Remarkable - The first comic adaptation I've see worth its ticket price and then some

Rating: 9/10 (7 April 2009)

So much has already been posted here, that I will refrain from rehashing the critiques of others. Instead I will simply leave the reader with a single observation that lead me to leave what I consider to be a high score. I will however say that I have not read the comic, and have no doubt that the comic is superior (I've never heard of an adaptation trumping the original).
I have seen comparisons to the Dark Knight, but frankly I was not impressed with D.K. and found its attempt to look into the "soul" of humanity to be flashy and superficial. Granted it was one of the best attempts yet for a comic book rehash, but I honestly felt that it fell flat.
Watchmen, on the other hand, had a far fuller view of the spectrum of humanity, and could more be compared to the first Matrix in its transcendental views. Though the religious/philosophical undertones were not as explicit as in the first Matrix, the first Matrix used these themes as sugar for an otherwise visceral action flick (I'm speaking about time spent pondering the issues, not the depths at which the movie attempted to explore them). The Watchmen did the opposite. The action was fewer and farther between, and often meant to further the character development and commentary of its themes.
I am saddened to hear that it did not sweep the box office (as its budget demanded, and the film rightfully deserved). This was a rare success in an industry that has otherwise failed to remake the comic genre into films with substance.