Watchmen A Decent Movie Based On A Graphic Novel

Rating: 6/10 (24 July 2009)

Let me first start off by saying I've never read any of the Watchmen comics but I thought it was a decent movie based on a graphic novel from director Zack Snyder the man behind films like 300 and the Dawn Of The Dead remake. Snyder does a good job with his attempt to bring this graphic novel to the big screen but a slow pace, the lack of some character development, and overlong running time hurt it the most. Watchmen wasn't the best film I've ever seen but it certainly wasn't the worst either Shutter and The Happening to name a few. The movie takes place in an alternate 1985 America where costumed superheroes are a part of everyday society and tensions with the Soviets maybe leading to a third world war or worse. The cast for the most part are good in their roles including Malin Ackerman as Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre 2, Mathew Goode as Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias, and Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl 2. The three stand outs in the cast are Jackie Earle Haley who turns in a great performance as Walter Kovacs/Rorschach as a determined psychotic masked vigilante whose on a quest for the truth. Billy Crudup is equally impressive as Jon Osterman a scientist who becomes the emotionally distant Dr Manhattan after a bizarre accident turns into a blue superhuman god with amazing powers and the same can go to Jefrrey Dean Morgan as Eddie Blake/The Comedian a twisted cigar smoking psychopathic vigilante whose death kicks off the movie. Morgan isn't in it that much but he's effective in the small role. The rest of the supporting cast including Carla Cugino as Sally Jupiter/Silk Spectre 1, Matt Frewer Edgar Jacobi/Moloch, and Stephen Hattie as Hollis Mason/Nite Owil are okay in their extended appearances but none of them are developed enough like Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, Dan Drieberg, or Laurie Jupiter. The actor who played Richard Nixon was all right but I think they went over the top with him especially with his nose. People expecting a lot of action maybe be disappointed because there is enough of it but this film seemed to be more about the story which isn't necessarily a bad thing I guess. The action/fight sequences the movie does have are well executed none the less but nothing we haven't really seen before. The eventual twist as to the identity of the one who killed the Comedian I sort of saw coming but you might not. The sex scene between Wilson and Ackerman is steamy but it felt kind of unnecessary and the music playing while they're doing it didn't match at all. But Ackerman still looked great in either a leather outfit or without it. The film had a slow pace and the running time 162 minutes made it feel long which are two things that weighed it down the most. The movie is still worth seeing at least once because of the exceptional performances by Jackie Earle Haley and Bill Crudup. Despite some flaws Watchmen isn't really that bad of a movie it just could've been better. Watchmen has action, fist fights, blood, bone crushing hits, and good performances by the cast who make this graphic novel turned into a movie worth watching at least once as long as you can get past the overlong running time first.