New Direction For An Aging Genre!

Rating: 8/10 (19 October 2011)

Bland this film ain't! The tired and bloated "superhero" genre is turned inside out, while over a thousand reviews indicate this movie got us all thinking. (A rare accolade for movies in these de-intellectualized times).
But, sorry, nil points to the Hollywood Studios for not awarding Alan Moore a writing credit... Poor form. His literary genius made "Watchmen" possible.
Okay: the movie. Well, this isn't family entertainment. It's disturbing in parts, often violent, even brutal. Watchmen takes us to dark parts of the human psyche, then stands back with us amid the chaos as if to say: Judge for yourself! An extraordinary performance by Jackie Earle Haley (as Rorschach) made for compelling viewing. Smooth, seamless direction by Synder delivers absorbing cinema, despite a 2 hour journey. It's unlikely you'll check your watch.
I can see why reviewers mention Watchmen and Bladerunner in the same breath. A few stock characters ("Nite Owl" is a little too much like Superman, lets face it) and a few all-too-familiar fight sequences in alley and prison yard mean I cannot attribute "masterpiece" to this brave, mainstream offering. Bladerunner remains more original.
It's a good film, working hard to take a bland genre in a new direction. Just don't let the kids watch it until they're at college! Favorite Quote: Nite Owl: "Adrian wouldn't kill anyone, he's even a vegetarian.." Rorschach: "So was Hitler. You're squeamish. Leave him to me."