The "Apocalypse Now" of superhero films
I was never interested in the Watchmen graphic novel by Alan Moore, even though I had a gift copy (that I eventually gave away). The fact that the story takes place in an alternative reality (in which Nixon is serving his fifth term and costumed vigilantism is illegal) turned me off, as did the peculiarities of the team members which, it turns out, Moore intended as satire. The movie, however, totally changed my perspective. It's an adult-oriented superhero flick with a convoluted plot, strong characters and total originality. The latter two score high marks with me any day.
- Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) stands out with his gravelly voice and rightwing ideology, although he's not very likable. He's impressive yet, at the same time, kind of pathetic. The character was based on Steve Ditko's The Question.
- The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) exudes great charisma and is reminiscent of The Punisher if he were a jokester. Unfortunately, The Comedian is arrogant & hotheaded and has a weakness for the ladies, not to mention cold-blooded murder.
- Night Owl (Patrick Wilson) is another strong character, obviously based on Batman or Blue Beetle. Unlike the previous two, he's very likable. I always thought his costume looked really lame in the graphic novel but, as depicted in the film, it kicks axx.
- Dr. Manhattan (Greg Plitt), named for the Manhattan Project and based on Captain Atom with a dash of Mr. Fantastic, is an almost God-like being who can do pretty much anything. He's so detached from the human experience that he walks around totally nude and has no time for his woman, Silk Spectre II. He'd rather hang out on Mars -- literally!
- Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) stands out due to her alluring costume more than anything else, along with Akerman's drop-dead-gorgeous looks. The character was based on Phantom Lady and Black Canary. Silk can't handle Dr. Manhattan's increasing aloofness and consequently diverts to Night Owl for human warmth.
- Silk Spectre (Carla Gugino) is Silk Spectre II's mother and has a pretty significant part. Like her daughter, she's quite attractive, albeit in a different way.
- Ozzyosbourne, whoops, I mean Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) is the least developed character and loosely based on Charlton Comic's Thunderbolt. He's ultra-smart, ultra-quick and kinda foppish.
Another highlight is the hypnotic score by Tyler Bates mixed with a quality soundtrack (e.g. "The Sound of Silence," "All Along the Watchtower," etc.)
The film is long, dark, mature, dialogue-driven and convoluted, but the strong characters and originality win the day; no moronic "blockbuster" trash here. Not to mention Silk Spectre II and her mother are easy on the eyes. As far as superhero flicks go, there's really nothing else like "Watchmen." It's even more atypical than the X-Men and easily one of my favorite superhero flicks, maybe even the favorite.
There are three different cuts with three considerably different runtimes: Theatrical Cut: 162 minutes; Director's Cut: 186 minutes; The Ultimate Cut: 215 minutes.
I own both the Theatrical Cut and Director's Cut. Although the theatrical version is just fine, the DC is worthwhile for extended dialogue to existing scenes in the Theatrical Cut; the biggest addition is an attack on Night Owl's Mentor, Hollis Mason, at the hands of a thug gang and Night Owl's subsequent brutal revenge at a bar. Despite the convoluted plot, I had no problem following the story in the Theatrical Cut, even though I've never read the graphic novel. The filmmakers did an excellent job cutting out the fat in the theatrical version. So don't think you'll need to view the DC to understand the story; it's not necessary. My recommendation is to check out the theatrical version first and only view the DC if the Theatrical Cut left you wanting even more, which is what it did for me. Even so, I prefer the Theatrical Cut; it's leaner and just all-around better.
The Ultimate Cut interweaves the animated Black Freighter short into the story, which never interested me.