Snyder does Moore's classic graphic novel justice.

Rating: 7/10 (5 March 2016)

I was really worried that Snyder's Watchmen film would fail. I started watching it, and throughout the first half an hour I was dreading the possibility of failure. It certainly felt as though Snyder would not live up to expectations.
But when Watchmen got going, it was amazing. The characters were as interesting and complex as in the novel, and in particular I'd like to praise the performance of Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach. His performance for this film has the same kind of impact as the late Heath Ledger had as the Joker in The Dark Knight. He is not in the movie. He is the movie.
Based on the novel, the story is unsurprisingly very good, and the script can hold many surprises for those who haven't read the comic. The effects aren't ground-breaking, but look the part. The themes of duty and justice work in this film, and I just can't deny the pride I feel for Snyder upon having made this. I'm not his biggest fan, having only seen 300 besides this (and that wasn't especially great).
If you love super hero movies, dystopian futures and gloomy, apocalyptic settings, you should enjoy this. It isn't for everyone; it's pretty violent at times, the soundtrack won't appeal to everyone, and its a long and complex yarn. But nearly everything worked, and I feel that it's a loyal, worthy adaptation of Moore's novel. Read the book first, and if you liked this, give this film a go.