I didn't read the comic books, but was aware of who the Watchmen were. I wanted to see the movie, because being a kid at heart, I'm all for grown ups running around being superheroes!
I had forgotten how graphic the characters were. Yep, my 7 year old was with me. But the good thing is, my mommy tricks came in handy for those scenes deemed too mature for her. All in all, I managed to see the entire movie without missing a beat!
The movie was long, 2 hours and about 30 mins...maybe a bit less. It dragged a bit sometimes, but overall, I was not disappointed, I liked it! Mind you, I'm a happy-ending type of gal, and I go to movies to be distracted and to have fun looking through the lens at someone else's viewpoint, the end result didn't leave that much of a bad taste in my mouth.
The movie did live up to it's description of graphic, both in the picture and the scenes. There were some funny moments and others that had me wanting to see what happened next, so the intrigue is there to keep your interest going. I must say the "who did it" factor was surprising!
Though the 'experts' reviews might be mixed, some liked it, some didn't, some were unsure. It is science fiction, super heroes, romance and end of the world dooms day thrown in, that made for a highly fascinating movie! I give it three out of five stars!
John Serba of the Grand Rapids Press gave a great overview of the movie, an excerpt I'm copying below. You can read his review at: http://www.mlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2009/03/complex_gory_crimefighter_tale.html
The Watchmen are the dysfunctional family of crime fighters created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons. "Watchmen," published by DC Comics in 1986, ran for 12 issues, later collected in one volume. The story rewrites world history leading up to 1985, when vigilantes have been outlawed and nuclear war is imminent. Here's a who's-who of its heroes:
Ozymandias (played by Matthew Goode) -- Real name Adrian Veidt, a business tycoon made rich by selling his heroic image; one of the world's smartest people.
Nite Owl (Patrick Wilson) -- Real name Dan Dreiberg, a goggled-and-caped nerdy ornithologist specializing in gadgetry; pilots Archimedes, a roundish, owlish airship.
Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) -- Real name Jon Osterman, the only superpowered Watchman; his exposure to radiation made him able to manipulate subatomic particles.
Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) -- Real name Walter Kovacs, a mentally disturbed individual with an ever-changing inkblot mask; the only Watchman who didn't retire his costume after the anti-vigilante law.
The Silk Spectre II (Milan Akerman) -- Real name Laurie Jupiter, the daughter of the original sex-symbol Silk Spectre; estranged from lover Dr. Manhattan, she teams up with Nite Owl to resume crime-fighting.
The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) -- Real name Edward Blake, a violent, amoral brute contracted as a government agent; his murder is the dramatic spark igniting the "Watchmen" story