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SPOILER FREE
DO NOT TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THIS MOVIE! they were thinking of rating it NC-17 (no one under 17 admitted w/ or w/o parent)
my friend said this movie was stupid and way over hyped before I saw it, so I suppose I wasn't expecting much.
I don't know what he was talking about though, the movie was pretty good on the whole.
coming from a guy that traditionally HATES super hero movies (Batman, Superman, Spiderman), saying it's even OK would translate to extreme praise for most other critics.
I watched it in two, hour and 20 minute sittings (they decided to give me a free private screening on my computer
It gets props for being a very, very, unique story. For example, it's set in an alternate 1985 America on the brink of WWIII. The main characters are all superheroes that for one reason or another have given up they super hero duties.
Watchmen uses a strange definition of superhero in the movie - there are many, many, heroes that don't seem to have any powers at all, it's as if the only requirement of a superhero is a goofy ass looking costume. it lacks a lot of explanation, like why they decided to become heroes in the first place. You are just supposed to assume that because it's an alternate world superheroes are a part of the culture??? that didn't jive with me.
anywho the characters in this movie are all tragic heroes which makes that movie a lot more interesting than your typical comic book movie. they are all flawed in one way or another, and the movie is really more about them than crime fighting or upholding justice. in fact, the few what I will call "Justice scenes" are way too short, and it makes you walk away from the movies saying "wait so they fight crime or something?" seems like the director got too caught up in the main characters stories to even prove that they are crime fighters.
there is one extremely powerful character called Dr. Manhattan (the blue guy) I have mixed feelings about. they try hard to make him a complex character, and for the most part it works. The only problem is the obvious one - why would someone with superpowers like his, let the world get to WW3? I think whoever wrote the novel gave him way too many powers, and that jeopardizes the believability of the film.
another minor bone I have to pick with the movie, is that it's a little bit too far up it's own ass at times. maybe it's because I didn't read the novel but it just seemed to get way to... like a fantasy that tried to take itself way too seriously. I also felt the same way about the dark knight (batman) - there were no bits of humor in either film to lighten things up, and after 2hours of a serious-fantasy, it's hard not to say to yourself, "do they still expect me to believe this shiit?"
hard to figure out the exact point to everything in the end. I'm going to have to watch it again.
what's cool in this movie
- really get to know the characters
- good acting all around except for the silk spector chick
- cool special effects, and in general, great directing from snyder (he made 300)
- alternate worlds are always cool IMO
what's not so cool
- length
- really out of place sex scenes
- there's a penis flappin around in a few scenes
- a bit too far up it's ass. no humorous moments. It's like listening to a guy that's trying to convince you the lord of the rings is real for 2hrs and 40mins. after a while you have to laugh at him.
- everything about the silver specktor character was weak if you ask me.
I give it a 3.5 out of 5
very similar to the Dark Knight (which I thought was way to long and stupid). this one is slightly less stupid, and was long for a reason (has to tell the story of multiple characters not just 1 like in batman).













