Super heroes in an alternate universe.

Rating: Null/10 (26 August 2009)

I find that to appreciate this movie it helps to think of it as a presentation of an alternate universe, similar to, but not the same as, the one we know.
For example the president is Richard Nixon, in his third term in 1985. In our universe Nixon was president briefly, and resigned in shame in 1974.
But in this universe there are a group of superheros known collectively as "Watchmen" but for political reasons Nixon has banned them from duty. So part of what we see in this movie are the superheros "in retirement." But their desire to fight crime is still there.
The rather long, but never boring, movie involves a somewhat complex plot of one former superhero plotting to destroy a large part of humanity as a way to unite the USA and Russian factions against nuclear war. But most of the fun in the movie is being a part of their universe.
Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan is the most visually fantastic character. In an unfortunate lab accident years earlier he was transformed into this being that in bound neither by space nor time. We see him as a muscular and naked blue figure. Quite an imposing sight.
Jackie Earle Haley, the skinny kid of "Breaking Away" fame all those years ago, is good as Rorschach. I love his line when in prison and being taunted by the others, "You think I am in here with you, but you have it wrong. You're in here with me!" What a menacing little guy, who wears a mask that is a Rorschach Test in constant motion.
My favorite is Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg, and the retired Nite Owl II, a superhero much like Batman, with a similar costume and a flying, indestructible vehicle that he hides in a cave underground. His requires some dramatic acting and he pulls it off well.
His girlfriend is Malin Akerman as Laurie Jupiter, and she is quite a figure with nothing on. They have a couple of nice scenes together.
Carla Gugino is one of my favorites, and here she is Sally Jupiter, Laurie's mother, and the retired Silk Spectre. Even with old makeup on, Gugino looks better in her 70s than most look in their 30s.
Overall a fine and entertaining movie, in a style that reminded me much of "Sin City", another movie with Gugino.