Movie Review: The Watchmen

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March 19, 2009 • written by Cory Hunt

 Ever wondered how the Cold War could have turned out?  What happened if superheroes were running the streets?  If you answered yes to any of these questions the movie Watchmen is for you.  Set in an alternate 1985, Watchmen follows a group of former vigilantes as tensions heighten between the United States and the Soviet Union while an investigation of an apparent conspiracy against them uncovers something even more sinister.

During the 1930s and 40s, the vigilantes form a group called the Minutemen. Decades later, a second generation of superheroes attempts to form a team as well, calling themselves the Watchmen. Different historical events are shown to have been altered or impacted by the existence of superheroes, including the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the Vietnam War. The Americans winning the Vietnam War, thanks to Dr. Manhattan, leads to Richard Nixon’s third term as President.  By the 1980s, the Watchmen have been outlawed, and tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union have escalated the Cold War with threats of nuclear attack.

            This overly long movie starts out with an assassination of Edward Blake who is also known as The Comedian.  This begins the very boring beginning of the movie.  As the movie goes on it gets better when Rorschach, a masked superhero whose face changes with ink, warns the others about someone trying to murder them.  It does get stronger as it goes on because of a developing plot, and more action.  This movie even includes a love triangle between Laurie, Dan, and Dr. Manhattan.  This movie ends with a twist and the United States feeling the wrath of the Cold War.

            Overall this movie starts off very slow and gets stronger as it goes on.  If you are willing to sit through a three hour movie, and like superhero type movies, then this is the movie for you.  This is one of the weakest of the few superhero movies I have seen.  I give it a modest 2.5 out of 5 stars because of length, and a poor beginning.

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