I must confess, I have never read "Watchmen." So I can't speak of the movie's faithfulness to "the most celebrated graphic novel of all time." But I can tell you that one of the most anticipated movies of this year delivered on its big blockbuster promise.
"Watchmen" is set in the 1980s, as Richard Nixon has been elected to his fifth term in office and nuclear tensions put the world at five 'til midnight on the doomsday clock. Superheroes themselves are outlawed after they have been utilized by the government for national security purposes. Although they helped the United States end the Vietnam War, the superheroes of "Watchmen" have either retired from their vigilante days or have been put on government payroll at the outset of the film.
It is this deconstruction of the familiar superhero role that makes "Watchmen" such a compelling movie, twisting the archetype to encompass caped crusaders who kill for pleasure and exact justice outside of any legal framework.
While "Watchmen" delivers the stylized blood spurts and gritty action that graphic novel adaptations have become known for, it also balances that action with a complex look at the mythos surrounding superheroes and the notion of power itself. When a society idolizes its heroes and places them on a pedestal, who is to blame when that status is used to abuse power and circumvent the very idea of justice?
Sure, the movie will be slammed by some just for the very fact that it is an adaptation of one of the most popular graphic novels ever made. But "Watchmen" utilizes its two hours and 40 minutes on screen to bring to life fleshed-out heroes and crusaders, ones with flaws and developed backstories. In a genre that has increasingly pushed flash over substance, "Watchmen" offers a welcome dose of intriguing storylines and real-world issues to accompany the brilliant visuals and big-budget theatrics.
