directed by Zach snyder
The greatest flaw the film has is its appreciation for the novel. The most successful movies are plot driven, plain and simple. And the Watchmen has never had much of a plot. The graphic novel succeeds because it uses a simple question "who killed the comedian" to recount the entire history of a band of superheroes. The viewer really isnt in it for the plot, the most fascinating parts are the relationships, the characters themselves. And that is why the watchmen will never be a commercial juggernaut.
At almost 3hrs snyder tried to cram as much as he could, but really his best move may have been to do the merciless editing hollywood is accustomed to when adapting comics. Dont get me wrong I really enjoyed the film, mostly because it looked amazing and seeing panels come to life is always fun, but its just not a tidy package. In alot of the ways it feels like the film is a companion to the novel, and one's enjoyment hinges on prior knowledge. Regardless its the best thing in theaters now and really so much better than some of the comic book (fantastic four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) adaptations.
4 stars (if you already know the book) 3.2 stars (if you havent read the book, go buy it so you can see the 4 star version of the film)
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