Keith and Fred, for starters
Went to see The Watchmen this afternoon. Loved it.
It’s a superhero movie, but turned on its head. I can’t tell you much more than that without spoiling stuff. Suffice to say if you’re interested already, it’s for you. If you’re not, it’s not.
It’s based on a comic-book/graphic-novel/whatever-the-nerds-are-calling-it-now series by Alan Moore, who is considered a demi-god by many of those nerds.* His comics tend to be difficult to translate to the screen, as can be verified by viewing The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which is generally regarded as a big bucket of stupid. (It wasn’t that bad for me, but it wasn’t very good either.)
The Watchmen is much better. I have no idea if Alan Moore thinks so, but that doesn’t impact my opinions so I’ll ignore him. The movie is stylized, multi-layered, and splattered with violence. There is some graphic gore, an attempted rape, and multiple shots of a big blue wang. This is not a movie for the kids. It’s a strong R. Naturally, there was a family in front of us with two or three pre-teens. Who no doubt learned a few misleading things about adult copulation.
My favorite character in the movie was Rorschach, a psychopathic Watchman with an overwhelming urge to put down criminals like a lawnmower puts down water balloons. Very compelling brand of psychotic behavior.
Overall, thumbs up. Go to the bathroom just before it starts, though. It’s nearly three hours long, and leaving midway through the movie will make parts of it confusing when you come back.
*I use the term “nerd” in a totally loving and understanding way here, being a big one myself. I’m not a comic book nerd, but I understand them. My nerdity runs more towards movies, video games and computers.
