A superhero epic that's worth the watch

Rating: 9/10 (22 March 2020)

Jesus Christ, what an epic movie. THIS is how you do a comic book adaptation.
Watchmen is a three hour film-fest of gritty, alternate-universe, dystopian 80's America. Watchmen takes no shortcuts in storytelling and world-building. Following Alan Moore's original, this film is a faithful adaptation.
Showing a darker side of superheroes (before Amazon's The Boys), Watchmen plays like a detective whodunit. Progressing, Watchmen goes deeper and deeper into the underbelly of this alternate universe. Though there are "superheroes" in the movie, very few are "heroes." Each character is nuanced and multifaceted. Drama between each of the characters exists and feels real.
How can I even begin to review this epic of a film?
Let's begin with the plot. The plot twists and turns into different directions but all explorations are appreciated. One of the things I use to judge a film is by its antagonist. The villain's motivation in Watchmen feels real and believable. Stuck between a potential nuclear threat with the US & USSR, the villain does what he must to save humanity.
The cinematography in this film adds to this dark, seedy underbelly of alt-NYC. Rainy, dark, and gritty scenes dominate this film throughout. Visuals are absolutely beautiful.
The action is pure eye candy. Where most superhero films nerf their violence, Watchmen leaves little to imagination. Teeth are broken, legs are blown off, and people blown to bloody bits. I've rarely seen a film like this before.
And the music? Awesomeness in every sense of the word. Could not have thought of better musical options for this film even if I tried. Kudos to Zach Snyder and his crew.
But, there are downsides. I found myself more annoyed at the audio more than anything. The audio ranges from ultra-quiet dialogue to monstrous booming action sequences. While watching this film, I had to reach for the remote many times trying to capture dialogue and turning down the volume during periods of loud violence. Definitely could've been more care done here. But the other aspects of the film make up for this in many other ways.
4.5/5. This is a film for fanboys and newbies alike. Groundbreaking and ahead of its time.