Visually strong - otherwise weak

Rating: 2/10 (1 April 2013)

Even by the standards of superhero movies, Watchmen is preposterous.
It's very pleasing on the eye with its handsome, elaborately-clad cast and abundance of visual effects.
However, I could identify with precisely none of the characters, most of which were no more than padding. Padding is OK in movies which are fundamentally sound but this one simply isn't. It's as if the writers started with a suite of visual effects and a bunch of makeup artists, then said "right, what can we do with all this stuff".
Initially, you may feel you are watching something worthwhile but Watchmen doesn't stand repeat viewing. Once you've stopped gawking at the effects, and start asking "why?", then disillusion is likely to set in.
By all means watch Watchmen as a visual spectacle, but for goodness sake turn the sound off to avoid being nauseated and exasperated by the flimsy plot and the totally insubstantial ending.
One to sort of enjoy once, then avoid like the plague.