‘Watchmen’: Watch it twice (4/5)

Watchmen

Starring: Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Malin Akerman.
Directed By: Zack Snyder.
Rating: R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language.
Running time: 2 hours, 40 minutes.

I’m your average “Watchmen” watcher — never read the graphic novel. In fact, had never even heard about the graphic novel. And so director Zach Snyder would have a difficult time turning what is rumored to be one of the longest, most complex and “unfilmmable” specimens of the genre into a movie adaptation that would keep me from becoming lost.

But he did it, and with style.

“Watchmen” is not just a great movie with a cool and interesting plot, but its cinematography and excellent cast all culminate into an amazing experience — even at two and a half hours of screen time.
The graphic novel, published by DC Comics, was written by Alan Moore (“V for Vendetta,” “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”) and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. “300” director Snyder was aided by screenplay writer David Hayter (“X-Men”).

It’s 1985. Richard Nixon has been elected to a third presidential term. The U.S.S.R. is encroaching upon Afghanistan’s borders. A superhero has just been murdered.

When fellow superhero Rorschach attempts to uncover the secret behind the murder, he stumbles onto a plot that not only threatens the superheroes but the entire world as well. With this knowledge, he attempts to warn and rally the “Watchmen:”

• The Comedian — Eddie Blake (Jeffrey Dean Morgan): The superhero with questionable morals. Although he is killed in the opening sequence, his “resurrections” in flashbacks make him a fascinating character who steals every scene he’s in. Unfathomably violent and crass, the Comedian is a parody of humanity, truly believing he is doing mankind a favor by killing people off.

• Rorschach — Walter Kovacs (Jackie Earle Haley): Another scene-stealer and quite possibly the main protagonist of the movie (certainly the main plot advancer). Haley is riveting as the unyielding vigilante who believes in absolute justice, no matter the consequence (“Never compromise, not even in the face of Armageddon”).

• Doctor Manhattan — Jon Osterman (Billy Crudup): Dr. Manhattan is America’s sole hope against a Soviet Union nuclear attack. After a freak lab accident, physicist Jon Osterman is turned into the “demigod” Dr. Manhattan, who is able to maneuver matter with his mind. Crudup may have had the most difficult character to embody, as Manhattan is often devoid of emotion and above the triviality of this world.

• Nite Owl II — Dan Dreiberg (Patrick Wilson): The aging bachelor who seems lost in his life of post-heroism. The second Nite Owl is one of Rorschach’s most trusted friends and is the first one he warns about a potential superhero killer.

• Silk Spectre II — Laurie Juspeczyk (Malin Akerman): The daughter of the original Silk Spectre, Laurie feels compelled to follow her mother’s footsteps. Along the way she falls in love with Doctor Manhattan, but his lack of emotion eventually drives her to Nite Owl II.

• Ozymandias — Adrian Veidt (Matthew Goode): The “smartest man in the world,” Veidt feels that his only true connection with humanity was with Alexander the Great and his concept of a united world. Veidt came out to the public with his superhero identity, making a business of it and earning substantial sums of money.

The movie offers a fairly unique version of a superhero film, with obvious flaws attached to each character. The heroes are made out to seem like humans in costumes rather than superheroes masquerading as people (with the obvious exception of Dr. Manhattan).

Rorschach and the Comedian alone are reason enough to watch “Watchmen.” Both characters can be perceived as deranged psychopaths, yet fight for the side of “good.”

Yet, for all that Rorschach and the Comedian bring to the film, Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II are certainly a heavy anchor to all of the characters. Nite Owl just never seems to reach his peak as a character, always falling subpar, and Silk Spectre is, frankly, a little obnoxious at times. I’ll be honest, I really dislike many of the women in superhero movies, and Silk Spectre II was a far cry from the elite list of those I can actually tolerate.

Also, the soundtrack just doesn’t quite fit. Two very prominent examples are the Vietnam War scene and an exceptionally graphic sex scene set to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”

Speaking of exceptionally graphic, the squeamish out there may want to take a pass at “Watchmen” as there are some highly detailed and bloody sequences.

Despite a few spots that missed the mark, “Watchmen” is a bold and innovative movie that deserves not just one viewing, but two (if only just to fully understand all of what’s going on!).

4 of 5 stars