Important, thrilling, atmospheric and extraordinary

Rating: 10/10 (1 March 2011)

This is a review on Zack Snyder's Director's Cut of Watchmen.
So many things you can say about this but you wouldn't be able to fit it all in the one review. Adapted from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' highly influential comic book of the same name, director Zack Snyder attempts to bring Watchmen to another medium: film. And what an outstanding film it is. Running just over 3 hours, the film will never bore. Your eyes will be glued to the screen.
Containing just incredible performances from nearly every cast member, the standouts are Jackie Earle Haley as Rorshach and Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan. Jackie is pure method when it comes to acting and is instantly unrecognisable as the vigilante. The way he moves, his deep and intimidating voice, his very disturbing back story: everything is perfect. Probably the best casting choice since Naomi Watts in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. Billy Crudup, despite being totally redone in amazing GG, is brilliant as Dr Manhattan. Crudup's hypnotic and enchanting voice is the only reason I love his performance. Every time he's on screen, his voice just enhances the viewing experience. I could listen to him all day.
Snyder and his team have put a ton of effort into re-creating Moore's gritty vision of 1985 New York. The set design is sublime and gorgeous. But it's the films visual look that makes the film even more special. Snyder is known for his highly visual films and Watchmen is no different. Every scene is carefully and skillfully done to create a sense of atmosphere and a stunning look. Such scenes like Rorshach's back story and Dr Manhattan's back story and The Comedian's funeral come to mind.
I remember one reviewer saying, about Watchmen, that Zack Snyder is "the Stanley Kubrick of comic book adaptations". I think I will agree with this. So many images stay with you long after viewing. Snyder's style is very much like Kubrick's. Incredible set design, lovely long takes and an atmosphere like no others. So don't expect a run-of-the-mill comic book film. This is serious science fiction and a complex yet interesting look at humanity and what makes us human.
Watchmen is truly special. An intelligent look at heroes, a highly interesting study of humanity and life and a visually stunning film that is one of the very best of the decade. A masterpiece that will hopefully get recognised more in the future. It is important science fiction that should lie with Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey and Mamoru Oshii's 'Ghost In The Shell' as serious works of art to be studied. If not, humanity may fail.