Watchmen (2009) – Film Review

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Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Malin Akerman
Certificate: 18

by Dan Berlinka

Brave attempt, but seeing as Alan Moore’s Watchmen comic was (and is) the perfect form in which to tell this story, the movie was always bound to fail. The only question being how badly.

Well, there is much to enjoy. Action sequences are well handled. The cast commit thoroughly, with a standout performance from Jackie Earle Haley’s Rorshach. There is fine support too from Patrick Wilson’s Dreiberg, Malin Akerman’s Laurie, plus an impressively naked Billy Crudup as Dr Manhattan.

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“Severely overlong”

Perhaps most importantly, despite some changes, the heart of Moore’s bleak vision remains. However, it’s severely overlong. It doesn’t feel it really begins until the last 45 minutes. Given that some cuts inevitably had to be made, one can’t help wondering why they didn’t snip a little more in the interests of streamlining the narrative.

The story gains little (or nothing) by being translated to the screen and ultimately the movie feels like an incredibly expensive (albeit lovingly crafted) fan tribute.
7/10

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