Movie Review 21: Watchmen

Title: Watchmen

Director: Zack Synder

Running time: 2 hours 43 minutes

Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Action, Thriller

Boy, oh boy... this is an extremely long movie. If you're watching it in a cinema, be prepared to suffer from cramped legs and maybe a visit to the loo. I'll tell you when is the best time to visit the loo during the movie :P. This movie is even longer than "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" which is really long already... but the main question is, will you feel that it is a dragged out movie or is it so exciting that you'll even forget that it's an almost 3 hours movie? And oh, by the way, the Director's cut, which I believe is the version that will be out in Blu-Ray, has a duration of 3 hours and 11 minutes! And oh, this movie is based on a comic book with the same title which was published in 1986 and 1987.

Well, I am happy to announce that it doesn't really feel that long... except for your bladder. The story is quite engaging and it's not your typical hero movie. Basically, the movie is about a retired hero/vigilante who was brutally murdered and his "co-workers" tried to find the murderer only to uncover a more sinister plot.

Notice how I used the word vigilante? This is because these "heroes" doesn't really have any super powers... although I still have no idea how the patterns on the mask of one of them,  the Rorshach (Jackie Earle Haley) changes all the time. The others of the Watchmen group are the Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson), Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman), Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode). With the exception of Dr. Manhattan, none of them have super powers... although Nite Owl II is more like Batman, with his technology advanced devices and Ozymandias is supposedly to be so fast that he can catch a bullet... but definitely not Superman fast.

Anyway, the story itself might be a little bit confusing in the beginning and it is imperative that you pay attention to the opening of the movie because it basically summarizes the event in between the time of vigilantes and the time where vigilantes are outlawed. Also, some of the characters mentioned have a predecessor and thus, you might mistaken one for the other. For example, there are 2 Nite Owls and 2 Silk Spectres... one elder and one younger.

Although Rorshach is one of the more "Wolverine" attitude type character, he would not really receive the popularity gained by Wolverine cause when he was unmasked, you would be just so disappointed.

Anyway, the main difference of this movie from other superheroes movies is that this movie is brutal and cold. There'll be lots of gore and blood and these 'heroes' does not exhibit what a normal definition of hero is... just remember, that they are better suited to be called as vigilantes instead of heroes.

The story is really nice and refreshing, although it could have used a little bit more action. However, one thing that I did not like much is the all powerful Dr. Manhattan. When you have someone as powerful as him, there really is no point in being a villain. He is even more powerful than Superman, practically indestructible and don't have Superman's kryptonite weakness. I think he is too powerful to be introduced in the 'hero' side.

However, this is still a recommended movie that all should watch... if you're interested in this genre of course... keep an open mind and you'll enjoy it.

Suggestion: Visit the loo when Silk Spectre II and Nite Owl II are having 'intimate' moments.

Bottomline: Good, engaging movie.

Bamboo Rating: 3.8 / 5.0