Watchmen

Released: 2009
Reviewed: 10.28.09
Star rating: 4 out of 5

Malin Akerman (Laurie Jupiter / Silk Spectre II), Billy Crudup (Dr. Manhattan / Jon), Matthew Goode (Veidt / Ozymandias), Jackie Haley (Kovacs / Rorschach), Jeffrey Morgan (Blake / Comedian), Patrick Wilson (Dan / Nite Owl II), Carla Gugino (Sally Jupiter / Silk Spectre), Matt Frewer (Jacobi / Moloch).

Imagine if we had won Vietnam, if Nixon had been re-elected twice, and if superhero's existed but were prohibited from using their powers. Set in 1985, the parallel universe depicted in Watchmen has all those things. Now with nuclear war looming and a superhero serial killer apparently on the loose, the Watchmen reunite, illegally, to defend themselves and prevent nuclear war.

This one kicks off nicely by immediately setting the plot into motion. As things unfold we get some character development mixed in with the plot which helps to flesh out the story a bit. Unfortunately they make the plot seem much more complex than it really was and serve mainly as interesting distractions. A lot of time is spent by the viewer actually trying to figure out what the plot is, and what superpowers the main characters have. Add in a warped romance or two that don't make much sense and you are left with a less than energetic film that feels disjointed and lacking direction most of the time.

Acting was unusual. Akerman was a pleasure to watch as was Crudup's character though seeing acting skills with the CGI used would be difficult. Goode was interesting while Haley was superb. Morgan, Wilson, Gugino and Frewer were mediocre.

Special effects were a big part of this film with costumes, weapons, action scenes, aircraft, and even other planets part of the mix. If other parts of the film were lacking, effects were not. I particularly enjoyed effects around Jon and the structure built on Mars. Sound was lousy with low dialogue and very high action scenes. Dialogue below average and soundtrack was above average with some good tunes.

Overall this would have been a nice movie for preens had they kept out the sex and foul language. Instead it is a less than energetic comic book entry that will appeal to a limited audience at best. With graphic violence, foul language, nudity, and sexual scenes save this one for older teens and above.