What Do The Critics Say?

"Tends to play like the SportsCenter version of the big game. It's got all the highlights but little of the tension and atmosphere that give those moments impact." Phil Villarreal ARIZONA DAILY STAR "An engrossing, full embrace of the superhero form. Original, psychologically and intellectually rich and, more frequently than not, profoundly disturbing." Randy Shulman METRO WEEKLY "A wildly ambitious, often frustrating, but ultimately successful experiment that will divide audiences." Garth Franklin DARK HORIZONS "I found director Snyder's adaptation hugely disappointing, faithful as it is to the 1986 graphic novel." Christy Lemire ASSOCIATED PRESS "This film's gritty and nasty and you want to wash your hands when you're done watching it." Rebecca Murray ABOUT.COM "A wham bam of a cinematic visual effects experience, and storytelling hiccups are partly forgiven in exchange for the mind-blowing visual experience." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "The flick is brutal, beautiful, thought provoking, phenomenal, genius, violent, sexual, brilliant and just overall completely mind blowing. Alan Moore would even like it!" Kevin McCarthy CBS RADIO

"Not my cup of digital tea, but a remarkable film nonetheless, for sheer energy, effort and intensity, as the graphic novel becomes a graphic, violent, bloody, sexy, effects-laden film." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE "Mammoth, mangled, violent, confusing, dazzling, dark, excessive and occasionally brilliant." Tom Long DETROIT NEWS "If it had to be done, this effort is probably as good as it was going to get." Katey Rich CINEMABLEND "Every bit as risky, edgy, and aspiring as it ought to be." Joshua Tyler CINEMABLEND "Alan Moore was right in detaching himself from the project, maintaining his integrity." Lee Grant SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE "Every carefully calibrated minute bellows 'Worship me!' while simultaneously sucking your air." Tricia Olszewski WASHINGTON CITY PAPER "Ultimately Watchmen is simply too stunning, too audacious, too strange a spectacle, to not recommend, although it's more readily admired than enjoyed." Kevin Williamson JAM! MOVIES

Discover the world Of DC Comics on the official website @ DC Universe - Click any image for a title. The Inside Story New York, 1985: a world darkened by fear and paranoia. Where regular human beings who once donned masks to fight crime now hide from their identities. Where the ultimate weapon (the once human being Jon Osterman who is now an all-powerful superbeing named Dr Manhattan) has tilted the global balance of power, pushing the world implacably closer to nuclear midnight. Where desperate men conjure desperate measures in the stark face of Armageddon. This is the world of "Watchmen", the big-screen adaptation of the most celebrated graphic novel of all time, brought to life for the first time by visionary director Zack Snyder ("300"). Spray-painted across a wall in the shadows of a dark, gritty New York alley is a question that pervades "Watchmen": "Who watches the Watchmen?" "Who has the right to say what’s right and what’s wrong?," Snyder asks. "And who monitors those who decide what is right and what is wrong?" Watchmen first appeared as a tewleve issue limited comic book series. It was originally published by DC Comics from 1986 to 1987, then republished as the now, legendary graphic novel. The blood-stained 'smiley face' on the cover, the image of a clock face advancing one minute closer to midnight, and the twelve chapter structure are all emblematic of the richly complex work that has long been credited with elevating the graphic novel to a new art form: Watchmen is the only graphic novel to win the prestigious Hugo Award or to appear on Time magazine’s 2005 list of "the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present." It also earned several Kirby and Eisner Awards. When it was released, "Watchmen" resonated with a generation raised with the prospect of nuclear war, not as an abstraction but a palpable reality. It has been praised for giving voice to the anxiety and unease of the times, the fear and awe of power and its abuses, and the cloud of paranoia and impotence experienced every day by average people considered insignificant to the power brokers. In the decades since its publication, it has garnered a legion of diehard fans from all walks of life that continues to grow. "In the ’80s, there was a lot of paranoia about the Cold War: was it going to escalate and what would happen if it did and how fragile our society was, how very little would have to be done to completely wipe out everything that we had," the graphic novel’s co-creator and illustrator Dave Gibbons comments. "That was very real to me. And though it has receded a bit, there are new fears of mass destruction, so I think that paranoia is always going to be there." The original team of heroes (known as the Minutemen), was comprised of The Silhouette, Silk Spectre, The Comedian, Hooded Justice, Captain Metropolis, Nite Owl, Mothman and Dollar Bill. The next generation of masked adventurers, those who are at the heart of the graphic novel’s mystery are: Silk Spectre II, Nite Owl II, Rorschach, Dr Manhattan, Ozymandias, and The Comedian, who is the only holdover from the Minutemen. Each is a symbol of a different kind of power, obsession, and psychopathology. A different kind of superhero. "Watchmen" has long been considered both in a class of its own: and virtually unfilmable. For over a decade, producers Lawrence Gordon and Lloyd Levin held the faith that it wasn’t the latter, nurturing the project and waiting for the right moment and the right filmmaker to bring the book to life in a manner worthy of the work itself. "I read Watchmen when it first came out," Levin ("Die Hard 2" & "Hellboy") recounts. "I was a big comic book fan, but I had never read anything like it. It was the first time that I really connected with a graphic novel, just in the sense of feeling that it was my world, the world we all live in. It’s a great piece of literature." The project fully came together when filmmaker Zack Snyder, while still in production on what would become the blockbuster "300", expressed to the producers his affinity for the graphic novel and desire to direct it. "With Watchmen, there has always been an element of serendipity, coincidence, and timing," says Gibbons ("Beneath a Steel Sky"). "It seemed to be that this was a good time for it to happen, and Zack was absolutely the right person to do it properly. But none of this would have ever come to pass without the patience and passion of Larry and Lloyd, who wouldn’t do it until they could do it right." Snyder’s goal was to bring "Watchmen" to life as it was: not updated to the present, not substantially altered, but to be as true to the work as possible with a motion picture. "Zack respected the source material so much that he knew the only way to adapt it was to hew as close to the source as possible," says producer Deborah Snyder ("300"). "Changing the time period, or emphasizing any of the characters over the others, would never serve the story that’s told in the graphic novel, which has always been more than the sum of its parts." "People always said "Watchmen" was the unfilmable graphic novel," says Snyder. "“The story itself is a pretty straightforward mystery, but inside of that, there’s this huge plot that has international intrigue and a super-villain and everything you want from a superhero story." The screenplay, adapted by David Hayter ("X-Men") and Alex Tse (TV'S "Sucker Free City"), maintained the graphic novel’s depiction of superheroes as very human characters subject to the same social and psychological pressures as anyone else. "Watchmen is more complex in that it doesn’t just create an archetypal character; it goes through all the variations of why you would put a costume on, why you would want to fight crime," states Gibbons. The uniqueness of the project attracted many talents. "We read a lot of actors for the movie," Levin declares. "Ultimately the cast that emerged were, of course, talented, but also they absolutely believed in the words that they were saying and in the characters they were playing." 2006 Young Hollywood Award winner Patrick Wilson (for his role as Brad 'The Prom King' Adamson in "Little Children"), was cast as Night Owl II. He believes "Watchmen" breaks new ground as it "studies these characters politics, their sexuality and their philosophy, their deviances and inadequacies. That’s something you haven’t seen before in this genre." Carla Gugino ("Sin City" & "The Unborn"), the film’s Sally Jupiter, notes that the prospect of embodying the characters of what she calls "the Citizen Kane of graphic novels" was both daunting and exhilarating. "There was a great amount of responsibility to do it justice," she said. "There was not one person who felt the need to shine more than anybody else. It was a wonderful true ensemble." Cast as Rorschach, Jackie Earle Haley (who received seven awards and an Oscar nomination for his role as Ronnie J McGorvey in "Little Children") was struck by the opportunity to portray "the humanity behind the mask. It explores what the world might be like if people really did dress up in costumes and went into the vigilante business. What are their weaknesses, their morality, the beliefs driving their behavior?" Even before Snyder selected the cast, fans were trying to select him for the pivotal role of Rorschach. "About three years ago, people on the 'Net' were suggesting me for the role of Rorschach. At the time I didn’t know the novel. I looked it up and was fascinated by it. When I heard the film was going ahead, I was very pumped and fought like hell to win the part." The only Mask to openly defy the Keene Act (which outlawed costumed heroes), Rorschach remains vigilant, continuing to haunt the gutters of New York, hunting society’s 'vermin'. His distinctive mask is the last thing they see before he metes out his judgment. Rorschach’s moral compass has only two directions: right and wrong. "We live in a complex world of shades of gray, but for Rorschach, the world is black and white," says Haley ("All the King's Men"). "For him, complexity makes no sense. Complexity simply justifies the victimization of himself and everybody who is made to suffer from someone else’s special interest." Rorschach’s psychology and sense of honor alike are reflected in the mask he wears, with shifting, mirror image patterns of black and white, like the inkblots of a Rorschach test. "Rorschach has this noirish quality about him," says Snyder. "He is the detective of the story, but at the same time, he is almost psychopathic in his uncompromising pursuit of justice. He’s a very fascinating character." The cast quickly discovered director Zack Snyder’s enthusiasm for the project was infectious. "I’ve never seen someone more passionate about a project in my life," says Jeffrey Dean Morgan (TV'S "Supernatural" & "Grey's Anatomy"), who plays The Comedian. "How passionate he is about this novel and making this movie true to it was a sight to behold and it invigorated everybody." The mystery unfolds following Rorschach’s discovery that Edward Blake (also known as The Comedian), has been murdered, thrown from his thirtieth floor apartment window. "The Comedian is as American as can be, but he is also the dark side of what America has the potential to be," Snyder notes. "He rides that edge; he’s always doing some dark job for the government, but he’s doing it as a superhero would do it." Prior to assuming the identity of Nite Owl, Dan Dreiberg had been "rich and bored, with this romantic fantasy of fighting crime, being a superhero, of saving and getting the girl," says Wilson. "He has an old-fashioned sense of values. Dan has gotten soft physically, politically, sexually. Without the costume on, he doesn’t have an identity." Before an accident in a nuclear lab altered his life forever, Dr. Manhattan was Jon Osterman, the son of a watchmaker, a brilliant physicist and "a quintessential '50s male," says Billy Crudup ("Stage Beauty"). The accident transformed Jon Osterman into a gaint, blue, superbeing, who experiences past, present and future at once and has the power to control matter itself. "He didn’t put himself back together as mortal," Crudup notes, "he put himself back together as a deity." For all his powers, there's one aspect of his life he can't fix: a broken relationship with Laurie Jupiter (aka Silk Spectre II), who fell in love with Manhattan as a teenager. "His work comes before her in her eyes," says Malin Akerman. The finished film is stunning and is sure to appeal to fanboys and girls the world over. So how did producer Lawrence Gordon ("Field of Dreams" & K-PAX") react to the finished product? "After having worked for over fifteen years to get "Watchmen" made, I couldn’t be more thrilled. In every aspect of the production: from developing the screenplay to assembling our creative team, from directing the wonderful cast to realizing the film’s look, Zack Snyder did an incredible job." Synopsis

The Comedian is at home when he senses someone is at the door. Even for his age, he's fit and, capable of defending himself. But not tonight. This dark, faceless visitor is too strong, lightning fast and determined to kill him. After taking a heavy beating, The Comedian is flung through the plate-glass window of his apartment, plunging head-first to his death on the pavement, many stories below. When one of the The Comedian's former colleagues, a masked vigilante known as Rorschach, learns of the murder, he sets out to find the truth, uncovering a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion (a disbanded group of retired superheroes, of which only one of whom has true powers) he will discover the disturbing conspiracy is linked to their past. Their mission was to watch over humanity: but who is now watching the Watchmen?

The Verdict "Unless you're a fan-boy or fan-girl (and I suspect most of them really won't have a clue as to the message behind the film), the question on everyones lips after seeing "Watchmen" will be: "What hell is it about? And, what's the message?" It's wild, sexy, creative, majestic, magnificently portrayed, ultra-violent, funny and, everyone will have their favourite character. For me it was Rorschach played by Jackie Earle Haley, the 2007 Oscar nominee who was sensational when he co-starred with Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson in the acclaimed screen version of Tom Perrotta's novel, "Little Children". But how "Watchmen" didn't get an R18+ rating (it was the first restricted comic film to go #1 in the USA) will be beyond most viewers. The violence will have many cringing and squirming in their seat. And then there's the sex scenes between Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II. They're smoking hot and guaranteed to put plenty of 'bang in your buck'! To get maximum enjoyment from "Watchmen" may I suggest you don't try to work it out (think, "The Matrix" Trilogy"). Don't allow yourself to be sucked in by the convoluted plot and you'll more than get your monies worth out of what is a huge experience. Parents of children under fifteen would be well advised to think twice when considering whether this film is suitable for young children. Be warned: it is very explicit. Well worth having a look at, "Watchmen" is defined by excellent characters, a huge soundtrack (look for the TWO OST CD's in retail outlets) and stunning cinematography. If you're a comic book fan, this is definately one you should not ignore. SOLID 4 STARS." Who's Who?

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Jackie Earle Haley Malin Akerman Billy Crudup Matthew Goode Patrick Wilson Carla Gugino Matt Frewer Stephen McHattie Laura Mennell Rob LaBelle Gary Houston James Michae Connor Mary Ann Burger John Shaw Robert Wisden Jerry Wasserman Don Thompson Frank Novak

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Edward Blake/The Comedian Walter Kovacs/Rorschach Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre II Dr Manhattan/Jon Osterman Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl II Sally Jupiter/Silk Spectre Edgar Jacobi/Moloch the Mystic Hollis Mason/Nite Owl Janey Slater Wally Weaver John McLaughlin Pat Buchanan Eleanor Clift Doug Roth Richard Nixon Detective Fine Detective Gallagher Henry Kissinger

The Production Team

Director Screenplay Graphic novel illustrator Graphic novel writer Producers Original Music Director of photography Film Editor Casting Production Design Supervising art director Art Direction Set Decoration Costume Designer

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Zack Snyder David Hayter & Alex Tse Dave Gibbons Alan Moore Lawrence Gordon/Lloyd Levin/Deborah Snyder Tyler Bate Larry Fong William Hoy Kristy Carlson Alex McDowell François Audouy Helen Jarvis & James Steuart Jim Erickson Michael Wilkinson

Run Time 155 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Paramount Pictures & DC Comics - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected ©1999-2009 The Movie Pages & impact Internet Services All Rights Reserved