Watchmen Review

Let's say this. This is not just another super hero movie. Watchmen is far from being Spider Man, Superman, or even The Dark Knight.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Watchmen is a darker semi-realistic take on the life of a super hero in the real world. While the Spider Man movies and The Dark Knight touch on the topic of the super hero having to battle public perception, Watchmen takes it to the next level.

Taking place in an alternate 1985 that not even Doc Brown could have predicted to Marty McFly Richard Nixon is serving his unprecedented fifth term as President of the United States in a time of turmoil. The USA is inching closer and closer to a nuclear war with the USSR. Reluctant to take a strike on the Soviets Nixon waits until Dr. Manhattan, the lone super hero with any real incredible powers, can come up with a device that can bring the Soviets down easily. Dr. Manhattan, a scientist who found himself trapped in an intrinsic field sub tractor which gave him super powers, has been sub contracted by the U.S. government and given the Americans a strategic advantage.

The storyline of the movie follows the history of each super hero's rise and subsequent fall. The Comedian, is one of the elder super heroes. After the heroes have gone into hiding somebody has tracked down The Comedian and killed him. But who could have done such a thing? On the way to learning who is behind all of the sinister plots to kill off the super heroes in hiding we meet Nite Owl, a character that is influenced by Batman, Ozymandias, who is a big fan of Egyptian culture and Alexander the Great, Rorschach, who wears a white mask that changes formations that resemble ink blot tests, and Sil Spectre, the daughter of a heroine of the same name.

My favorite character was Rorschach, who reminds me of Wolverine from X-Men. Both characters have a determination to take matters in to their own hands and have little care for what others feel is right. However, both know inside that they need the help of their friends to achieve the ultimate goal; justice.

The movie is long at two hours and forty minutes. I felt the movie lagged a little in the middle at times but the action scenes are solid and pick up the pace when it is needed. But as I said, this super hero movie is more than your traditional super hero movie so be prepared.

Watchmen is definitely worth checking out. The cast works well together, with no big names heading in.

What did you think of the movie? Did it live up to your expectations? Did it disappoint you or impress you?

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