Who Watched the Watchmen? I did.

A bit late of a post.

1985 New York City takes center stage in this film adaptation of Alan Moore’s Watchmen by director Zack Snyder. Costumed vigilantes were banned by the Keene Law but are having a comeback to solving the pending nuclear war between America and Russia.

Director Snyder’s popular graphic novel effect, the same idea he used in his previous film adaptation of Frank Miller’s 300 is also present in Watchmen. Scenes come in striking colors, which give you the same as, and at times even a better visualization of the graphic novel itself. Another one to note in the film is Snyder’s inclusion of outrageous songs such as Unforgettable, 99 Luftballons and Hallelujah, the latter accompanying a love scene, which in my opinion was well-delivered by throwing the audience in an outrage of laughter rather than titillating them with obscenity that many other films claim to be “art”.

The plot differs from the graphic novel at the film’s peak. Instead of an alien invasion cover-up, Dr. Manhattan’s power was used to bomb New York and other cities in America. As a fan of the original work, the film’s ending surprised me on a positive note. The plot also takes the audience on a high speed spin of sensations in this relatively long film. First, costumed vigilantes looked like typical superheroes with gadgets extraordinaire such as the Nite Owl’s owl ship and Rorschach’s gun that definitely amused the audience. Second, violence and crime gave the film a darker hue. The Comedian, one of the costumed vigilantes was hired by the government for the longest time despite being known for his crimes of rape and murder depicted savagely in the film. Lastly, the plot’s revelation that Adrian Veidt, a.k.a. Ozymandias is mastermind plunges the audience into confusion. Yet, moments later, clarity resurfaces as Veidt’s motive of preventing total nuclear destruction is affirmed.

Several issues portrayed in the film deliberately question the audience. One, Rorschach’s mention of the city’s gutters and sewers as reeking with blood, murders, rape, and dirty deeds of every New Yorker show the audience the shameless face of crimes and prostitution that are present in many other cities in the world, which demands to be eradicated in present-day societies. Second, the advent of Dr. Manhattan challenges the audience by presenting the idea that a super hero or a god can be turned into reality. If someone like Dr. Manhattan emerges today, how will every religion in the world react to it? There are two paths; either he is entitled the devil incarnate or god himself. Third, Veidt’s scheme of stopping the war against Russia by first dropping the bombs in America which means a reversal of circumstances also reverses the audience’s perception of what is morally right and what is not.

In its entirety, Watchmen is not a superhero movie. It is an eye opener to those who refuse to see the other pages of a presupposed comic book.