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There has been a lot of hype and excitement about the new movie from 300 director  Zack Snyder called The Watchmen. Based on one of the best selling graphic novels of the past century and with a spin on the entire way we look at super hero films I must admit I was pretty intrigued. I have never followed the comics and never read the novels and until about 8 months ago had ever even gave it a second thought. So I was worried going into it that I would be on the outside looking in. Like the first time you spend Christmas with your in-laws. You sort of know the names and faces but not enough of their history to fully interact and fit in.

Set in a fictitious 1984, The Watchmen takes a look at what society and true events would have looked like had super heroes walked among us. Told from the perspective of Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) a renegade watchman with a grudge against the moral decay of society. When one of their own is killed he tries to invoke the help of other watchmen to find out what is going on. All the while Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) is trying to do all he can to prevent the Russians from attacking us with nuclear missiles. Seriously.

As with most graphic novels to the big screen I loved the look of this film. It is gritty, grimy and gruesomely violent.  This is certainly not a super hero film for your younger family members. It has a dark theme with very little in the way of redemption. Not being familiar with the characters I am sure I did not enjoy it as much as those who are long time fans. Though they do a great deal of back story and history I felt that I still was watching from the outside. This need to tell the back story also left little time for action and plot. Even at 2 hours and 40 minutes I felt like I didn't get as much actual story movement as I did set up and development. 

What I dug most about the film was the amazing soundtrack and the nostalgic look at past history. The weaving of '70’s and '80’s music into scenes with prominent cultural and historical figures made this at times more of a fantastic music video instead of a superhreo film. Even subtle background songs that many may not even recognize would go hand in hand with the characters emotions. So I applaud them for that. 

Rated R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language parents need to be careful with their teens on this one. There are lengthy sex scenes and quite a bit of nudity. Though the sex scenes are beautifully shot they are a certainly too much for younger viewers. Also, Dr. Manhattan never wears any clothes. I am not sure why and it was never talked about. Maybe because he is blue and not really human he can get away with this. But that said, his little Manhattan island is on display quite often. This may make watching with your sons and daughters a little awkward. Again, not being a fan or knowing much about the Watchmen I have to say I found the film a little too long with very little action and story. It almost felt like little bits of events pieced together to try and make a film. I give it 2 out of 5 dangling participles. I suggest you go to our website and read Kathryn's review as well. She is a fan of the Watchmen and of the novels. This will give you two different insights into the film and may help you make a better decision on spending your movie dollar.
 
Matt Mungle (3/05/09)

For additional reviews, interview clips and great DVD giveaways, visit the website www.mungleshow.com

Review copyright 2009 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.

As I sat through Watchmen, I realized that in the context of the story, people had unusual powers and that presented us with unusual names. “Nite Owl” (Patrick Wilson) couldn’t actually see in the dark, though he was inventive and wore night-vision goggles, and “Ozymandias” (Matthew Goode) was the smartest man in the world, and one of the vainest. You begin to wonder if opening a stuck door would give you a name and costume. Door Knob,  for example, in pewter and white or Curtain Rod in walnut or bronze. I’m still trying to figure out why Silk Spectre is named that (her mother was Sally Jupiter) and who the guy is in the early photo dressed in black? Shades of television's "Heroes," the word has come into its own with a bit of Spandex on it.
 
“Who Watches The Watchmen?” the ads say, and it has taken many years, plus legal entanglements to get this movie made, so producers are hoping fans will be watching the Watchmen. Alan Moore and David Gibbons wrote an-over-300-page graphic novel about a world where President Nixon has been in office for numerous terms, super heroes were Super in the 1940-50’s but have gone into obscurity, and the world just keeps rolling along. What sparks the interest of one former super hero, Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) is the death of another hero, The Comedian, played with a mean streak by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. This is the impetus for Rorschach to find the other heroes and try to figure out what is going on. Was The Comedian’s death a random act of violence, or is there a nefarious plot afoot to rub out all the super heroes. 
 
The film begins with a brilliant montage of world events. I’m saying it now, that “Watchmen” probably has the 2009 Oscar sewed up for special effects. After the montage and we see Nixon is still in office, The Comedian is brutally dispatched, but by whom and why? Rorschach scurries from one end of the city to another trying to get answers from former super heroes. Sally Jupiter (Carla Gugino) and her daughter, Silk Spectre (Malin Akerman) live together in constant bickering. Mother wore, and daughter wears, costumes with garters. By the way, violence toward women in this film is high. 
 
Nite Owl (Patrick Wilson) is a shy person who can’t make a decision, Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) is wildly rich because he makes dolls out of action figures, and Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) appears and disappears as he pleases. He is the big blue guy who hardly ever wears clothing (hence the “R” rating of this film), and in humanly love with Silk Spectre, who could add another “S” to her name…sex.
 
Soon, Nite Owl and Specter get together to find out what is going on, Rorschach lands in prison and Dr. Manhattan, who could crush the universe if he wanted to, lets us see his story and tells us he is drifting away from humanity, but still hangs around. Through multiple special effects, we fly in Night Owl’s owl-shaped plane, visit Mars with Spectre and Manhattan (cool space ship there), spend time with Rorschach in prison (“I’m not locked up in here with youyou are locked up in here with me!”) Finally, the mystery begins to unfold and we see what is going on. 
 
As for the disillusion of being a super hero? When the clapping stops, what then? Simple answer, nothing lasts forever, except, maybe for Dr. Manhattan, and I bet you can guess where he got his name. Better have a back-up plan or fade to black.
 
Not having read the book, I don’t know how faithful the film is to it. As I see it, there is a story, main characters, sub-plots with each character and an ending. For comic book lovers, there is a tinge of the comic book here, and no thuds or grunts. The special effects are downright awesome, especially Manhattan on Mars. Acting is fairly good, but in most cases, the costumes do the acting, and the actors have to make do with voices. Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl, has the chin of Peter Weller in “Robocop” and the chin acts. Silk Spectre walks into a room and men practically faint, Ozymandias acts like Caligula, The Comedian (anything but) turns out to be sadistic and you find out how Asian wars really end.  Rorschach wears a mask with spots that constantly change shape. Without the mask, Jackie Earle Haley nails the role of Rorschach.
 
Watchmen stays with you with its ideas of trying to form a new world order, fan support for super heroes (and would it continue if they knew what really went on), and humanity who clings to a lead figure. It is not a perfect world, hasn’t been, isn’t now, and people will keep on trying.  Perhaps, Guardian would be a better word for the super heroes, to keep us from thinking too much about ourselves.
 
Copyright 2009 Marie Asner