Superheros who actually do more damage than good

Rating: 8/10 (13 June 2010)

Last year I remember when Watchmen was released and everyone was so beyond excited for it. I had asked one of my co-workers why it was such a big deal and he looked at me all shocked that I had never heard of Watchmen and said it was one of the biggest graphic novels of all time. I did want to see the film, but never got around to it, mainly because I have to admit that I was put off when all I heard when I asked how the film was, was "blue penis!". How in the heck am I supposed to take that? But I let my guard down and saw it on HBO, I still have not read the novel, so I was a bit put off. Thankfully I recorded it and re-watched it because I wasn't sure what to take from it. But I'm glad I did give it another chance because I liked it a lot better the second time around. If you haven't read the book, it does put you off a bit because it's a very strange world and it's not like watching "Spider-Man" or "The Dark Knight" where you know these figures as well or what they stand for. I thought it was going to be a typical comic book movie where the hero's fight for justice for some kind of revenge you know the story. But Watchmen was something different and a lot more outside the box, which I really enjoyed. The whole film is absolutely beautiful and nicely shot. While the film is flawed, it's still an achievement in cinema that I learned from my friend that everyone thought would not and could not be made.
The story takes place in an alternate time line in which masked, costumed heroes fight crime in America called the Watchmen. The Watchmen have been outlawed by Congress after an outpouring of anti-vigilante sentiment in the country, and tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union have escalated the Cold War with threats of nuclear attack. By 1985, only three Watchmen remain active: the Comedian and Doctor Manhattan, and the masked vigilante Rorschach, who refuses to retire and remains active illegally. Investigating the murder of government agent Edward Blake, Rorschach discovers that Blake was the Comedian, and concludes that someone may be trying to eliminate the Watchmen. He attempts to warn his retired comrades. his former partner Nite Owl, the emotionally detached Mr. Manhattan, and Dr. Manhattan's lover the Silk Spectre. Nite Owl is skeptical, but nonetheless relates the hypothesis to billionaire Ozymandias, who dismisses it. Later, Rorschach's conspiracy theory appears to be justified when Veidt, narrowly avoids an assassination attempt, and Rorschach finds himself framed for murder. Meanwhile Spectre, after breaking up with Manhattan, goes to stay with Nite Owl, and the two former superheroes come out of retirement as they grow closer. After they break Rorschach out of prison, Silk Spectre is confronted by Dr. Manhattan. He takes her to Mars and, after she asks him to save the world, explains he is no longer interested in humanity. As the superhero's realize the flaws they have, decide to join forces and save the world in their own way.
Like I said, I can't judge the movie with the book, I just had to take the movie for what it was. The only thing that I wasn't happy with was who they cast for Silk Spectre, Malin Åkerman is an alright actress, but from the story that I watched, she didn't seem appropriate for what I would expect. But the stand out performances for me were by Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl and Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach. Patrick Wilson does a great undertone to Nite Owl, his alter ego as Dan was perfect and someone who I would never suspect of being a superhero. Jackie however was the ultimate break-through performance, I found his back story to be the most intriguing and I wanted his story to continue further. Same with Mr. Manhattan, his back story was incredible and could have been a film in itself. At almost 3 hours long, I did not find myself bored at all with Watchmen, it stands out cinematically and I found it a lot better than "blue penis" reviews.
8/10