An exceptional action thriller that deserves more than the usual amount of attention, patience and respect

Rating: Null/10 (13 March 2009)

I walked into the movie theatre with absolutely zero background on Watchmen (my comics era is that of Flash and Green Lantern, for those who remember that far back) and that's a blessing. This accentuates my appreciation of how well this complex story is put together for an audience that experiences it for the first time.
The first few sequences are somewhat confusing, with the proliferation of characters, events in a multiple temporal setting. A lesser hand would have driven the audience to unbearable frustration but under the deftly direction of Zack Snyder (who helmed "300"), the numerous pieces of jigsaw gradually, slowly but surely fit together. Then, along the way comes a few twists, nothing particularly convoluted, but simply nicely done. There is at once a bumpy excitement and a soothing smoothness throughout. Superb story-telling, is this one.
The backdrop is America in the 80s, fictionalized to fit the sci-fi fantasy script, such as Nixon in his fifth term. Thread of nuclear fallout with the Russians is lurking. The "Watchmen" is a group of crime-fighting vigilantes who, once hailed, are now falling out of the favour of the public and becomes outlawed. Their responses to the predicament vary  willingly go into oblivion, stubbornly continue, or deviously capitalize on the situation. The story starts with a mysterious murder of one of them, and grows into a global crisis of catastrophic proportion. I wouldn't go into any details. You may already know the story. If you don't, I shouldn't deprive you of the joy I had experienced, of discovering the intricacies as they unfold in the immensely enjoyable 162 minutes of the movie.
What I can say is how the movie looks (and sounds), and that is  absolutely fantastic. The CGI is at its very best. And such good action I haven't seen for a long time. One fight sequence reminds me of Trinity and Neo. Grandiose panoramic shots are breathtaking, whether the landscape is imaginary (Mars) or real (Antarctica). Background music is varied and well placed, from "flower power" favourite to Wagner's Ride of the Valkries (a clear tribute to "Apocalypse now")
Without any notably big star, the ensemble cast comprises of all capable actors. This is quite essential as each character has his/her own story, and requires a portrayal that is above mere superficial line reciting. Billy Crudup, good since "Almost famous" and "Big fish", plays a scientist who through an accident was transformed into a super-human in the twilight zone of losing his humanity. Matthew Goode, coming from his impressive most recent work "Brideshead revisited", is the cleverest man of all who is trying to play God. Jackie Earle Haley ("Winged creatures") plays a ruthless vigilante horribly depraved from a tragic childhood, but with a relentlessly uncompromising principle. Patrick Wilson (Raoul in "Phantom of the Opera") is an atypical superhero, shy and gentle. Fresh as a spring breeze is Swedish beauty Malin Akerman, playing a second-generation Watchman under the shadow of her mother and with a secret surrounding her life. All these actors deliver solid performances that bring their respective characters to life. There are more, quite a few more, secondary characters whose roles are however quite significant.
The dialogues are well written, effective and unpretentious. For a sobering quote, there is a line to the effect that in the scheme of things of the Universe life form is a greatly overrated phenomenon (something like that). For contemporary acid humour, how about "America doesn't want a cowboy in the White House" in reference to the possibility of Ronald Reagan being elected president.
I walked into the cinema thinking that this will be another of those no-brainer action thrillers, with no little trepidation on whether I would end up enduring the nearly three hours that follows. After the said nearly three hours, I emerged completely satisfied with the rewarding cinematic experience. I might even watch it again.