Watchmen (2009)

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When an ex-superhero is murdered, a vigilante named Rorshach begins an investigation into the murder, which begins to lead to a much more terrifying conclusion.

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Directed By: Zack Snyder

Written By: Alan Moore, David Hayter, Alex Tse, Dave Gibbons

Starring: Stephen McHattie, Carla Gugino, Matt Frewer, Michael Eklund, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Sabongui, Jerry Wasserman

Genres: Drama, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Action

Franchise: Watchmen

Country: USA

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Watchmen belongs to 90 collections

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TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
23	KasperL	85 _93rd
Superheroes for adults. The problems - Gugino's Razzie-deserving terribleness as Old Sally, cheesy music choices, caricatures (Nixon, Big Figure) - all negligible considering that Snyder succeeds in translating the ostensibly unadaptable graphic novel in terms of coining the visuals and, impressively, figuring out how to tell the extremely complex story. The Director's Cut nails the despair better, giving us more Rorschach (Haley is perfect!), which is essential for the thought-provoking ending.
15	XakkMaster	93 _94th
By recognizing the fact that superheroes can at times need their cheesy costumes as much as much as the world needs the hero, Watchmen transforms on the screen (just as its written inspiration), as the epitomy of its genre. Other than Sin City, no other comic/graphic film is as engaging. There are small caricature issues, but in the end they are petty complaints. Interestingly, the thing that bothered me the most was Nixon and his crass makeup. Perhaps I was spoiled by Frank Langella.
12	Vandelay1	94 _99th
I Dont Have Read The Comics, But This Was For Sure One Of The Best Superhero Movies I Have Seen.
11	INDYATMN	84 _70th
Problems of staying 2 faithful 2comic? Superheroes r archetypes, so at times dialogue&characterization can seem hyperbolic/silly (what do these people do all day when they're not superheroing?)It also feels less oppressive2 read through angst & gloom at ur leisure rather than sitting through 3 hours of it.HOWEVER: visuals truly awe& Snyder brings a surprising amount of the comic's original ideas, details,& fearlessness which, if nothing else, insures u've NEVER seen a film quite like this before
11	NathanDarko	96 _95th
This is the best Superhero flick I have ever seen, and maybe the best Science-Fiction film in years. Don't know the theatrical version only the Director's Cut. Heard so many different things about it. I can only say that Snyder did a great job adapting the topic of the comic into this Movie. Sometimes brutal, sometimes funny, but full of kick ass action and great characters. Comedian and Rohrschach are awesome !! Hell yeah more stuff like this
10	theficionado	37 _34th
Considering that the graphic novel that inspired it implicitly condemned its fetishistic/amoral/sociopathic heroes, the fact that movie raises them to ubermenchen could be perceived as a misstep. Great intro, nice ending. If Dreiberg's impotence wasn't a punchline (Hallelujah!) and its violence was a little less sexy and it weren't simply inert for most its running time and the soundtrack didn't hit you over the head at every fucking step and...
9	Leonardis	85 _50th
I'm not a big fan of Zack Snyder's work, but this movie was really good. I loved seeing all of the cast play what seems unordinary for each of them (minus Morgan and Goode) and the visual effects are passable, along with a really well-done story. Rorshack is wonderful and Hayley does the character convincingly well. Snyder's best work perhaps. You can feel the 162 minutes it's running, but it never gets boring and the characters are too interesting and get along too well to dismiss. Recommended!
8	BeeDub	88 _75th
This was actually better than anyone could have reasonably expected. Yes, there are minor issues with bad makeup and the modified ending, but the movie does so much right in capturing the bleak tone of the graphic novel that these issues fade to nitpicks. Best use of a Smashing Pumpkins song in a trailer ever.
7	eveelun	75 _59th
On a technical level, mighty impressive. Snyder brought Watchmen to the screen and it doesn't totally suck. In fact, he gives it such due reverence you feel like he's captured the body with such accuracy, like a statue copy with all the veins and sinews in tact. There are some changes, but none of them really adds or enriches the story at all. But the spirit of the novel is utterly lost, it feels hollow and empty, like the feeling one gets when eating astronaut ice cream or something.
7	Pickpocket	6 _55th
Watchmen is a very uneven film. Some of the characters are just amazing (Rorshach, Dr. Manhatten) and others you are like please move on (Nite Owl, Silk Spectre...even the sex scene was awful). The score is decent but basically a that's so 70's CD if they could get the writes to the more famous people. Has some cool fight scenes and some great lines from Ozy and Rorshach but makes you nervous about Snyder doing a Batman movie as I'm not sure he's capable of pulling it off.
6	tinythedogg	90 _94th
I really found myself getting into this movie and really caring about the characters. To me Jackie Earle Haley stole the show with his rendition of Rorshach. Awesome story, but it was so predictable, except for the very end with the final battle, that caught me off guard, but I knew who was going to bite the bullet at the end and found myself getting angry over it. A great action movie that promotes thought, very rare indeed.
6	Farzan	40 _27th
A pretty bad movie overall. There were a few scenes that stuck out and were well done, but the only reason to watch this movie is because of Rorschach, other than that I was extremely dissapointed with this movie. The costumes were terrible, the soundtrack was terrible, the plot, in my opinion was a convoluted mess. I'm sorry Watchmen fans, but fuck.
6	Mentaculus	47 _22nd
While I was fully with it for the first half (and I'm saying I was REALLY enjoying it), the changes Snyder made were both ultraviolent and pornographic... undermining the overarching moral of the tale, and making the story feel like a hollow shell of itself. I have no clue why people think this is so 'faithful' an adaptation when its core is so illogical. And if you think I'm judging solely off the comic: the acting was atrocious, dialogue awful and slow-motion is not and has never been cool.
6	begoniabol	85 _87th
With a running time (Directors cut) of 3 hours an a half, I actually wasn't bored for one second. I enjoyed it a lot and liked the story. Loved the character Rorshach, he was awesome, plus you get to see a few dicks in this movie too
5	DavidKahane	63 _42nd
The film has some drive if no depth, some ideas if no examination, some wonders if no wondering. It is stuffed and full and devoutly accurate, as if breathlessly recounted by the young fan Zack Snyder moments after finishing the final issue fresh from his friendly neighborhood comic book shop. There's no doubt from watching his film version of Watchmen that he read and loved it. For all that evident enthusiasm, it's perhaps unkind but not inaccurate to speculate whether or not he understood it.
5	TheDenizen	80 _84th
Ackerman and Goode are the only weak points, the rest of the cast is fantastic. Technically incredible, this is probably the best adaptation fans of the graphic novel could have hoped for. Bleak, violent, and definitely NOT a "superhero movie".
5	Anomaly	85 _85th
Ideally should have been a miniseries, but here Snyder (perhaps accidentally, in light of his other films) creates an enticing and memorable atmosphere. The strength of the source material shines through, which allows most of the flaws to be ignored. A surprising success, considering how much could have gone wrong. The 3+ hour director's cut adds in a lot of stuff missing from the theatrical version, and improves the pacing.
5	Wiche	97 _99th
This film is the film that shows the human and darker side of heroes and that in a superb way. We see they are human after all, they have their bad characteristics and can be mad and violent too. What a great film and idea. And the music really fits superbly in this movie, jus tas all the visual techniques. Rorschach is js ta great character..
5	KMcNeil	9 _94th
(Director's Cut) Ambiguity and moral ambivalence runs just as rampant in Snyder's take on Moore's comic as in the actual comic. Never - not once - does this story offer us the easy way out. To be moral is to embrace the amoral, seems to be the uncomfortable lesson. We need to fight to survive even though we are doomed to fail. Fatalism is ever-present. Never has the apocalypse been prettier. The colours - muted and neon bright alike - are wonderful too. Who watches the Watchmen? Sign me up.
5	ZayanK	60 _27th
This film is the best example of the difference an artist and a craftsman. Snyder is capable of copying most of the main ideas and elements in the source material but most of the time he has no idea what he's talking about. The acting is terrible, most of the characters have been castrated from what made them interesting in the first place. Snyder tries his best to make them badass and cool, and misses completely the point. I'll get crucified for this, but even Rorschach was ridiculous.
5	Paxton	77 _82nd
I was floored by the fantastic opening montage to Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin," but then I kept holding my breath, waiting for them to play his "Tangled Up in Blue" (wink wink).
4	doctor7	87 _88th
Reviewing the extended cut and I have to say it is one damn fine movie. Though it's not necessarily a super-hero movie, as few have super powers and most are simply past their prime, but rather a drama that involves super heroes. While I don't feel it offers a grand social commentary that some others feel it does, or attempts to do, it does offer a compelling and intelligent character driven story. It's three hours long and I wasn't bored for a second. Kudos to Snyder for another great adaption.
4	Ytadel	8 _93rd
Visually sumptuous, pleasingly ambitious, intermittently fascinating, and with a real star turn from Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach. Loved the Manhattan backstory and Rorschach in prison. Snyder dropped the ball a little bit in the final act and Matthew Goode is not goode (rimshot, I'll be here all night), but all in all I'm pleased.
4	joeroxy	79 _86th
Batman Begins: Batman talks with low threatening voice. The Dark Knight: Batman goes even an octave lower, it gets really cool. Watchmen: Rorschach takes it to the edge and talks in almost sub-human hearing range never using a subject in any sentence. Awesome! Really nice soundtrack too by the way
4	Evolution	82 _75th
Without being familiar with the graphic novel, I was impressed mostly by the story and redefinition of the superhero. That being said, I doubt Snyder added much, but nonetheless pulled off the "unfilmable". Great visuals as expected. Drastic improvement from 300. The soundtrack was grossly inappropriate in my opinion; who wants to hear Hendrix wailing his legendary riffs when arriving at the Arctic climax? So many moments ruined by the choice of music. Rorshach was the shit.
4	Nearphotison	89 _89th
Visually appealing, with a great soundtrack. Watchmen is a bit more intellectual then your average film of this genre, with far more dialogue and plot development than explosions and action. However, this was true of the source material as well. Everyone was cast perfectly, and much of the dialogue and screens were taken directly from the comic. A truly fantastic film. Unfortunately, hardcore fans may find the changes jarring, while newcomers won't know enough to follow it.
3	JohnnyZombie	86 _63rd
I'm not sure disappointed is the right term for what I feel about this movie. I'm a huge fan of the graphic novel and agreed with others that it was unfilmable. At the least, Zack Snyder makes a really good try of it. But how to feel about this movie? I may have to watch it again to pin down my exact feelings on the movie. Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and especially Jackie Earle Haley are good at their parts. Malin Ackerman and Matthew Goode are terrible.
3	teknicolor	89 _90th
As good a movie as can come from a book with this many layers. The small nods were well appreciated. Read it before you watch it, that can't be stressed enough.
3	TedDedon	85 _73rd
There's very little to dislike about Watchmen. This is more of a companion piece to the masterpiece by the same name than any kind of substitute but what is here is all golden. Hayley puts on a fantastic performance as Rorschach and Snyder alongside his cinematographers put on one of the most impressive movies visually since The Dark Knight. The story jumps here and there and it will help if you've read the book but either way, Watchmen is a wonderful experience and highly recommendable.
3	amerigo	69 _21st
A halfway interesting first half hour gives way to ever-increasing levels of inanity, leading to an eye-rolling finale. The film presents a paper-thin debate between utilitarianism and moral philosophy whose impact fails so profoundly it's a bit embarassing. There is clearly potential here, but it's all ruined by the nonsensical twists and the awkward execution. It all feels like some backwoods middle road between self-mockery and a kind of orgiastic revelling in cliches.
3	unne	83 _81st
Just imagine if Spiderman never got told "with great power comes great responsibility", imagine if at the end of the dark Knight Batman really did turn evil imagine if superheroes eventually just stopped giving a damn. In this movie it catches that theory very well. This movie if you ignore all the violence and sexual innuendo brings up some very important issues. Will the world ever unite if there is no reason to? And do the ends truly justify the means? This Movie was pretty sweet!
3	Jeb	74 _54th
A viscersally surreal and superb accomplishement in this long awaited adaptation of the novel by Alan Moore, with a visually engrossing, ambitiously smooth tone in the form of a superhero custom. Jackie Earle Haley presents us a mostly flawless in-depth characteristic potrayal of Rorschach, and the rest of the cast turns in relevant performances. However, throughout the course of the film it carries a distinct, caricature feeling, ruining the experience. Still an excellent transition to screen.
3	kharagh	100 _99th
It wasn't supposed to get this popular, I guess. A brilliantly ambitious tale, that may not be for everybody, but I sure as hell loved it.
3	Kortee	90 _97th
amazing and not a second too long! Rorschach...how amazing was he?!
3	Melvin Smif	85 _91st
While some of the harshest critics of this movie will be the one's who read the graphic novel I would argue to truly understand what is going on you need to have read it, which I did years ago. This makes the movie a little slow for someone who has never been fourtunate enough to enjoy the source material and expected non stop action from start to finish. I would have given this film a lower rating but since I enjoyed it and Critiker is about matching me with others who enjoyed it boom...85.
3	omgfridge	8 _80th
I won't judge it by the legacy that of the graphic novel as this movie most certainly stood on its own feet. While some complain that it bearing down on three hours is too much, it really had to be that long. Jackie Haley as Rorschach is the highlight of the film. Snyder did put some of his own traits into this but still managed to do a good job. I believe it will get better over time and it will definitely for me at least become one of those movies you can watch over and over again.
3	KramYessev	80 _88th
Tell me: how does someone go from moreorless successfully adapting what everyone claimed to be an unadaptable novel, to completely fucking up something as simple as Superman? Like...what?
3	Corbad	70 _54th
Its constant philosophical meanderings, while generally meaningless, do mean that the story moves patiently and thoughtfully, which, along with its atypical plot and characters, sets this film pleasantly apart from many of its genre.
2	Coolkow19	89 _88th
I haven't read the graphic novel yet, but I still thought this movie was very good. Rorschach was awesome, and Malin Akerman is beautiful. The only problem is that this movie is about two and a half hours long and towards the end you start to feel it. Still good, go see it!!
2	lebowski99	90 _94th
Fantastic. The opening credits may be the best ever. Great story that flows really well and surprises at the end.
2	djross	50 _43rd
186 min. director's cut. Perhaps the most ambitious attempt to use the essentially silly trope of superheroes in order to pursue a range of complex themes in the guise of a kind of noir epic. Though not in a position to know, I doubt that all the virtues stem from Moore and all the flaws from Snyder: some of the stilted, kitschy and overblown elements seem quite comicbooky. The risk of fidelity is not just of failing to adjust to a new medium, but of exposing unobvious weakness in the original.
2	Kavu	92 _97th
The good scenes easily make up for the few worse ones and Rorschach is almost as succesful as the Joker of TDK. Of course it's worse than the comic but did anyone really expect it could be better? Raised the score a bit after watching the director's cut.
2	grimsooth	94 _98th
There is a line between good and evil, but in drawing it ourselves more is revealed than in the line itself. Watchmen explores several complex aspects of humanity from several complex viewpoints. This is not a Bruckheimer film and that is a ringing endorsement.
2	zordon	71 _22nd
Possibly homosexual. Urge you to not investigate further.
2	Kojiless	78 _82nd
AKA: The Blue Penis Show
2	cagedwisdom	75 _65th
I thought this was pretty excellent, although I have not read the novel. The actors are all fantastic, the visuals leave nothing to be wanted and the action is very enjoyable, even if it's not as hypnotic as 300's action sequences. A very much more respectable effort from Snyder than 300 was, and it's easily the most mature and serious superhero movie ever filmed. Something about it made me not fall in love with it completely, but I still enjoyed it vastly. The Phillip Glass song was perfect.
2	bizort	90 _94th
Absurdly long. Beyond that, fantastic. I didn't read the comic and went into it blindly.
2	auritech	35 _24th
As a comic book nerd, I hate what they did to the movie. Scenes are altered, combined, and shaken up and took away the power of the book to fit a misguided sense of easier narrative. In fact, the entire third act just kicks the book in the stomach and ruins the climax. As a cinephile, it drags on and on, you never connect with the characters, the things they do don't make sense, and ultimately the ending is muddled rubbish. In short, a flashy take but it'd have been best left unfilmed.
2	turin	60 _40th
A very close, almost shot-by-shot adaptation but for some necessary removals of not that important elements. The actors bear a striking resemblance to their characters from the book and are true to them. Sadly, what worked great in the novel is missing here. Gone is the classic narration, which commented indirectly the parallel actions in several places, the strongest moments in the book turn out much less powerful in the film. Even the fighting scenes are badly choreographed.
2	insane	65 _54th
Sorry to say but i got bored during the film because of the long and generally unwanted sequences in the movie. it was too long than it should be and moving so slowly during the subject. Could be way better than this... imho.
2	PeaceAnarchy	81 _64th
70's US transplanted into the 80's seen through the lens of a new millennium with a large dose of comic book fantasy. It leads to quite an interesting examination of heroism and humanity but it does a much better job at asking questions than attempting to answer them. The tone shifts a little too much throughout the film and by the end it's not completely satisfying, neither viscerally nor intellectually.
2	weirdyoda	95 _94th
Of all the Watchmen movies that could have been made, this is the absolute best thing that could have happened. This is Watchmen. As a die hard fan of the book, I found the music choices to be perfect, not only were most of them directly from the book, but they maintained an uneasy tone throughout the film. The opening title sequence contains some of the most incredible film making I've seen in a long time. Thank god for Zach Snyder and 300, without them this would have never been possible.
2	Suture Self	3 _25th
Jackie Earle Haley is kickass and the Times They Are A-Changing sequence was pretty good. Everything else...eh...I wasn't that impressed. The concept was great and most of the film was definitely entertaining, but the finished product left a lot to be desired. The soundtrack was obnoxious, most of the romance, conflict and tension between characters was corny, the narrative wasn't nearly as powerful as it tried to be and what the fuck was up with the horned tiger thing at the end?
2	Grit	57 _58th
A visually great adaptation of a series I am certainly not familiar with, although it quickly becomes apparent that there's a vast amount of skimming done within the film. Instead of going for the full potential of a more in depth look at the so called "Super" hero, the film falls back on the same kind of stylistic violence seen in Snyder's other films. Not to that that isn't enjoyable, but it certainly passes by some of the potential of a seemingly deep franchise.
2	martryn	82 _81st
Definitely an amazing film if you're a fan of the graphic novel. If you're not a fan, the film is still pretty good, though it likely won't rank as high.
2	Spunkie	75 _90th
(Director's cut) My expectations of Snyder was lower. Still I saw he can apply the very simplistic aecthetics he invented for 300 for a larger scale operation Watchmen takes. Short movies and music videos are binded together that actually makes a movielike entity. Returning to Moore's material, the book is a machine mainly written by a perspective not too unlike Dr. Manhattan's. My only real complaint is that whole Nostalgia deal is a wrong main theme for the movie.
2	caocao	63 _27th
After a second viewing it's still difficult to rate because so much of what works for the movie also works against it. Some of the performances are fantastic, some are laughable. The loyalty to the source material serves as an homage one scene and a crude, souless reproduction the next. It transitions seamlessly at it's best but at it's worst it's a jarring hodge podge. There's enough good here to see that the potential for a top drawer adaptation but it just didn't happen.
2	frederic_g54	7 _57th
A solid but also disappointing adaptation. Jackie Earle Haley is amazing Rorshach but the eye-rolling soundtrack does no justice to the engrossing novel at all (apart from the wonderful Koyaanisqatsi score), some characters were miscast and it mostly just felt like a copy/paste adaptation without staying true to the intention and heart of the book. Hollywood's gonna Hollywood.
2	td888	80 _89th
Visually stunning and an amazing attention to details. I found the opening credits baffling and perplexing, but what a way to present an alternative history. A must see movie for the cinema or a very big screen.
2	st_fly	89 _93rd
Great. An alternate 1985 where the world stands at the brink of a nuclear holocaust and the only people who can save it are outlawed and hunted masked vigilantes. Zack Snyder does an excellent job of adapting the massive comic story for the screen. I'd advise seeing the "Watchmen Motion Comics" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1322240/ before viewing this film as that would be the best way to enjoy this masterpiece. Very highly recommended.
2	lonelypanda	50 _42nd
A master of subtle storytelling adapted by Hollywood's biggest jock. Who knows, maybe in between all the slow-mo and Jimi Hendrix there is something actually human and compelling. Performances and visuals were outstanding, but the structure and indecisive tone really ruined what is a fantastic study on morality and heroism. I think this would have been better in the hands of David Fincher.
2	hellsditch	79 _56th
Considering how dense the source material is, Snyder deserves a lot of credit for packing as much "stuff" in as he possibly could in the time allotted. The story also unfolds in a fashion that plays with time in a way that serves the story well. GREAT performance by Haley, too. Gripes: I thought some of the more important themes and plotlines were sacrificed to a greater degree than I would have liked to see. But given the volume of ideas and characters present, I understand why it happened.
2	ZombieBuffet	80 _97th
Amazing movie all-around. Under-appreciated by the masses.
2	TonythePony	66 _44th
Dir.Cut: Not bad, but if Snyder stepped aside and let the story unfold it would have been much better. Visually it's slick and the effects impress, but then we have to put up with gratuitous slow-mo violence, incongruous sex scenes and stagey, self-important speeches. As for the music - Cold Case on steroids. Rorshach is enjoyable (when not preaching) and most of the backstories are quite good, these positives offset by its tendency to sprawl and an underwhelming payoff.
2	chinster	90 _83rd
I think this movie has pulled off the trick of the decade. It has managed to faithfully transfer a comic novel to the screen. For what its worth, that is its archilles' heel. The page for page on screen copy may have damaged the story telling a tad. This movie will be a lot more satisfying if you have already read the novel. For virgin eyes, the plot may seem slow and confusing at times. But from whatever point of approach, you should agree that this was a good movie.
2	dst7175	68 _59th
Rorschach was awesome. But it was long and some parts were so boring i almost fell asleep. it was ok.
2	calharding	82 _70th
A far better adaptation than I expected (remember, Watchmen has often been called "unfilmable"), and for that alone Snyder deserves kudos. A lot of backstory and story arcs had to be left out, but everything essential is still here; enough for the attentive viewer to see coherence in the meandering plot. Great acting, especially from Haley and Morgan. The revised ending is honestly far better than Moore's original and seals one of the most uncompromising films ever made.
2	spookey	88 _90th
About as good an adaptation as it's gonna get. A lot better than I was expecting anyway. Does the comic justice. Justly takes it out of the hands of its creator and gives the world a new reason to become interested in it. Like Lord of the Rings at the time I suppose.
2	Optimus_mike	5 _5th
The comic is one of the most entertaining and satisfying reads I have ever dedicated myself to, but sadly the movie adaptation fails at all levels. I tried giving this movie a chance but for my ignorance I was rewarded with awful slow-motion bullshit, wooden acting, a poorly constructed narrative, and an incredibly awkward overall feel to the movie. The Watchmen is just a complete and utter mess and managed to spectacularly fuck up the source material, do not investigate further.
2	moraesfelipe	52 _38th
Zack Snyder's adaptation is mostly faithful, but heartless, and gives the impression that something very important was lost during the transition to the screen. Except for the beautiful visual, similar to Dave Gibbons drawings, and Jackie Earle Haley's Rorschach, the movie is barely satisfactory.
2	Silver	7 _76th
In the hands of more mature director (meaning more adequate use of music, less pretentious visuals and more coherent storytelling), this could easily be the best in the superhero genre. Now it is just a good movie and lost opportunity for something really spectacular.
2	Manna	70 _36th
The comic made a lot of people watch the movie. But this movie probably hasn't made anyone read the comic. My advice: read the comic and then if you like watch this.
2	sellis	36 _10th
There are a few tolerable scenes. The rest looks nice (although very manufactured), but is unconvincing, unengaging, and awkwardly bad. Never read the comic. My disdain for this movie is always disregarded because of that, which is bull. This movie is not its graphic novel. This movie is a movie. Get over it.
2	Methodless	94 _92nd
This movie was a bit difficult to follow at the beginning if you weren't familiar with the story to begin with. It was awesome anyway. If I could do it all over again, I'd probably read the novel first though.
2	brandt64	70 _44th
It's a passable adaption and you can see many of the graphic novel's great concepts shine through, but I think the best word to describe much of the movie would be "awkward". The violence is excessive and gratuitous when compared to the comic (the scene where Rorschach killed the rapist comes to mind - the comic's version was WAY better), the portrayal of Nixon was fucking embarrassing, the characters never feel easy to relate to, the soundtrack is over-the-top, and that sex scene...um....
2	Okkervil	88 _94th
Bringing Watchmen to the screen must have been a near impossible task, and only those who have read the novel can truly appreciate that fully. Despite what it takes away or loses from the novel, this is a frankly stunning adaptation. So dense and heavy with information, particuarly visually, several viewings are required to fully take in its brilliance. Several cast members put in the performance of the careers and the use of song and sound with the striking visuals is stunning. Sublime.
2	Undermind_M	90 _94th
Fantastic. Transforms an excellent but to some inaccessible source into a relatively accessible film. Changes to the plot (which would normally infuriate me) are true to the spirit of the original, which provides the 'make' in the 'make-or-break', if you know what I mean.
2	jmarkthespot	35 _23rd
"They would have treated me better if I had molested and murdered a busload of retarded children after giving them heroin." -Alan Moore, describing his attempts to not have his comics adapted into films.
2	Duco	80 _71st
I have no clue about the comics, but the movies showed an outstanding plot, good music choice and especially deep & detailed characters with a lot of progression. I'm kind of relieved, as this is just the superhero movie I wanted, and probably comes as good as such a movie would get. It has its flaws, but they mostly lie in the theme itself, so I forgive it about that.
2	jagadish	92 _76th
I don't care what everyone says about this movie. Zach Snyder is awesome and his rendition of Watchmen is probably as good as it gets for all the fans of graphic novels. I loved this movie.
2	overrated	49 _46th
Snyder's Watchmen is like a glossy android that's supposed to be human. It has a shiny veneer and everything is where it's supposed to be, but it's soulless and has dead eyes. The worst offense is the casting choice & portrayal of Veidt (esp. leaving out his self-doubt at the very end), and apart from the Comedian & Rorschach all the acting is on autopilot. That all the action scenes are played as 'cool' and in slo-mo indicates that Snyder had no fucking idea what the book was actually about.
2	Boobr	92 _79th
I've never seen the comic, but movie was incredible. Dark world, interesting plot and moral dillemas made that masterpiece.
2	CHR1S	98 _99th
Watchmen isn't another silly immature cliche superhero movie. Instead you get dark and imperfect (super)heroes who are morally diversified. The movie starts with a sublime intro and ends with a mind-blowing denouement while keeping a great pace and delivering vivid action, an awesome story, an ominous atmosphere and a profound morality. Watchmen is a very entertaining film that "revels in the perfection of minor details". Also: wonderful cinematography and visuals! Watch it.
2	fantastard	95 _99th
You seldom see a film adapted from an Alan Moore book done so well. Sure, it missed parts of the book out, but captured the feel somewhat and the visuals are spectacular. Watch this movie.
2	Bunken	90 _96th
Well crafted superhero movie by mr. Snyder... Never mind some of the silly scenes e.g. the misplaced sex scene, cause when it looks this good and is this well told. Who cares? Rorschach could and should have his own noir film, where he just wanders the city, deciding whats right and wrong...
2	Matthew Parkinson (CineMarter)	90 _97th
Watchmen is a very solid film, but don't go into it expecting a full-blown action film. Instead, think of it more as a drama with a few large set-pieces, containing interesting, flawed and deep characters whose actions are directly influenced by their personalities. Everything, save for the ending, fits perfectly, while also being a dark and visual spectacle that will, at times, force your jaw to drop.
2	hellboy76	74 _90th
One of the most ambitious graphic novels finally comes to the big screen and is pretty close to being as good but not quite. Haley gives an amazing turn as everyone's favorite sociopath.
2	NothingsGood	75 _83rd
Zack Snyder's faithful adaptation of Alan Moore's legendary graphic novel plays a little too close to the source and ultimately a little unfocussed for a three act movie. The overstuffed screenplay is saved by brilliant costume design, art direction and performances.
2	GreatScott85	85 _54th
While far from a perfect adaptation of the masterpiece graphic novel (a few off-key performances and line deliveries, a less impactful ending than the novel), Watchmen is a highly valiant effort that proves to be an often stunning, gripping work of art in its own right. Stands very well as a companion piece to the book, if not necessarily as its own work.
2	SpikyCactus	95 _98th
Top badass moment? This is an awesome film but consider this. A guy who can manipulate matter at the sub-atomic level but can’t even dress himself properly, except in a fashion faux-pas of galactic proportions that looks like an oversized pair of girl's panties, and that’s when he can even be bothered to wear anything. It's worse than Borat's mankini. Sorry but someone has to say it, the guy's a pervert who probably spends his weekends LARPing as a Bolian. No cats, chainsaws or decapitations
2	ZachReviews	95 _86th
Possibly one of the greatest Comic Book movies I've seen. Not much is changed between this and the original comic.
2	Kammeyer	100 _91st
One of the best movies in this century. Specially the role of the cynical Comedien is both written and played brilliant by Jeffrey Morgan. Furthermore the music throughout the movie makes for one of the best soundtracks ever!
2	Amadeus	74 _77th
best opening sequence in cinema history.
2	skittlez	90 _73rd
This movie introduced me to Watchmen. Loved Rorscach. Yet I don't quite understand the bulbous, lined, gross masks that some people wore, and think it could do without some of the nudity.
2	Ag0stoMesmer	5 _98th
I avoided this for years but needn't have. It's definitely no replacement but captures a surprising amount of the GN and thoroughly entertains in a big, violent blockbustery way.
2	joenorwood77	100 _97th
"We are all puppets, Laurie. I'm just the puppet who can see the strings." Watchmen is a hugely underrated film. It is a dark, disturbing masterpiece. It is visually stimulating, while also strong intellectually. The acting was solid all around. I was especially impressed by Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach. I appreciate how the film is mostly seem from his perspective. Most of the characters are well developed and quite complex as they are not good nor bad but both.
2	Petroleum	3 _0th
Watchmen is famous from the hallowed graphic novel by More and Gibbons. Before watching this film, no fan of Watchmen believes that it could live up to that kind of reputation. This film comes amazingly close. Zack Snyder pulls off his best work in a compelling take on Watchmen with an ending that is arguably more suited than even the books. This dark tale pays homage to the pages on which it was born and goes beyond what is expected.
2	kjetting	77 _63rd
The comic has been deemed unfilmable, something Snyder agrees with, but at least he did a good job of respecting the source material as much as possible. I shudder to think what would have happened if it had gotten the Hollywood treatment and been mangled completely, like Alan Moore's other works.
2	HobbitNinja	100 _96th
For an adaptation, this film hits all the important themes and thanks to Zack Snyder, is just stunning visually.
2	maxwax123	88 _71st
really cool
2	Groovy_Souls	95 _97th
The impossible has been done. Watchmen was a valiant and successful (in my book) attempt at recreating the classic graphic novel; and it worked. Led by a mostly unknown cast and the modern visual genius of Zack Snyder, this movie was set to be lackluster, but surprised fans of the comic like me. Many movie critics berated this film for every little thing but do not listen, or you will miss out on the greatest superhero story ever told.
2	WrecklessZee	100 _98th
One of my favorite films of all time, and a film I feel is very underrated.
2	andreaslutro	85 _88th
A masterful psychological breakdown of superheroes in fiction creates some fantastic characters. Brilliant plot that keeps you mystified all the way to the end. Beautiful cinematography that truly catches the essence of comic books. I recommend the director's cut over the ultimate edition.
2	Bird Brain	90 _72nd
Only super hero movie I actually enjoy.
2	tuerda	64 _53rd
This is a serious attempt to make a movie out of Watchmen. They tried really really hard. Unfortunately, trying to make a movie out of Watchmen is kinda like trying to make delicious pizza out of Watchmen: It can't be done and the idea doesn't even really make sense. This is about as good as this movie could possibly have been though.
2	bjoernts	98 _98th
Probably one of the best comic-to-movie adaptations out there. Even though it took some minor liberties with the source material the story doesn't lose one bit of it's status as an iconic masterpiece. Watch the Ultimate Cut if you can.
2	kito1	80 _89th
Great film, with a fascinating group of protagonists.
1	fudgieb	98 _95th
Don't blink, or you'll miss a split-second of this amazing film. I watched it straight through...it was amazing.
1	Actionberg	70 _49th
It has its moments, but ultimately this adaptation is so stubbornly faithful to a work from a completely different medium that its quality suffers considerably.
1	UKSubs	82 _82nd
One of those films you initially are disappointed by because of the quality of the source material, but later realize is an excellent movie once the initial disappointment fades.
1	Filligan	84 _56th
I entered this film as a clean slate, no bias or knowledge towards what Watchmen was. Having seen the film, I found it very enjoyable. Snyder's direction and take is impressive and exciting. However, as I'm sure there was a lot of material to get into the film, I found some scenes dragged or were unnecessary, which can be the death for a comic book film, especially one trying to be this serious while occasionally looking silly. Despite this I found it an interesting and well done cinematic ride.
1	Moribunny	5 _2nd
I don't read comics and when people call movies like this "loyal adaptations", it reminds me why. Scene after scene I kept thinking "why exactly are they showing me this?"
1	terrymac	75 _72nd
If the comic skewed the traditional superhero story, making the "heroes" flawed and more human than the traditional perfect supermen of old, the film perhaps loses its impact coming after the grittier superhero films like the recent Batman flicks. Nonetheless, this is an effective version of what must have been a difficult work to bring to the screen. While a couple of the performances fall a bit flat, the cast generally works well, and obvious care has been taken to respect the comic.
1	x-human	82 _76th
Acting wasn't coached properly, but the set pieces are all good and the new ending actually makes more sense than the comic book.
1	tma1	70 _58th
It succeeds at bringing the comic to the screen like you might never expect. The story didn't resonate on the screen the same as it did in the pages though.
1	istayaway	86 _70th
About as good as an adaptation as I could have hoped for. As many have said, Haley absolutely IS Rorschach. I also felt that Crudup did a fantastic job as Osterman, in fact portraying a much stronger disconnect than I was ever able to pick up from reading the novel. Can't wait for the directors cut
1	cruelclown	45 _16th
The music is used horribly, a mix of great soundtracks of great films. Even judging from the tracklist it is clear that this tries to be so many different things but ends up being just a bad imitation, a cheap copy (or in theoretical terms a pastiche). I mean, come on, Rorschach with the voice of Clint Eastwood? Fight scenes are OK, and Dr. Manhattan's origin story is well executed. The casting is not spot-on, CGI is heavily used but not entirely believable and unlike 300 this is a huge setback.
1	lrampartl	87 _88th
The only real weaknesses were Matthew Goode, Veidt's backstory, some of the dialogue, and possibly Nixon. All pale in comparison to how the film panned out - which was really very strong. This film works because the source material is so freaking great, and because Snyder just lets it work on its own. I probably would've liked more naked 40's Carla Gugino, and less Manhattan wang, but oh well.
1	mucow	83 _92nd
I think people are trying too hard to find ways to criticize this movie. Apparently if it's not a cinematic masterpiece, it's a complete failure. Never mind that it's far better than most other movies based on comic books.
1	legstump	70 _68th
While it isn't the masterpiece the comic book was (though was that ever even a possibility?) the story mechanics, vivid characters and striking imagery are enough to make this the best funnybook film not made by Chris Nolan. A few performances fall flat (Akerman, Goode, I'm looking at you), a few soundtrack choices were headscratchers (99 Luftballoons out of nowhere), and Snyder's fetish for speed ramping is ridiculous... But I suspect this is about as good a job as could be done.
1	PirateJason	78 _61st
While slow by superhero movie the original story is slow for a comic book and was meant to be more of a study of what superheroes would really be like. This film does a good job of capturing the source material, characters, and visual representation of the graphic novel.
1	timmo	60 _17th
Zack Snyder is a great and talented filmmaker. Both of his previous films were terrific. I'm assuming the problem here was the overall unfilmability of the source material. Dr. Manhattan is such a weirdly composed character (in more ways than one), and the fact that he's convinced to save humanity in the blink of an eye is a nearly fatal flaw in this film. Its saving graces are the direction, design, the imagination of the story, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, and Malin Akerman.
1	Paradiselost	80 _71st
Read the comic first, then watch this movie.
1	gogokain	80 _86th
Has the horrible fastslowfastslow 300 style fight scenes, but they're actually somewhat entertaining here. Only acting complaint I have is Akerman, who turns in a pretty atrocious performance. I have a feeling this movie excels in spite of Snyder, not because of him. Even Ed Wood would have a hard time destroying the source material though. Who knows how good it could have been with a real director?
1	angrypierre	82 _79th
I haven't read the comic, so in a way I feel that lets me assess the movie on it's own merits. And it's rather good. The story is gripping, the visuals spectacular and the performances commendable. However, some of the 'humour' element is jarringly awkward, and there's a lot of portentous noodling in the middle that didn't need to be there. Zach Snyder loves the novel. In a way that probably hindered him from making a better film. Crying out for Greengrass. But enjoyable non the less.
1	Nathan S	2 _21st
Attempts to be an existential comic book movie. It's too bad the themes are played out cliches like whether the end justifies the means. Not to mention the movie often shirks that off for just plain old Hollywood superhero blockbuster stuff, like superhero sex in the cockpit of a superhero jet. And fuck Zack Snyder and his propensity for filming literally half a movie in slow motion.
1	Difontaine	80 _78th
It ain't a perfect adaption, but that's impossible anyway. Needed another wringing through the edit (Halleluyah (sp?) for a sex scene?) Greengrass or Gilliam would have done it differently and some acting is a bit wobbily. However, Rorschach alone is worth the fee and I do feel it works as a film
1	gokhanince	92 _94th
The plot is so unique that as long as it has been stuck to the original storyline, there is absolutely no way the movie could have failed. So did it, too. I enjoyed every minute of it, as if I was reading the comic frame by frame all over again. (Of course, there are more sacrificed subtleties in the book than meet the eye in the movie.) For those of you who cannot get enough of Moore's work, I'd suggest you to watch http://www.criticker.com/film/Tales_of_the_Black_Freighter/ as well.
1	scubaryan	55 _4th
If anybody likes see big blue penis' over a thousand times in a movie, this is your film! Never read the comic but just a horrible movie with random scenes strung together into an anticlimatic ending. Where in the heck did that big purple horned dog come from in the end?
1	LennyNero	90 _92nd
Great despite some flaws.
1	jenks101	90 _83rd
Far deeper than I thought it would be.
1	absentis	85 _84th
AWESOME, enough said!
1	saucyjack	89 _86th
Quite possibly the most anti-mainstream mainstream film I've seen in recent memory. This, however, is not a disparaging remark. The film is so dense that it will most likely require multiple viewings for those who have not read the novel, but it is more than worthwhile. Visually, the film is brilliant. A world is created that feels expansive with excellent period detail. Overall, an impressive feat for an "unfilmable" work that retains its intelligent, philosophical questions.
1	vesupria	6 _61st
This one surprised me, despite being a modern remake of a comic book series, it had a nice script, characters that more than often were biting and intriguing and enough twists to hold up for the two and a half hours run time. It was dark, and at times brooding. But most impressive was the fact that it didn't disintegrate into the 'super hero saves world' predictability that most of these comic remakes seem to do. Very good stuff.
1	Gobman	85 _69th
If any 160 minute film could even come close to capturing the spirit and depth of the original graphic novel, this is it. Haley, Wilson, Crudup and Morgan are amazing, Akerman is serviceable enough to not bring the film down, some obvious stylistic choices and Snyder's penchant for slow motion close up violence might turn some off, but I was a big fan.
1	prowler	30 _24th
rorschach and the comedian were great, j.e. haley rules. lots of stuff to bitch about, but i'll give it this: it made me want to read the comic.
1	westknife	58 _23rd
All brain, no heart. But Malin Akerman is smokin hot and naked
1	Shmendrek	1 _10th
Never read the comic, came in with low expectations, and wasn't disappointed. A boring slop, filled with terrible performances, cheesy lines, and one of the most awkward sex scenes ever committed to film. This is a very bad movie.
1	dstern	72 _93rd
A few more blue wieners than I would have liked, but good movie.
1	sebby	70 _71st
It's impossible to love a film adaptation of such a dense comic novel. So many things were destined to be left out. Still, it's a darn impressive effort in many respects, and I already feel compelled to watch it again. And the altered ending actually sort of worked. I guess that means it was some kind of success.
1	febraro	70 _33rd
Though I'm not familiar at all with the graphic novel, this film really gets bogged down by its plain, boring main characters, of which only Rorschach is memorable, and by some questionable acting (Haley being a standout). It does work on some levels and is a decent film if you're into this Snyder-style of moviemaking.
1	aarona1c	95 _90th
This was a good film adaptation of a classic. However, Watchmen-the movie doesn't stand very well on its own two feet. Regardless, the attention to detail, like using original soundtrack material when possible to gain the rights and side-plotlines when feasible, made this movie an entertaining experience. I'm very happy they made as solid an attempt as they did, without getting too "showy" with the action. Watchmen is a flawed, but great movie.
1	Mohko	90 _97th
Few unnecessary changes but otherwise excellent translation of the comic book. Cast is great but unexpectedly Jeffrey Dean Morgan steals the show from Jackie Earle Haley. Some of the vissual effects looked cheap in some of the smaller scenes but Dr. Manhattan and other big moments looked awesome. Few of the musical choices seemed out of place but most the they worked like a charm.
1	SailorRipley	94 _92nd
Coming totally uninitiated regarding the graphic novel and being not a fan of comic books, I dove into Watchmen expecting nothing and finding it completely enthralling, superior and intelligent. The Watchmen are by turns, sad, laughable, heroic, funny, violent, vengeful and horny. Even though I found the story a bit convoluted, this is a grand execution, aided in no small measure by a game cast. How refreshing to have a very adult (with full-frontal male nudity) superhero film. Not to be missed.
1	foxorz	79 _78th
Great adaptation of the comic book. Good movie overall.
1	nandorizzi	80 _80th
I am positively surprised by the technical quality and the excellent story, despite the narrative structure is a little confusing, but still good.
1	Jarmann	85 _84th
While impossible to capture the full depth of the comic, the movie does a nice job of capturing at least the essence of both the story, the philosophy and the essence of at least most major characters. Some really deserved more in-depth focus, like Nite Owl and Ozymandias while others were portrayed brilliantly. Somehow I feel that by changing the end they kinda messed everything up though.
1	gtown1479	78 _64th
The special effects and fight scenes were pretty fun to watch. I never read the comics so I don't really care if that stuff matches or not. I think I enjoyed the Manhattan character the most, since I couldn't figure out if he was good or bad for most of the movie. I thought the Rorschach voice would start to annoy me, but it never did. My only knock on this was the ending. I found it muddled and thought the whole finishing of Rorschach was a little random, but maybe I just didn't get that.
1	skiewulfy	85 _98th
I've read the comic, and I couldn't have imagined a better adaptation. Sure, there's things you can find to pick at or criticize here (look up the definition of confirmation bias for more info) but overall it's pure, condensed awesome and definitely worth seeing.
1	BillyShears	80 _77th
Great adaptation!
1	Astfgl	79 _83rd
Decent adaptation of some difficult source material. Akerman and Goode weren't the best choices and didn't really sell their characters, but visually they fit the bill. On the whole, the movie was engrossing, but I can see why it wouldn't appeal to people who weren't fans of the comic.
1	Bitch Alert	80 _78th
The original comic (sorry, graphic novel) might be difficult, borderline impossible, to turn into a motion picture, but Zack Snyder and his crew sure have managed to pull it off. A perfect mixture of noirish monologues, vivid action and cheesy S&M romance (with a perfect song choice) makes this one a winner.
1	imnotlaughin	80 _89th
Review for Watchmen: Ultimate Edition - Though it barely strays from its source, I am pleased that the changes actually make the story more cohesive.
1	rthornhill	93 _86th
favorite line: rorschach: "god doesn't make the world this way, we do!" the action, the comedy, the explosions, the alternate history angle....all ran like "clockwork" for me.....a great transition from comic book to celluloid.
1	miss jesus	65 _58th
Generally, it is admirable how close they kept to the GN. Unfortunately, GN's aren't paced and visualized the same way as films. It isn't a poor film by any means, but it's too in-your-face; there's a nauseating amount of camera sweeps just in the first ten minutes, along with highly intrusive music editing throughout, and no end of extreme character close-ups. No setup at all was done for the new ending, either--weak sauce. Yay for Philip Glass though.
1	Luna6ix	83 _83rd
Snyder tones down his slow mo infatuation for this one (and it's a good thing) turns out to be a mostly engaging and wholly entertaining movie. I could do without so much of the drama, but I can make consessions since Jackie Earle Haley made my entire year, he is the bad ass noir detective that none of the 50's ones could ever live up to.
1	whatismyname	75 _88th
Zack Snyder just has that flair to make a film just so damn visually stunning. I still haven't read the graphic novel so I can't comment on its faithfulness on the original source, or parts that should(n't) have been added to the film, but the film standing on its own two legs were exactly what I expected, a beautifully pleasing film of superheroes doing what they do best. Nixon could have looked more human and more young Carla Gugino would be nice, but overall, not much to complain about.
1	Etheriel	86 _87th
No, it's no substitute for the original. But it's just about as great as a Watchmen film could be. Even with the director's cut, it doesn't hold up to repeat viewings as well as one might hope.
1	Va3H	81 _36th
Starting in medias res, the films darkly sinister style captures the audience with a post-structuralized narrative, and its portrayal of a dystopian world paralyzed by fear of nuclear annihilation. The film exceeds at conveying a multilayer of depth such as: puck-age nihilism, the nature of the human condition, the curse of being a self-proclaimed god and the Grand Inquisitor dilemma. Despite those best efforts, its jumbled flashbacks, plot inconsistencies and excessive monlogues deaden itself.
1	Cahadras1	94 _92nd
really nice movie!!
1	Obdurate	95 _97th
The flaws are relatively minor and don't really subtract from the overall experience very much. Everything makes perfectly thematic sense, such as the "odd" choice of music. It's serious and ridiculous and because of that it's challenging. It embodies both of those things so it has to polarize people. Also, knowing the comic helped me like it but I didn't nitpick either. Guess this is another case of me being easier on films.
1	Neonman	87 _86th
2nd watch: How did Zack Snyder make a film this good?
1	ImThatDingo	88 _86th
I absolutely loved the graphic novel, so I was very excited for this to come out...and, it didn't disappoint me. It was amazing how true to the graphic novel it was, as it really didn't stray too far from it. Even the actors looked like the characters from the book, it was kinda odd, actually. The one downside to this movie was Laurie's bad acting. Although this was a bummer, it didn't distract the movie. ::thumbs up:: P.S. Rorshach = <3!
1	chemical404	63 _67th
[Directors Cut] Re-watched it a few years later, right after reading and loving Moore's comic book. While this is a very close adaptation action-wise, it just doesn't do justice to the excellent characters and moral ambiguity of the graphic novel. At first I didn't like how the ending was changed, but the more I think of it, the more sense it makes. Watchmen is better than the majority of modern superhero movies, but majority of them are just awful, so... Congrats on not being awful.
1	cap10	85 _35th
i loved this movie for what it was and not what it tried to be. It stayed about 75% true to the actual novel but i still had a good ole time with it. it is more then just eye candy, it has alot of sad dramatic elements to it too.
1	slassy	85 _79th
Sin City meets The Incredibles.
1	constantine	81 _80th
I don't know what people expected from this movie. I read the comic book. Trust me on this: it couldn't be adapted better. At least, a better film wouldn't stick to the story as Snyder's. Snyder did a terrific job here. I don't remember I loved a movie's opening credits so much. I'm one of the people didn't like the ending of Moore. So Snyder's ending satisfied me. Tyler Bates' original score is terrible, however other songs are perfect considering most of them has a reference to the comic book.
1	wanderkid	70 _31st
What they got right was perfect. Perfect. What they fucked up was so horribly wrong I cannot like this movie. But I don't hate it, because I was so glad to see the good parts up there.
1	Bmunise	93 _54th
Stop judging film by an aesthetic criteria it was never meant to be judged by. This is how you do a comic book adaptation. The film was faced with different constraints than Moore and Gibbons and changes are obviously necessary in any adaptation, but Snyder met the spirit of Moore's work perfectly.
1	Stradivarius	75 _51st
The fact that it came so close only makes its missteps greater. Horrible music choices, laughable sex scenes, and a terrible new ending partially ruin what could have been a truly great film.
1	die_nacht	60 _53rd
This is another one of those movies that I have mixed feelings about. Absolutly loved the comic and to be honest with the exception of the ending of the movie it was nearly perfectly in line with the comic. However only 20% of the acting in the movie was really good (Dr. Manhatten, Rorschach) 60% was mediocre, and the last 20% was awful (Owl, Silk Spectre). And finally... the music. Dear god the music was bad. I know that Snyder was just trying to be consistant but jesus.
1	ckaufman	30 _0th
Horrible movie.
1	mainepurple	10 _1st
Sad to say, I was so very disapointed because after all I am an huge Marvel/DC fan! There was so much nudity and the violence itself was one of the grosses violence to have been seen in a movie. The fighting scenes were excellent and I love the story-line! I just don't need to see all the blood, arms falling off, seeing a full-body nudity and of course the Lord-s name in vain...it was just very rough~!
1	BrutalBrian	90 _95th
Saw this at the midnight showing. as the run time ticked by, I found myself engrossed in all the splendor this had to offer. I enjoy Alan Moore's work, and this is the best adaptation of anything he has ever written to film. The characters were pretty much all as they should be and the film's ending was well done, though not the same as the book. Exact scenes ripped right from the comic's pages have been brought to life. Finally, a piece of Alan's work has a worthy adaptation. See this movie.
1	letskillrobots	32 _94th
A superhero movie with a plot? Oh man...
1	lustforlife	85 _64th
I watched this in IMAX the same day I finished the graphic novel. I think it was a faithful adaptation and was very well done, which is really all you can ask for in a comic book film, but it went beyond that for sure.
1	JacoIII	15 _4th
To much fan service for the uninitiated and too different for the fans to be sated. Also one of the few films I've seen that is totally divided against itself. It's almost exactly 50% bad and 50% awesome.
1	jadedkitty	45 _10th
Granted, I have never read the graphic novel, but when your favorite character is the sociopathic rapist, there is generally something wrong with the story. Oh, and Nite Owl totally reminds me of Deflator Mouse.
1	Bown	74 _34th
The best adaptation of the graphic novel possible. Still not amazing though. Anyone who thinks the movie's ending is better is an idiot.
1	Judo Koala	55 _14th
This was never, ever, meant to be made for the medium of film. Never. The source material's genius comes largely from the medium within which it is constructed: that of the graphic novel, bringing with it its brilliant deconstructions and subversions of the archetypal comic book tale. Snyder has desecrated the book's complex philosophical paradoxes by reducing it to mere child's play, the film focusing on slow-motion action pieces over character psychology and narrative complexity.
1	kwiksotik	100 _86th
FANTASTIC movie. THe Effect where great and the intro was without a doubt one of the best intros I have ever seen. And the original silk spectre, talk about an attractive woman!
1	johnmartinez	70 _8th
Mostly enjoyable, some rough parts, great visual effects, slow ending.
1	yawkcorb	93 _94th
Very stylized, very awesome
1	jeffr	98 _80th
I enjoyed this movie
1	koliechuckie	92 _82nd
I love the colours and Lauries suite!
1	bscanlon	74 _82nd
Visually superior to the comic, utterly faithful except for a more elegant ending and that thing about fighting style. I was in tears of joy during the Rorschach escape sequence.
1	pewbeng	89 _88th
I wish I could rate the intro sequence seperately just to give it a million.
1	Poseur117	85 _79th
One of the most faithful adaptations of all time. If not for the sometimes questionable soundtrack ("Hallelujah" during the sex scene, "All Along the Watchtower" during the walk through the arctic to Ozy's hideout) this movie would be so close to perfect.
1	d_drudges	10 _7th
Violent and superficial, Watchmen yearns for the days when people still lived in trees and you could club your way onto the top of your inbred, shit-stained clan. Instead of directing emotions, Zack Snyder inserts a pop song to tell the audience what to think about a scene.
1	Sweekoden	91 _96th
Never read Watchmen, but the movie definitely has me considering it; I was engrossed for all three hours. Love the way the backstory is fleshed out, despite it probably not following proper movie etiquette, and the central characters are all interesting enough that they don't require grand performances to come to life--although Jackie Earle Haley really does do a superb job as Rorshach.
1	SeanBerndorff	70 _53rd
Snyder tries his best to adapt the classic comic and in many ways succeeds by staying so close to it, but it still doesn't capture the cold war tension the comic has and often feels shallow. Dean Morgan was surprisingly spot on as the comedian, but Wilson and Haley just didn't feel right - and I really found them truly great in Little Children.
1	Hawiiday	90 _86th
Sticking true to it's origin, Watchmen has everything going for it, dark ominous visuals with a start and finish memorable such as it's novel counterpart.
1	Keshav B	89 _77th
This was much more than a comic book super hero movie.
1	Chigurh	85 _50th
Too violent, with too much slow-mo and not enough heart. But goddamn do I love it.
1	Mr. Film	86 _61st
This film shows superheroes as humans, and is much darker than common superhero films. And though it doesn't make justice to Alan Moore's fantastic graphic novel, the film is still a very faithful and succesful adaptation
1	misterlizard	80 _86th
Being unfamiliar with the source material and disliking Snyder's previous efforts, I expected this to be a 3.5 hour slog. Despite a few weak moments it turned out to be one of the better superhero films around. Right from the superb opening credits it's clear this is going to be a cut above the usual superhero fare.
1	Svitska	98 _91st
For Director's Cut.
1	c_moach	90 _93rd
One of the best films to portray characters and the world at large as something other than black and white.
1	3nd3xx	80 _66th
Awesome movie. The Comedian was great. Got a little boring, but was still a great movie.
1	MSterling	100 _92nd
Yes I'm sure some will argue that it isn't the graphic novel. I would agree with you, it isn't. This is however a movie that I think did a damn good job of recreating the graphic novel. All of the elements were there and it all came together really well.
1	OfTheAllies	40 _12th
This movie gets worse each time I think about it.
1	urim666	95 _95th
Amazing movie. Action scenes that never seen before. Colorful, exciting, interesting, good twist. What else should have a good movie?!?
1	theevildwarf	100 _0th
Superhero flick with no heroes. Too awesome to be forgotten.
1	thomas_d	10 _73rd
I could watch this all day!
1	methad1	70 _57th
I would of enjoyed it more if they had cut out 30 minutes of love story.
1	El Pedro	77 _70th
an okay bold take on the impossible to please original material
1	mustcet	95 _97th
watchmen is the great science-fiction and social psychology movie, for last years its the effective one of a few films for me.
1	randytravis	98 _97th
Amazing. One of the best comic book movies to date. The giant glowing blue wang... well. Not such a big fan. I mean I'll live. The film was still incredible.
1	gaby	69 _53rd
What the hell was that sex scene? It seemed to go on for fifteen minutes, and Peter Gabriel's "Hallelujah"? Really? Ugh. The film is actually pretty entertaining otherwise, although the identity of the villain is too obvious.
1	TheDailyNathan	87 _86th
I watched the 3hr, 35min extended edition. Wow - talk about a movie that builds its world and sucks you in. There's a lot of time spent to develop a deep background for each of the characters, and you get a great appreciation for each character's motivations and outcomes. It is a bit long and the animated portions dragged the film's pacing and didn't add too much. After all the development the climax and resolution are a bit too fast and simple - maybe a tv format would have been better here.
1	BOOGIEMAN	90 _96th
amazing when you watch it first time. Second time it was too slow and I began noticing other flaws ... I'll wait 10-20 years or some special ocassion before I watch it again :)
1	toxicwind	7 _44th
Pretty over-hyped, but overall good
1	dalamar501	81 _74th
Sucker for Watchmen due to the comics. For the most part I was satisfied.
1	Gnalkhere	70 _46th
In the era where gritty adaptations are all the rage, this film might probably fit the most of its style in that era. It's a great film and I like the Ultimate Cut more where they have the Black Freighter story worked in. Any version of the film's hamartia is My Chemical Romance's cover of Desolation Row.
1	comepelicula	80 _87th
What a great movie, this cinematic interpretation of a great and sometimes described as impossible to film comic is truly faithful to the source and also has something of his own. Probably the most grown up superhero movie, the effects are great, Alan Moore's story is fantastic going into this "what if" historical scenario. Also I really like the use of fairly unknown actors because their fame was not a distraction from the story. Way to go Zack Snyder, keep it up.
1	Knackys	74 _77th
You should watch the Director's Cut.
1	The Pirate	90 _92nd
To say this movie is a failure just because it doesn't follow the graphic novel to a "T" is garbage. Newsflash: every single film adaptation makes changes to it's source material. In the case of Watchmen, the themes are maintained, though they are watered down, the subplots that are most crucial to the story aren't too effected, and the ending may be different, but it works. I love this movie! It's the best of all Moore's adaptations in my opinion.
1	MrRat	80 _34th
About as good an adaptation as we are likely to get. its' worth watching just for the opening montage.
1	Merv_Taylor	88 _65th
Slighty off, but still good
1	brandons	66 _46th
Gritty and visually striking, Watchmen is a faithful adaptation of Alan Moore's graphic novel, but its complex narrative structure may make it difficult for it to appeal to viewers not already familiar with the source material.
1	lex	75 _40th
(Dir. Cut) Snyder actually delivers a mostly competent adaptation of the masterful novel, a source material which would be pretty impressive to completely screw up. His obsession with hyper stylization (gratuitous slow motion, sex and violence), however, end up working against the very human core of the story. Effective as a super hero movie, lacking as an intelligent adaptation.
1	thehynes	74 _94th
the best ever prison line:"None of you seem to understand. I'm not locked in here with you. You're locked in here with ME!" The best sex scene on an aircraft involving costumed super heroes. Fantastically weird central character - a man who can effortlessly double penetrate his girlfriend whilst simultaneously getting through some overdue work from the office.Rorschach is excellent,they should have a new Death Wish franchise with him in place of Paul Kersey
1	Skitchima	95 _91st
This score for the ultimate cut, which I own.
1	pcamelo	100 _71st
I loved the gritty world that is presented in this film and how it was adapted for modern viewers without losing its basic concept. Great photography, music and tempo.
1	TheEscapist	76 _81st
Good, intriguing film. Having never read the source material, I somehow expected more though.
1	Matija D	80 _75th
Zack Snyder at his best. Also, this movie, for me, goes right near the top when it comes to ranking comic book movies, awesome work.
1	Laos	90 _43rd
One of the best comic book adaptation to the cinema!
1	DyanneThorne	54 _39th
Tales of the Black Freighter was one of my favorite parts of the graphic novel, so when I found out that it's in the Ultimate Cut, I of course had to see it. But that inclusion brings the running time up to three and a half hour. Oy vey. Ample time to get really annoyed with the things that didn't work and bored with the things that did. Better people than me has analyzed what those are, so I'll just end with a complaint that Snyder chickened out by not including the giant telepathic octopus.
1	shtickfigure	75 _26th
Zack Snyder emphasizes all the wrong elements of the source material to make this little more than just another comic book movie.
1	rttntomatoes	64 _37th
Gritty and visually striking, Watchmen is a faithful adaptation of Alan Moore's graphic novel, but its complex narrative structure may make it difficult for it to appeal to viewers not already familiar with the source material.
1	mr18	86 _78th
I'm a sucker for philosophical discussions, moral dilemmas and superheroes. This hit the spot. Although it is dark dark dark
1	wutangpaul	85 _56th
Faithful.
1	whotemp	80 _60th
- 3/13/09
1	philamental	76 _72nd
Visually stunning throughout as you might expect from Snyder, but his ability to present frames from the comic directly on screen is frequently gratifying. The acting is hit and miss with JEH and JDM both excellent, and both Silk Spectres not so much. One of my biggest problems is with the casting of Matthew Goode who never convinces as Ozymandias but I've come to terms with the lack of the squid. The directors cut is the best cut I've seen but at 186 mins it does feel a little long in places.
1	BadFurDay	8 _86th
The cinematography is really beautiful in some scenes. The plot, even though it's slow to unravel and has some holes, is good enough to keep me hooked. And Rorschach is the only interesting lawful good character I've ever seen in a movie so far, such characters usually tend to be one-dimensional and massively bore me. When I saw this movie in theaters, I thought it was just okay. I got to see the director's cut seven years later, and it's on another level, made me up my rating from a 6 to an 8.
1	DavidYates	75 _43rd
Good, but only because it was incredibly faithful to the comic, and the comic is better, and that makes you wonder why this exists. Not that I'm exactly complaining.
1	backwardsuit	49 _12th
I hate this perhaps more that it deserves on its own merits. Takes a really complex story and willfully attempts to reduce it to annoying pop-video surface. Whenever the actual themes start to leak through it immediately feels jarring and awkward. Seems to adore the source but fails to convey its weight.
1	osakacat	65 _23rd
More than anything I love the cinematography here.
1	kyoungberg	83 _72nd
Cut from a different cloth then your typical superhero movie, this cloth being of much higher quality.
1	mwestcott	72 _45th
Watchmen is overly long, sometimes too uncomfortable, inconsistently acted comic book adaptation. The visual style and occasional amazing action sequences are amazing to be sure. Some will be put off by the dark and depressing tone. The journey is worth it for Jackie Earle Haley's amazing performance as Rorschach.
1	baseballs	70 _45th
This is a hard one to grade. It's a slavishly faithful, panel-by-panel adaptation of the comic and the comic is brilliant so it would be hard for it to be bad. The tone is weirdly off though and whenever it diverges from the source material it shits the bed. I enjoyed watching it but everything good about it can be attributed to Moore and Gibbons and none to Snyder so I'm not sure I'd call it a good adaptation.

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Average Percentile 55.27% from 10845 Ratings