Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The Watchmen: Better Than an All-Male Review

Over the past weekend I had a chance to go see the new superhero effort "The Watchmen." I didn't know anything about the novel or comic, but it seemed like it was kind of a big deal. Being a lover of action films I was ready to be on the edge of my seat, and it certainly didn't disappoint (ok we know I wasn't literally on the edge, but movie reviews require such jargon).

The film places superheroes in real-life historical settings like the Vietnam war, the assassination of JFK and more. In the lengthy opening sequence we get to see the rise and fall of the superheroes that got America through the WWII era. All of this leads up to the eighties where the movie is set and there's a new crop of heroes. Rorschach, the masked character, leads the movie with his narrative of diary entries, but throughout the film each hero's life is carefully examined.

On to the important stuff. There's a few things I really want you to know about this movie, and don't worry, I'm not giving anything away. It is nearly 3 hours long! So, if you still haven't recovered from sitting through Benjamin Buttons, I'd mentally and physically prepare myself beforehand. I didn't remember how long it was until I had been sitting there for about 20 min. and, lucky for me, I have some patience. Also, this movie is rated "R" and it definitely should be. Trust me. There is enough nudity to fill the pages of a dirty magazine, especially Playgirl (yay!). You know that blue dude in the movie? Yea, well apparently no one seems to mind his "special purpose" is blowing around throughout the film. The amount of male nudity was sometimes a distraction, and I was sitting there hoping nobody was watching me watch the screen. But hey, I didn't want to miss anything! There's blood and gore similar to that of a Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez flick (think Sin City without the color effects), and this should come as no surprise since it's from the same director who made "300," which I believe Rodriguez worked on as well. Basically, If you're expecting to see something like heroes being all benevolent and good-natured saving kittens from trees, you won't find that here.

This movie is definitely worth checking out. The cinematography is amazing and its truly unlike any superhero movie I've ever seen. At times I felt the story itself went on forever and ever, but there was plenty of action and surprises to keep me in the story. The movie really delivers great moments as opposed to a whole piece. Ultimately, the film's overall message was really unique for a movie of its kind. Go see it, just don't bring the little ones. You will definitely look like a terrible person.
by Ciara

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