Watchmen: Watching Over Us 

Watchmen 

(Rated R) 163 mins. 

Set in 1985, Watchmen imagines a world where masked heroes have existed in helping America fight its enemies (foreign and domestic) since the 1940s. Although masked, these are not your typical comic book superheroes, for all but one of these “Watchmen” lack supernatural powers, and the one who does received his by fluke (a radiation-packed accident) and is hardly human anymore. Yet despite their collective lack of powers their presence has helped form a very different America than the one we know. An America which saw President Nixon win the Vietnam war, and as a reward goes on to win three more elections (putting his total number at five). What hasn’t changed is the Cold War, which is full-blown and scary, with the country’s Doomsday Clock reading “five minutes to midnight” (nuclear war). Times are bleak, especially for masked heroes, who have been outlawed for years and now exist as vigilantes or as “normal” citizens. 

The first one of these we meet is the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), whose name represents his living “outtake” of the human spirit, one which is ruthless and cruel. We see him for seconds before he is killed, and from then on he lives only in the memories of those he knew best. Which brings us to our next “Watchman” Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley), who is identified by the ever-changing inkblot mask he wears. Rorschach long ago gave up on the idea that criminals can change their ways, so he feels no qualms about killing them before the justice system can “let them off the hook.” He is the lone person who takes interest in the Comedian’s death, believing that someone is out to get all of those who once wore masks, the Comedian being the first on the list. He brings his theory to old pal Night Owl (Patrick Wilson), who resembles Batman in more than one way. From there Rorschach’s theory spreads to Ozymandias (Matthew Goode as “the smartest man alive”), Silk Spectre II (Malin Ackerman), and Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup as the lone man with superpowers, who is thought by some to be a god due to his seemingly unlimited abilities). However, they are all quick to brush it off, for Rorschach’s reputation is no longer reputable. Besides, Doomsday is just around the corner, and together Ozymandias and Dr. Manhattan are fast working to do whatever they can to prevent it. Yet as the plot thickens, it becomes more apparent that the mysterious murder is part of a plan which may lead to its own Doomsday, and the “Watchmen” may be all that stands in the way of its success.

If it seems like I have said too much, stop fretting, all I have told you is the first twenty minutes out of nearly three hours. Watchmen is an intricate story (as anyone who has read Alan Moore before should expect), and it must be paid close attention to if one is to catch everything that is going on. For this is not a typical superhero adventure story. Watchmen is a story about the best and worst in our country and the world. It is about light and dark, and though it presents a grim picture of our world, it is meant as a lesson that we may learn to avoid such things. Watch as Dr. Manhattan struggles with a desire to maintain part of his humanity as he grows more distant every day. See Rorschach as he refuses to set aside his idealist beliefs even as his fellow mask wearers “sell-out.” Every one of them has a story struggling with being merely human, and yet still unavoidably chosen to stand and fight for a world on the brink. It is their individual stories that make Watchmen more than a normal action film. It is their depth that makes Watchmen epic. 

There are few comic movies that are so well done from beginning to end. Fans of the old graphic novel may be upset over some minor changes the film has made, but overall Zach Snyder has done a wonderful job adapting this from page to screen (as he also did with the hit 300). The film overwhelms a bit toward the end and feels a bit disconnected, but the first two hours are just plain great cinema. However, it is a bit hard to watch, so those who are averse to seeing the grittier side of things, avoid at all costs. Everyone else, enjoy a stunning action film, but don’t forget your thinking caps. 

SCORE: 3.5/5