Good, but could have been better

Rating: 8/10 (19 March 2009)

As someone whom has never read the graphic novel, I read a few of the reviews here and was afraid that I might find the plot incomprehensible. I am glad to say that I understood pretty much everything, and it was good.
Just like '300' and 'Sin City' the visual imagery in Watchmen is outstanding, with many scenes of breathtaking beauty, however unlike the aforementioned, Watchmen also makes excellent use of symbolism and repartition which enhance the impact of a storyline already laden with some deep examination of a range of human values. In places this is very subtle, and may be missed by those whom are used to a pure action fest, no more so than the impact and amazing irony present within the finale. In many ways Watchmen is like an art-house movie with a Hollywood budget... amazing.
That is not to say all is good. Whilst Jackie Earle Haley as the moral-psychopath Rorschach gives a performance that will surely yield an academy nomination, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan gives us a likewise consummate Comedian, the other characters are found lacking to a greater of lesser degree.
In addition, the film is nearly three bottom-aching hours long, which would be fine if there was no-nonsense. But with many extended ultra-slow gore shots and an unnecessarily long sex scene or three I think at least 15 minutes could have been chopped off without any loss, and they might have got a lower rating.
Some people moan about the soundtrack, but I thought it was used to a decent effect, and provided some (intentional) gallows humor in a film that is otherwise of an extremely dark tone.
All in all, a good film that could have been great if only for better casting and a shorter cut.