Who watches The Watchmen?
I’m not going to go into detail of what this film is about, to avoid spoiling too much. Unless you have been hibernating in a remote cave, you should be aware of The Watchmen. It is based on a comic book from DC Comics, created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Word of mouth is an amazing thing, and once it starts to spread, the hype juggernaut just keeps on rolling.
Fortunately, the film lives up to expectations, and more besides. To be honest, I am not into comics at all but I do appreciate the art. Therefore, I have not heard of The Watchmen before, and cannot say that I am a fan prior to the viewing. Having said that, any previous knowledge is unnecessary, as the storyline and action warps you in an instant to a reality that could be our own. Some historical events are true, so there are definite parallels and this is used as a stunning backdrop for our retired super heroes.
The plot steam rolls along at a steady pace, like a snowball plummeting down a slope, it picks up momentum as the tension is heightened by new developments. The story unfolds via voiceovers from a journal written by one of the protagonists, Rorschach. His relentless quest for the truth draws you in, and as the other characters get more involved the film intensifies reaching its climax. A final revelation is uncovered, while the possibility of global destruction hangs in the balance.
Rorschach has some of the best lines in the film; I have started reading the comic book and the script/storyline is very close to it. This will please diehard fans wanting a movie experience that can bring this faithfully to the large screen, without deviating too much from the original work. I look forward to completing my reading. I have heard that other Hollywood stars were initially drafted in for this movie, and I am glad that they did not make the final cut. I would not change any of the current actors; I doubt the voluptuous Silk Spectre, the anti-hero The Comedian or the omnipotent Doctor Manhattan, could be depicted as good as this by anyone else. I have mentioned Rorschach three times now, but he is my favourite character out of all of them. The utter complexity of his nature and disgust with the world he tries so hard to save, was portrayed to perfection.
Overall, if you are after a visceral and involving movie experience then this is for you. It is a rather long film though, with a running time of 163 minutes plus the obligatory cinema trailers beforehand. You can understand why though, given the depth and scope they wanted to accomplish. I have to warn you that some of the scenes are extremely violent if you are susceptible to such things, however personally I feel it does not detract from the experience. If anything, it adds to the bitter reality that you see before you.
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