It’s dark, disturbing, and violent, and paints a bleak picture of the human race. It’s a superhero film driven not by wall-to-wall action, but by the flawed and dysfunctional psyches of the few who don the masks to save humankind from themselves. This is Watchmen, the film based on the infamous graphic novel
of the same name. It’s a somber story that attempts (and succeeds) to tear down previous preconceptions about superheroes and the type of people they are.
The year is 1985. the US has won the Vietnam War. Richard Nixon is still in office. And the Cold War is at its height. The Soviets and the Americans are on the brink of total destruction via nuclear war. Cynicism rules the day and costumed vigilantes are a thing of the past. Members of the group, known as the Watchmen, can only reminisce about days gone by, as they try to lead normal lives. But the status quo changes when one of their own - The Comedian - is brutally murdered. That leads another of the Watchmen, Rorschach, to find out why The Comedian was killed. This leads ultimately to a much larger plot that threatens the lives of millions.
The challenge of weaving twelve volumes of comic books into a single film was no doubt a daunting task, because it’s important for the unfamiliar viewer to understand these characters, their history, and their world. Otherwise, the story can’t engage the audience. The incredible opening credit sequence was a tool used by the filmmakers to condense some back story and yet provide important exposition at the same time. This was done beautifully.
The trade off is that when you must rely on so many flashbacks to orient your audience, you also run the risk of bogging down the pace of the film. This is exactly what happened with Watchmen. There were so many flashbacks and so much backstory that there didn’t seem to be a solid enough story arc to propel the film forward. There was no momentum. The flashbacks were offset with lengthy, dialogue-laden scenes from the present where Watchmen characters like the diestic Dr. Manhatten contemplated the human race, their nature, and their fate. Other characters like Nite Owl and Silk Spectre would digress into discussions about the “good ‘ole days” of Watchmen crime fighting. And woven into all of those elements was Rorscach’s investigation into The Comedian’s death.
Visually, the film is incredible. There are wonderful special effects from beginning to end. The fight scenes are intense and bloody, and makes The Dark Knight looks like a church picnic. Director Zach Snyder definitely had a strong vision for this film and he communicates this nicely. Watchmen is not a typical superhero movie where everything is black and white and flawless costumed heroes adhere to a high moralistic standard. These “heroes” cross the line. They’re violent. They’re disturbed. They have emotional and psychological issues. They struggle to know the truth about right versus wrong, which leaves everything in a messy gray. For its commentary on humankind and our plight, the film succeeds. However, it fails in its pacing and the overall story arc.
4 out of 10
