuart

Gender : Male

Terence Kelly

Character Name : Destruction Firefighter

Original Name : Terence Kelly

Gender : Male

Mi-Jung Lee

Character Name : A Bomb Test Anchorwoman

Original Name : Mi-Jung Lee

Gender : Female

Ted Friend

Character Name : Larry Culpeper

Original Name : Ted Friend

Gender : Male

Tiffany Burns

Character Name : News Reporter

Original Name : Tiffany Burns

Gender : Male

Michael Adamthwaite

Character Name : Bar Knot Top

Original Name : Michael Adamthwaite

Gender : Male

Danny Woodburn

Character Name : Big Figure Prisoner (uncredited)

Original Name : Danny Woodburn

Gender : Male

Zack Snyder

Character Name : Commando in Vietnam (uncredited)

Original Name : Zack Snyder

Gender : Male

Clay Enos

Character Name : Commando in Vietnam (uncredited)

Original Name : Clay Enos

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The comic book geek blockbuster for adults only. Watchmen is directed by Zack Snyder and adapted to screenplay by David Hayter and Alex Tse from the Alan Moore/David Gibbons graphic novel. It stars Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Carla Gugino and Matt Frewer. Music is by Tyler Bates and cinematography by Larry Fong. 1985 and someone is killing all our superheroes. Time for the remaining super heroes to band together - but what they find as they fight the good fight is potential annihilation for everyone. It was quite a battle getting Watchmen onto the screen, over twenty years of legal wrangling and controversies, it got to the point where fans of the source material doubted it would ever happen - and even if it did it was sure to be a monstrous failure. How pleasing to find that not only did it make it to the screen, but it is also a genre bending winner - well to some of us of course... One has to take into context just how potent and original the graphic novel was back in 1986/7, we are dealing with very mature themes, superheroes with serious psychological baggage. Alan Moore lit the touch paper in the comic book kingdom that the rest have since followed to keep the torch burning well into the new millennium. Snyder has achieved top line results in getting both the feel and look of the source, even if some of Moore's cunning cynicism has been lost in translation. Story is set right in the middle of nuclear paranoia and the fear of the Soviets in 85, the America we view is dank and depressing, noirish in vibe (aided by Rorschach's clobber and detective inclinations), it's a world on the road to nowhere. We are also at a time in the alternate world where superheroes are banned from operating, forcing The Watchmen to become vigilantes - that is if they can get along and shunt their psycho discord to one side. The back stories of the main protagonists are fully formed, and these are not jolly characters, so much so you worry the fate of mankind is doomed if these are who we rely on to save us. There was in no way that Snyder would be able to produce a comic book filmic adaptation that would be as worshipped in that sphere, to rival that of the worship the novel has in its own. However, coming at it as someone who only sought out the source material after seeing the film, it shines bright for newcomers who are ironically seeking darker tints in superhero tales. Oh it has the requisite nifty twists (a clinical mystery to be unearthed), booming visuals, excellent effects work and smartly constructed action set-pieces, but narratively it's moody and calls for the utmost attention on dialogue passages (I have found it gets better on repeat viewings). Snyder clearly cared about the project and that love is evident in the movie. It was never going to appease all and sundry, but at worst to hardcore Moore fans it's at least an honourable failure, to many others it's a smart and stylishly refreshing genre booster. 8/10

M

Manuel São Bento

@msbreviews

2021-06-23

If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog :) First of all, this review is based on the theatrical version of Watchmen. Usually, Director's Cuts or Ultimate Editions are not preferred over the original release. Few films benefit from them, and most are simply an extended cut with a bunch of deleted scenes. It's only fair and rational that a reviewer watches the version which the whole world saw at the theaters at the respective time. With that said, despite knowing the story of the source material, I never indeed read it. Having in mind that most of the "hate" that this Zack Snyder's movie received is from comic-book purists (basically, every book/comic/game/whatever-lover who defends that any cinematic adaptations of any of these sources MUST be 100% the same, with no modifications whatsoever), I'm certain an unbiased perspective is the way to go. And overall, this is a good feature. Watchmen isn't just another CBM (comic-book movie). It doesn't just follow one hero vs. one villain. It's a whole world (in today's standards, it's really a cinematic universe) of "superheroes" meant to be explored in fine detail (hence the release of a TV show today... reviewing that later). It's an extremely complex world that needs to be thoroughly explained in order to deeply understand how it works, and what's everyone's role in it. This is the film's main problem: it struggles to juggle all of its different storylines and distinct characters. Even with 163min of runtime, it's impossible to squeeze in all of the necessary information. So, as expected, Snyder and his team of screenwriters had to simplify, shorten, or even wholly dismiss some story elements that would only stretch the runtime to an unfathomable length. Some of the adaptations work brilliantly, but some fail to give a character its importance or offer no interest to a subplot. However, it's still easy to understand everything, and how the ending is going to unravel, which leads me to my second issue with the movie: its final act's heavy exposition. Like I wrote above, there is a lot of information to deliver. What Snyder did very well was to tell most of it through flashbacks or captivating conversations, but in the final act, where everything was self-explanatory and in no need of more exposition, there is an excess of redundant dialogue that doesn't really add anything relevant. What the characters are saying is significant, yes, but we, as the audience, already know all of that way before the film's climax. It's ironic how they make a joke about villains telling their masterplan to the hero and how this villain isn't dumb enough to do it, but then proceed to carefully explain everything (that we know already) through exposition. Sincerely, these are the major problems that I have with the movie. However, I love so much about everything else. From the appropriated and fun soundtracks to the beautiful production design, Zack Snyder and his crew really do a fantastic work technically. Snyder's style captures Watchmen's world perfectly. It's one of those films that carry a "feel" due to its stylish cinematography. I love how little CGI is actually applied (I'm obviously ignoring the big blue guy), and the abundance of practical effects and real sets that are used. The action sequences look spectacular, way better than a lot of blockbusters nowadays (10 years later!). Despite the terrific technical achievements, my main compliment is actually connected to my number one problem. Even though the storylines are incredibly hard to balance, characters like Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, and The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) have extraordinarily captivating and entertaining stories. There might be a few missteps here and there, but Snyder made ONE movie from a material that's worth a whole TV show or at least two films. And he delivered a GOOD one! Probably a better job than 80% of the directors working today could ever achieve. Finally, the social commentary is still quite relevant for this new generation, and if the so-called "source-material-purists" didn't exist, this movie would be a lot more appreciated. All in all, Watchmen is as good as it could be, having in mind it's just one film with already a long runtime. Its narrative was always going to be extremely difficult to tell in a solid yet compelling manner, and Zack Snyder does struggle with balancing all of the storylines and its characters. However, he and his phenomenal team still delivered a good flick. Technically sublime, with a distinct style, brilliant production design, and gorgeous cinematography. Characters like Rorschach and Nite Owl have amazing moments, filled with excellent action sequences, but also with emotionally powerful scenes. If it could be better? Maybe. If it could be split into two or three movies. As it stands, as one and only film, it's really impressive even with its flaws. Rating: B

D

David

@wogsurfer

2021-06-23

As humans, we are drawn to what inspires us, interests us, and tickles our fancy. Human opinion can be a fickle thing, especially when it comes to film, books, and music, due to this the message that is interwoven through these mediums are missed by all of us simply because we won't take the time to watch, read or listen to what is being said to us. The message throughout Watchman and Tales of The Black Freighter in film and more importantly in graphic novel form is that we as humans try so hard to make the world a better place, but being pushed so far while trying to rid the world of evil we become the very thing we're fighting against, sometimes this a fact we do not see, or we do when it's too late. When Alan Moore wrote the story for the graphic novel, he did so at the height of this planet's greatest threat of nuclear annihilation; The Cold War, The U.S. and Russia at a stalemate over nuclear arms, and Russia's invasion of Afghanistan, had meant that at any moment millions of people on this planet could have met a brutal end. As far as the story goes, this is a concept that has been warped, and manipulated into a alternate universe where in 1985 Richard Nixon has changed the constitution of the USA and made it allowable for him to serve more than 2 terms of Presidency, it's also a universe where in the times after WWII ordinary citizens decided that crime and corruption throughout America, and especially New York had gotten to levels beyond the control of authorities that they would suit up as masked vigilantes, and fight crime head on. By 1985 masked heroes are outlawed, and former "heroes" were forced to reveal themselves, or stay hidden, but give up their lifestyle. The story of the most part is told through the eyes of one character Rorschach (Haley) as he investigates the murder of a fellow vigilante, The Comedian (Morgan). Rorschach is the only vigilante who has not given up the lifestyle, and is wanted by the F.B.I. Rorschach tries to re-engage the remaining "heroes" to help him find the murderer, and get to the heart of why he was murdered. The other "heroes" are Night Owl II (Wilson); an aging recluse who inherited a fortune from his father and used it to engage in vigilante activities, Silk Spectre II (Ackerman); daughter of an original Minutewoman (Cugino), Ozymandias (Goode), a self made millionaire who has modeled himself and his life on Alexander the Great, and Dr. Manhattan (Crudup), the only real superhero due an accident in a atomic chamber in a lab when he was a physicist. The film follows pretty closely the themes and tone of the book, much more than any comic related movie before it, thanks mostly to the dedication of director Zack Snyder. The look and feel of the film to date it in 1985 was very well handled, and can certainly be called a period piece due to the level of exact detail through-out. Performances are in general pretty well done, and reflect the emotions of the characters in the book, as this is the Ultimate Cut, the extended scenes, plus the interwoven story of the comic book within a comic book; "Tales of The Black Freighter" make for a film that is worthy of its 215 minute length. Having said that they leave well and truly enough of the story in the theatrical cut where the message still shines through. The credits for this film are the best I have ever seen, using the Bob Dylan song "The Times They Are A-Changing", and features snapshots of the highs and lows of the Minutemen and Watchmen from the 1940's through to the 1980's against the backdrop of important cultural and political icons and events. This movie is easily one of my favourites of the modern age of film, because of the well delivered message, and the uncompromised approach to bring the graphic novel to life.

S

SierraKiloBravo

@SierraKiloBravo

2021-06-23

Click here for a video version of this review: youtu.be/2tkzmGjXfdE _Watchmen_ polarised audiences when it arrived in theatres in 2009. Coming not long after Marvel's _Iron Man_ many were expecting a fun action oriented super hero movie. _Watchmen_ however, is not that kind of movie. Just like the source material it comes from, this is a dark and brooding film that deals with some complicated questions. Here is the official description: _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 uncover a sinister plot that puts all of humanity in grave danger._ Starting off with a fantastic montage that, with barely a word, fills you in on the alternate history of the movie, and the timeline of things leading up to the start of the main story, Watchmen does a great job of building this world you are about to inhabit for two hours and 45 minutes. The characters are strong, and develop logically over the course of the film, and you can really feel their sense of despair or feeling of not belonging. I think of all the comic book movies I've seen, this one captures best those feelings the characters have of being lonely outsiders. Rorschach's commitment to the truth in the movie leads to a brilliant defining moment was where it all just bursts out from him. It was very well done. He, as a character, is so good that I think he deserves his own movie in the same noir-ish style. The length and style of this will turn a lot of people off, it is much more of a character piece than a big explosive action extravaganza. In my opinion, it's one of the better comic book movies out there. Top all that off with a fantastic sound track of 1980s music and this is a pretty good package. If you like bright lights and shiny tights, this is not the comic book movie for you. If however you like a super hero movie with some depth and that deals with some philosophical questions this will give you a lot more to chew over than some other DC adaptations.

W

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-07-17

_**The "Apocalypse Now" of superhero films**_ Based on Alan Moore's graphic novel, 2009's "Watchmen" takes place in an alternative 1985 where Nixon is serving his fifth term and costumed vigilantism is illegal. A former masked crimefighter named The Comedian is murdered, prompting his previous teammates to investigate the crime. Things get complicated as the backstories of most of the Watchmen are revealed and worldwide nuclear war looms. For some reason I was never interested in the Watchmen and therefore never read the graphic novel, even though I had the opportunity. Why? The fact that it took place in an alternative reality turned me off, as did the peculiarities of the team members which, I later discovered, Moore intended as satire. That said, this is mind-blowing. "Watchmen" is an adult-oriented superhero flick with a convoluted plot, strong characters and total originality. The latter two score high marks with me any day. Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) stands out with his gravelly voice and right-wing ideology, although he's not very likable. He's impressive yet, at the same time, kind of pathetic. The character was based on Steve Ditko's The Question. The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) exudes great charisma and is reminiscent of The Punisher, if he were a jokester. Unfortunately, The Comedian's arrogant & hotheaded and has a weakness towards the ladies, not to mention cold-blooded murder. Night Owl (Patrick Wilson) is another strong character, obviously based on Batman or Blue Beetle. Unlike the previous two he's very likable. I always thought his costume looked really lame in the graphic novel but, as depicted in the film, it kicks axx. Dr. Manhattan (Greg Plitt), named for the Manhattan Project and based on Captain Atom with a dash of Mr. Fantastic, is an almost God-like being who can do pretty much anything. He's so detached from the human experience that he walks around totally nude and has no time for his woman, Silk Spectre II. He'd rather hang out on Mars -- literally! Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) stands out due to her sexy costume more than anything else, not to mention Akerman's drop-dead-gorgeous looks. The character was based on Phantom Lady and Black Canary. Silk can't handle Dr. Manhattan's increasing aloofness and consequently diverts to Night Owl for human warmth. Silk Spectre (Carla Gugino) is Silk Spectre II's mother and has a pretty significant part. Like her daughter, she's hot, albeit in a whole different way. Ozzyosbourne, whoops, I mean Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) is the least developed character and loosely based on Charlton Comic's Thunderbolt. He's ultra-smart, ultra-quick and kinda foppish. Another highlight is the hypnotic score by Tyler Bates mixed with a quality soundtrack (e.g. "The Sound of Silence," "All Along the Watchtower," etc.) BOTTOM LINE: The film is long, dark, mature, dialogue-driven and convoluted, but the strong characters and originality win the day. No moronic "blockbuster" trash here. Not to mention Silk Spectre II and her mother are extremely easy on the eyes. As far as superhero flicks go, there's really nothing else like "Watchmen." It's even more atypical than the X-Men and easily one of my favorite superhero flicks, maybe even THE favorite. "Watchmen" is like the "Apocalypse Now" of superhero films! RUNTIME: Theatrical Cut: 162 minutes; Director's Cut: 186 minutes; The Ultimate Cut: 215 minutes COMPARING CUTS: I own both the theatrical cut and Director's Cut. Although the theatrical version is just fine, the DC is worthwhile for extended dialogue to existing scenes in the theatrical cut; the biggest addition is an attack on Night Owl's Mentor, Hollis Mason, at the hands of a thug gang and Night Owl's subsequent brutal revenge at a bar. Despite the convoluted plot, I had no problem following the story in the theatrical cut, even though I've never read the graphic novel. The filmmakers did an excellent job cutting out the fat in the theatrical version. So don't think you'll need to purchase the DC to understand the story; it's not necessary. My recommendation is to check out the theatrical version first and only purchase the DC if the theatrical cut left you wanting even more, which is what it did for me. Even so, I PREFER the theatrical cut; it's leaner and just all-around better. GRADE: A