A mental exercise

Rating: 8/10 (6 March 2009)

Watchmen is not like your typical comic-book movie. Rather than trying to tell a story, it's more of a speculative work that takes the form of a comic book and flips it into a twisted parody and a simultaneous mental exercise for the audience. It's parallels to other better known comics and their characters are perhaps pointless and it's hard to write a review of the film without attempting at least convey the philosophical edge this movie has over most of the competition.
One thing which shines through the adaptation of comic to film is that it feels almost like it's trying a little too hard to be a movie. The film suffers from being too wordy and not utilizing a movie format for it's deep philosophical probing of the human mind. It does get its commentary on nuclear warfare and humanity's inhumane nature across with the bluntness of a sledgehammer for which the film really can't be criticized since that is obviously the whole point of the movie.
The thing which Watchmen really needs and consequently lacks however is an interesting visual narrative. Things progress simply because they seem to need to do so and yet in such highly reality-based comic book setting the progress feels a little forced. Yet it feels like it drags on a bit, especially in the beginning, the problem may however be that the film simply doesn't confine to the basic structure of a movie and that's why it feels a little awkward. 90% of the whole movie is setup for a climax that isn't really all that climactic.
It's a little hard for me to put this movie in frank comparison with other Super Hero movies because it clearly plays with its own set of rules. Really all I can offer is my humble opinion, it's a good film with a deep psychological plot which none-the-less irks me in its attempts at being cinematic.