This city is afraid of me. I’ve seen it’s true face.

The Watchmen is a series of graphic novels who debuted in the mid-’80s.  When published in 1986-1987 the series set off a revolution in superhero comics. The film noir-style aging anti-heroes in the film adaptation of “Watchmen” bring a new complexity to the screen on the heels of “The Dark Knight.” You know Batman is a good guy, and the Joker is a sick and terrifying villain, but what do you do when the supposed heroes themselves are sick and terrifying?

Set in 1985, “Watchmen” are vigilante-style crime fighters in an alternative version of American history where Nixon never resigned and humankind is morbidly fascinated with nuclear annihilation. Originally begun as the Minutemen during the Depression era, some of these masked crimefighters retired, some got jobs with the government, some passed their legacy on to others, and some still secretly carry out their style of justice in the streets. The one-time masked heroes are now discredited and outlawed in a violent and unpredictable world.

We were supposed to make this world a better place.

The movie itself is three hours long and incorporates lots of  mind blowing scenes.  The adaptation stays true to the novel closely, and the visual effect and fight scenes are spectacular. The plots are tightly interwoven, and the back-and-forth sequencing is the best I’ve seen in any movie. This is the kind of movie were all question are answered, leaving you with an intense thriller. This film is simply a masterpiece of the modern film era.   The soundtrack chosen for the film sets this story apart from other adaptations of comic/graphic novels.

The admission price is totally worth it, and I’m sure lots of people will want to read the novels (for the first time or again).

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Director: Zack Snyder 

Writers: Alan Moore (graphic novel), David Hayter and Alex Tse (screenplay) 

Cast: Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Hayley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson                                                         

MPAA rating: R for very graphic violence, nudity and sexual content

360 Blog rating: 9,8/10

Photo Flickr 1

Photo posters 1,2,3