my thoughts on.... 'Watchmen'

i remember when comic book movies were just for kids.... and to find one that appealed to adults or was even close to some of the more adult oriented comics was impossible.... gradually over the years this trend has changed.... i think that the studios understand that you can still have a hit even if it's not just PG-13.... and if it's a bit more graphic than you're average comic book film.... i think it's about damn time.... there are some exceptions to the rule.... but many of them suffer from the Hollywood syndrome.... ie: they sellout the original story to meet some kind of demographic.... or they re-write the ending to make it more happy.... so when i heard that the classic comic book 'Watchmen' was being turned into a film, i was skeptical.... when i heard it was being directed by Zack Snyder i started to have a glimmer of hope.... and when i heard it got an 'R' rating, i was stoked.... i finally had a chance to watch this last night.... and not since the 'Dark Knight' have i been so engrossed in a comic book film.... from the opening credits to the closing song, i was lost in a world not my own.... an alternate reality of 1985.... i was fascinated by a group of characters that aren't always likeable, but you can't take your eyes of them.... it seemed to me that this may be another fine example of pitch perfect film making.... but we'll get to that later....

the storyline is rich and deep and anything i could write here would not do it justice.... it's just something you have to experience..... so instead, i'll give you the broad strokes.... one of the superheros, The Comedian from the group called The Watchmen, is murdered and suddenly there is a concern that someone is out gunning for supers.... meanwhile, all superheros have been banned and although they try to lead normal lives, some of them just have a hard time letting go.... and overshadowing the whole storyline is the fact that the US and Russia are on the brink of nuclear war and everyone is on edge and no on feels truly safe.... and that's just skimming the surface.... there's so much more underneath.... i can't emphasize enough that you need to see the movie to get the whole story.... or at least read the comic.... but if you want the whole shebang, do both.... you won't be sorry.
this film has extremely well developed characters.... an interesting storyline and more than enough action and intrigue to satisfy even the most passive filmgoer.... it's one of those movies that transcends it's genre.... if you took the fact that they were superheros out of the storyline and just told the story without that little factor.... you still have an amazing story that has depth.... the superhero angle just makes it that much more interesting.... i may sound like i'm gushing, but it's not very often that films like this come along.... and when they do, they deserve as much of an audience as they can get.... this is a film that i would recommend to just about anyone over the age of 18.... and even more so if they're film lovers or comic book lovers.... chances are though, if they're in either one of those categories, i'm sure they've already seen it or own it....

so what rating do i give it you might ask....? well, that's where things get strange.... despite all of my high praise and love of this film.... i kept feeling like there was something missing or something that i missed.... it just felt slightly off.... so therefore i give it 4 out of 5 stars.... but before you go off and rail on my judgement hear me out.... i have a deep seated feeling that upon a 2nd or 3rd viewing this will change to 5 out of 5 stars.... there was just so much going on that i think it takes repeated viewings to truly enjoy this in it's entirety.... it's just that simple.... i know that it will end up in my movie collection and be a welcome addition.... i've also planned on going back into my comic book archieves and digging out the original comics so i can remember the joy i felt when i first read it.... but now i can see it through fresh eyes and put voices to the characters.... and i feel it'll be that much more enjoyable to read....

end of review, see this now. do not pass go, do not collect $200.... just go out and rent or buy it and sit down and delve into the world of the Watchmen for almost 3 hours.... it's well worth every minute of your life.... thank you to everyone involved with the making of this movie for bringing something to life that deserved a wider audience.... the end.

if you like this movie, you might want to watch: 'Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter', 'The Dark Knight' and read the comic book series