Watchmen looks deep inside us, and sees darkness

Rating: 9/10 (8 March 2009)

Perspective of a 20-something female that's never read the Watchmen (or any other) graphic novel:
My conclusion at the end of watching Snyder's "300" was that it was a movie made for men. It was full of violence, "manly" displays of strength and strategy, and was an artist's visual portrayal of an historic event with little supporting storyline or depth of character. In contrast, Snyder's "Watchmen" had a much deeper storyline. By keeping the runtime at almost 3 hours, the filmmakers were able to tell a story without reducing it to just a series of violent encounters.
Now don't get me wrong, the movie was violent. Violent, twisted, and dark. However, the fight scenes and graphic grotesqueries were supplemented by a somewhat-complex story about humanity at its darkest, and the conflicted "heroes" that are supposed to "save" us.
The characters' personalities and back-stories were well-developed, and real moments in history were modified to create an altered reality centered around the cold war. The characters were all both "good guys" and "bad guys", each contributing both positively and negatively to the outcome.
"Watchmen" is no typical superhero story, and paints a grim portrait of human nature. It is a very adult movie, and I felt bad for parents that brought young children along. Not only because of the graphic scenes, but also because many of the historical references would resonate better with older adults. Some people in the theater were laughing at inopportune times, I suppose because the movie would make a less-introspective viewer uncomfortable. It also contains quite a bit of nudity, and seems to aim to portray a "raw" vision of human beings.
The acting was good enough, and the action was great (I dislike pictures that show such "close-up" dark fight scenes where you can't even distinguish who is hitting who - this wasn't like that). Similar special-effects techniques to those used in "300" were used in "Watchmen", though in a modern urban setting, which gave it a different "feel". The music was great and supplemented the storyline well, and offered selections from a variety of genres, from Jimi Hendrix to Simon & Garfunkel to Wagner.
Because it seemed people leaving the theater hadn't just seen what they expected to see, I think the current 8.5 IMDb rating will drop lower as more people weigh in. Don't go see it if you're expecting a comic book superhero story like "Spiderman". I can't say that the movie was "enjoyable" - in the sense that it is a bleak portrayal of our worst characteristics and is therefore difficult to watch, but on the other hand, I couldn't look away. I will say that it is a very well-made and unique movie, and worth seeing for its masterfully dark storytelling and departure from the stereotypical "hero" character.