Watchmen: No More Heroes

New York, Fall 1985. The Doomsday Clock, a representation of potential nuclear strikes between the U.S. and Russia sits at five minutes to midnight. Costumed vigilantes, once belles of the ball, celebrities now forgotten, have been outlawed by sitting 5th term president, Richard Nixon. (who, even in an alternate time line does not escape the mantle "Tricky Dick") The only thing that stands against certain annihilation is Dr. Manhattan, a government sponsored super-being who can manipulate his environment and everything in it on a quantum level and serves as the ultimate deterrent. This is the backdrop for Watchmen, written by David Hayter (X-Men) and Alex Tse, directed by Zack Snyder. (300)

Adapted from a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, my immediate instinct is to draw comparisons between the film and the original effort. Upon seeing it however, the film really stands on its own. The book is something that should be read in it's own right, but isn't a prerequisite. It's on Time's 100 Best Novels and has been discussed by far more intellectual people than myself. The minutia of comparing panel to frame does not hold much appeal to me, nor I expect the reader.

Zack Snyder has created a visually stunning experience, truly a technical masterpiece. The meticulously crafted details of each scene is sure to drive moviegoers toward multiple viewings. Depth of scene is easily one of the film's strong suits and set design in this film is often incredible. CGI is utilized throughout the film, most notably in the case of Dr. Manhattan, with his glowing blue skin and faux nakedness. It never overtakes the film however. This could be due to the fact that the film clocks in at over two and a half hours, but I'll choose to believe Snyder was trying to maintain as much gritty realism as possible.

Realism is the key element that will most likely divide audiences on Watchmen. The addition of real world celebrities, talk show hosts, and politicians contribute to a sense of familiarity and serve to flesh out the time period in this alternate history tale. The cold war setting was something fresh in the American mindset before this new "cold" war on terror. But the outlandish costumes, at times noirish dialogue, and over the top action sequences do serve to remind us that we're watching superheroes. Luckily, The Dark Knight has acclimated us to the idea, or at the very least, possibility of heroes and villains. The latest incarnations of Batman ask us the question, "How would Batman exist outside of fiction?," instead of, "Can't Batman ice skate to defeat Mr. Freeze?" While this isn't a Dark Knight review, it deserves mention for tearing down the preconceived notions of a comic book movie. So too, does Watchmen. Unsurprisingly, its novel counterpart leapt forward the comic book medium when it was released.

Both films are character dramas involving superheroes and there the similarities end. While Knight is focused on telling the story of human nature through one man (Joker), Watchmen instead tells it through many men. (and women) Performances range from excellent to average, with Jackie Earle Haley standing out as the lovable ultra-conservative sociopath, Rorschach. Certain to be overlooked is Patrick Wilson, who delivers an excellent performance as the impotent and endearing Nite Owl (II). Malin Akerman exudes sexiness as the Silk Spectre (II) and delivers a convincing performance, despite her volcanic hotness. Jeffrey Dean Morgan as the Comedian is having a blast with his performance, notable since he almost passed on the movie. Thin is Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan, playing the film's foil to its human nature plot, as a being all but devoid of humanity. Crudup is an excellent actor in his own right, it's just that an entity entirely based on logic, math, structure, and other scientific concepts isn't that interesting to watch. Even Spock got pissed from time to time.

Watchmen leaves it up to us to decide whether it's comedy wrapped in a tragedy or a tragedy wrapped in a comedy. I don't mean to go all fortune cookie, but I think this is one of the film's best features. We're meant to weigh the positive benefits of technology with the creation and possible use of nuclear weapons. On the other hand, out of despair and suffering, heroes rise. There's an endless cycle explored, and a multitude of examples such as these. The film's ensemble cast really serves to highlight its main character, the aforementioned human nature. We see human nature twisted through the eyes of a dictatorial president, celebrated through the love that Nite Owl has for Silk Spectre, and completely misunderstood through the eyes of Dr. Manhattan. It's fitting that the film's symbol is that of a smiley face with blood on it, only reinforcing the idea that comedy and tragedy must coexist.

It all works wonderfully, if you buy it. Make no mistake, there is some responsibility on the part of the viewer. I don't mean to suggest that an imperative exists to love this movie at all costs, but instead offer that Watchmen is an experience, not just a film, and requires an active participant. To an extent, all films require some suspension of disbelief. Watchmen requires a bit more. The film is at times both hyper-realistic and completely fantastical, often in the same scene. The political and sociological nature of the film broadly interpreted makes fits in with our world view, but at the ground level is (mostly) told through the story of costumed heroes. None of this lessens the work. It's exceptional, a must experience. It's also enjoyable and at times humorous, but chooses to focus more on exploiting our own human nature and voyeuristic tendencies, told almost like a game of chess, where each piece reveals a different aspect of the game. To some cold, to others masterful, but always interesting.

"Who Watches The Watchmen?," is the tag line of the film and question painted throughout. It originates in Latin, but its modern usage is more about instilling a guardian class with the will to do right without the desire for power, exhibited in our division of government. In Watchmen, I think it means something entirely different to the flawed characters we're presented with, and by extension, the audience. It's more about watching themselves from themselves. In other words, will we be our own undoing? This makes Watchmen as poignant now as it ever was, and hopefully, barring any cataclysmic events, will be for years to come. Enjoy the film.