SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
Let me just start by saying that once upon a time…I hated this film. The first time I ever saw Watchmen, the only good thing about it was Rorschach, but how silly was I? This movie is fantastic, number 3 on my list of favourite films ever made.
ANYWAY, ON TO THE REVIEW…
^Watchmen poster
At first glance, one may have the impression of ‘just another superhero movie’, but on the contrary, well, that just isn’t right! If you’ve stumbled upon this film, you’ve stumbled on one of the greatest gold mines of film history.
First credited as ‘unfilmable’ by much of Hollywood, Watchmen director, Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead (2004), 300, Sucker Punch), proved Hollywood INCORRECT!!!
Unregrettably casting Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode, Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Malin Akerman as leading roles, together, Snyder and the crew created a film unlike any other, all the while sticking close to the source material, a graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore (who unfortunately hates Hollywood for butchering his other graphic novels, with the exception of V for Vendetta).
The film begins with a grim, unforgettable scene: the death of Edward Blake aka The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), as he is ruthlessly beaten and thrown out a window. During this scene, the audience is revealed to the news that a nuclear war may break out. Following this begin the credits which run for roughly six minutes, but never fear, they have meaning as they tell a story of their own – the one of the Minutemen as their fame passes and the new generation of vigilantes begin: the Watchmen.
^Photo of the Minutemen from Watchmen
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We’re introduced to Rorschach aka Walter Kovacs (Jackie Earle Haley), a masked vigilante who acts as the narrator of the story and investigator of the death of The Comedian. He regularly voices over as he reads his journal entries leading up to the final point on the movie.
^Rorschach wearing his rorschach inkblot mask
Rorschach, paranoid that a killer is picking off masked heroes, decides to inform his friend, Dan Dreiberg aka Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson) of The Comedian’s death.
Failing to get through to Dan, Rorschach informs Jon Osterman aka Dr Manhattan (Billy Crudup) and Laurie Juspeczyk aka Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) of the possible threat but is promptly booted out by the reality-warping, naked blue man.
As complications arise and truths are revealed about the war, the characters’ pasts and struggles, we’re thrown into their world as everything is unraveled, right down to the last, heartbreaking minute, which I won’t reveal. The scariest thing is how realistically every single terrible thing that happens parallels our own world, and our own troubles which, as Dr Manhattan points out, are practically insignificant.
The last line of the film truly sends chills down my spine every time I watch and hear it, which was a repeated line from one of Rorschach’s beginning journal entries:
‘Rorschach’s Journal: October 12th, 1985. Tonight, a comedian died in New York.‘
It truly brings you back to the beginning, before all the events unfolded, and leaves you rather sad how the ending played out (or for me, at least). You’ll understand if you watch this wonderful movie.
Aside from the obviously amazing plot, the directing done by Zack Snyder is brilliant, and though the chosen soundtrack is somewhat questionable, it doesn’t matter because it fits with the abnormality of the film itself. I highly recommend Watchmen.
^Watchmen group photo
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For me, I’m giving this 10/10.
~CINEMATIC SLUSH~ 
