Disclaimer: First and foremost, I am an avowed comic book nerd/geek/aficionado so please keep that in mind as you read this post. I make this disclosure to make you aware of any bias you might infer.
T and I did something unusual for us last night. We went to the movies. On a week night. After the matinee prices expired. Oh, and we paid full price to see the movie in IMAX. I'm glad we did. We saw, what I consider one of the best films I've seen in a long time and that has nothing to do with its subject matter or source material.
What did we see? Watchmen.
Now, go back and read the disclaimer again just for shits and giggles before you proceed.
I've never read the comic series/graphic novel (but I will shortly!) so my opinion isn't based on how well the story mirrored the comic, but I've been looking forward to this movie ever since we saw the trailer with The Dark Knight, and I wasn't disappointed. It is about much, much more than superheroes...in fact I think it's a stinging commentary on humanity in general. The characters are a real as they can be - yeah, they dress up in costumes to fight villains but when was the last time you saw a superhero unable to get it up unless they were in costume? - and have problems and inner demons and agendas to deal with. Yes, there are some very gory, graphic scenes that at times can be disturbing but it also peels back the veneer of the characters to show us those psychological scars that result from their time in costume and what the world has done to them.
It's a dark movie, but at the same time it draws you in and doesn't let you go. It keeps you riveted to your seat wondering what will happen next and at no point do you feel like "come on pick up the pace, get to the end".
The only bad thing about this movie? The chances of it seeing the award recognition that it deserves (I truly think it would deserve consideration for things like best picture, best director, best adapted screen play) is nil.
Bottom line if you're hesitating seeing this movie because you've had your fill of campy-men-in-costume-superhero-films put that notion out of your head. This movie is not that. It's more of traditional film noir, than it is a superhero movie.
Put it this way - over dinner last night after the movie, I looked at T and our friend who went with us and said "I'd pay to see that on the big screen again," and seriously is there a bigger endorsement than that?
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