Synopsis: In an alternate 1985 America, costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the "Doomsday Clock" - which charts the USA's tension with the Soviet Union - is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed-up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion - a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers - Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity...but who is watching the watchmen?
Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson
Directed by: Zack Snyder
U.S. Rating: R
The Watchmen's costumed superheroes, operating in an alternative 1985, are seriously screwed up -- and so is their movie. The film tests the limits of superhero movie fans. If you're not already invested in these characters because of the original graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, not much this movie does is likely to change that predicament.
The writers never find a reason for those unfamiliar with the graphic novel to care about any of this nonsense. And it is nonsense. When one superhero has to take a Zen break, he does so on Mars, for example. We pick up the relationships quickly enough, but soon realize these back stories owe more to soap operas than to superhero comics.
These aren't so much superheroes as ordinary human beings with comic-book martial arts prowess. The one exception is Dr. Manhattan who, in true comic book fashion, was caught in a laboratory accident that turned him into a scientific freak -- a naked, blue glowing giant, looking a little bit like the Oscar statuette only with actual genitals -- who has amazing God-like powers.
The point is that these superheroes were more vigilantes than real heroes. They don't seem too much different from the villains in the story. Which also means we don't empathize with many of these characters. I did, however, like the character Rorschack --his mask one of perpetually shifting inkblots. They added a section about his past that led me, personally, to feel his violence was almost reasonable.
Although the movie didn't have characters you were empathetic toward, I did appreciate what the writers of the original novel were trying to accomplish with this story. The comic world was/is used to the stereotypical superhero -- the ones from other planets and have a goodness about them that is above human. The Watchmen attempted to bring more human qualities to the superhero world. The main point that was intended was that even the best of us have some nonredeemable qualities (e.g. Dr. Manhattan does not want to help the earth because he doesn't care for the qualities of humans) and even the worst of us can have redeemable qualities (e.g. The Comedian was a rapist who hit on his own daughter though he did ultimately save lives). The creators of The Watchmen wanted a "superworld" that surrounded the REAL world.
What did I like from this movie?
1. I liked Dr. Manhattan's superhuman abilities and some of the fight sequences
2. I liked that Rorschach had an inner-morale that lead him to kill such people as serial killers and gang leaders
3. I thought the scene where Rorschach was taking a Rorschach Test was hilarious because he answered that he saw such things as butterflies and flowers in the inkblots but he actually sees horrible things that happened in his past
What did I dislike from this movie?
1. I didn't like that the only real superhero in the movie, Dr. Manhattan, didn't want to save the earth and was obviously a "male chauvinist pig" in that he always wanted the younger, prettier woman
2. I didn't appreciate all the violence, some of which was completely unnecessary to show (e.g. the entire child serial killer part)
3. Although I understand and appreciate that the writers were trying to create a more realistic superhero, I did not like that these characters where so flawed in nature. One of the main reasons I like watching superhero movies is because they give us a sense that there are better people/beings out there that want to help us. This movie did not give me such hope
I would rate this movie with a 3/5
Directed by: Zack Snyder
U.S. Rating: R
The Watchmen's costumed superheroes, operating in an alternative 1985, are seriously screwed up -- and so is their movie. The film tests the limits of superhero movie fans. If you're not already invested in these characters because of the original graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, not much this movie does is likely to change that predicament.
The writers never find a reason for those unfamiliar with the graphic novel to care about any of this nonsense. And it is nonsense. When one superhero has to take a Zen break, he does so on Mars, for example. We pick up the relationships quickly enough, but soon realize these back stories owe more to soap operas than to superhero comics.
These aren't so much superheroes as ordinary human beings with comic-book martial arts prowess. The one exception is Dr. Manhattan who, in true comic book fashion, was caught in a laboratory accident that turned him into a scientific freak -- a naked, blue glowing giant, looking a little bit like the Oscar statuette only with actual genitals -- who has amazing God-like powers.
The point is that these superheroes were more vigilantes than real heroes. They don't seem too much different from the villains in the story. Which also means we don't empathize with many of these characters. I did, however, like the character Rorschack --his mask one of perpetually shifting inkblots. They added a section about his past that led me, personally, to feel his violence was almost reasonable.
Although the movie didn't have characters you were empathetic toward, I did appreciate what the writers of the original novel were trying to accomplish with this story. The comic world was/is used to the stereotypical superhero -- the ones from other planets and have a goodness about them that is above human. The Watchmen attempted to bring more human qualities to the superhero world. The main point that was intended was that even the best of us have some nonredeemable qualities (e.g. Dr. Manhattan does not want to help the earth because he doesn't care for the qualities of humans) and even the worst of us can have redeemable qualities (e.g. The Comedian was a rapist who hit on his own daughter though he did ultimately save lives). The creators of The Watchmen wanted a "superworld" that surrounded the REAL world.
What did I like from this movie?
1. I liked Dr. Manhattan's superhuman abilities and some of the fight sequences
2. I liked that Rorschach had an inner-morale that lead him to kill such people as serial killers and gang leaders
3. I thought the scene where Rorschach was taking a Rorschach Test was hilarious because he answered that he saw such things as butterflies and flowers in the inkblots but he actually sees horrible things that happened in his past
What did I dislike from this movie?
1. I didn't like that the only real superhero in the movie, Dr. Manhattan, didn't want to save the earth and was obviously a "male chauvinist pig" in that he always wanted the younger, prettier woman
2. I didn't appreciate all the violence, some of which was completely unnecessary to show (e.g. the entire child serial killer part)
3. Although I understand and appreciate that the writers were trying to create a more realistic superhero, I did not like that these characters where so flawed in nature. One of the main reasons I like watching superhero movies is because they give us a sense that there are better people/beings out there that want to help us. This movie did not give me such hope
I would rate this movie with a 3/5
What did you like or dislike from this movie? What would you rate this movie?
Enjoy it!... Watch it!
Amy
Thanks for the great review Amy!
I must confess that when I saw the movie for the first time, I just didn't get it, I could not understand the plot. Then, I decided to watch it again just few days later, and in this second time, well... I didn't understand it either.
What I liked from this movie:
1. The fight scenes, especially the one at the base in the arctic and the one in the apartment at the beginning of this film
2. The effects and CGI, they did a really good job
3. Malin Akerman, so gorgeous!... (sorry ladies). She looks amazing with that long dark hair, I didn't recognize her the first time I saw the movie!
What I disliked from this movie:
1. Too freaking long!
2. Too complicated for me, I give up trying to understand the script and what was going on in this movie
3. John (Mr Manhattan), as Amy says in her review, is a "male chauvinist pig", besides that he's like too busy in his own dilemmas that forgets about his responsibility as a super hero and help to save the planet
I didn't like it much. I liked some of the action scenes, the tiger thing, and that's about all.
Worst movie of the year in my opinion.