The most stylish superhero film ever made

Rating: 10/10 (29 August 2016)

This review is based on the three and a half hour ultimate cut of the film.
For decades now superhero films have been considered strictly as entertaining movies and not something to be considered an actual art. It wasn't till one of the greatest filmmakers of our time Christopher Nolan stepped into the genre with his Batman films that made people realize that big budget blockbusters can also be an intellectual pieces of art. This is Zack Snyder taking a shot at it.
The film opens up with what is one of the best opening sequences I have ever seen, setting up a mystery that the protagonist Rorschach is trying to solve. In only a couple of minutes Snyder was able to set a tone and atmosphere for this dark and bleak world with some truly awe inspiring cinematography with slow-motions, brilliant sound design and intense and violent cut-throat action. All of the above remain excellent through out the entire runtime of the film. Since then the film slows down considerably however due to its three and a half hour runtime that does not hinder the amount of action in this film. There are some truly great performances in this flick as well and the first one I have to mention is Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach. He. Was. Phenomenal. And easily the best part about the film in a good way. You truly cared about his character. But not just him. Patrick Wilson once again proved that he is very underrated actor. He had a great chemistry with Malin Akerman who otherwise played a less likable character in Silk Spectre II
But really what sets this film apart from other superhero movies is the artistic neo-noir element and Snyder's signature direction. The visual storytelling in this film is truly mesmerizing. This most definitely is not your standard by the numbers superhero blockbuster, this is almost an art-house neo-noir thriller story told in a vain of an action flick. It all concludes in a perfectly fitting and disturbing ending that will keep you quiet for the rest of the evening. For this film Zack Snyder truly deserved a title of an auteur. It's easily his best work. I have yet to see a more stylish and artistic superhero film then Watchmen. Not a film for anyone, but that makes it so much better for other like me.
This is also my very first review that I have ever written on IMDb, as I feel not enough people have paid a proper attention to this masterpiece. This is what happens when brilliant filmmaker that is Zack Snyder isn't dictated by for money greedy studios.