Watchmen review

 Number 662 on the top 1000 films of all time is Zack Snyder's 2009 superhero film 'Watchmen.'

Set in an alternate dystopian 1985 with cold-war tensions running high, the film focusses on a group of retired superheroes called the Watchmen. When former member 'The Comedian,' (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) his team-mate Rorschach (Jackie Earle Healey) tries warning his former comrades Dr Manhatten (Billy Crudup,) Silk Spectre (Malin Akerman,) Niteowl (Patrick Wilson) and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode,) but instead he soon stumbles upon a greater and more dangerous conspiracy theory.

Many people credit Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy for giving a darker, grittier vision of superhero films. However, I would argue that Watchmen deserves a lot of credit for this too. As somebody got bored of superhero films by Age Of Ultron and who has never cared about the Marvel/DC debate, I thoroughly enjoyed Watchmen.

Not only did I enjoy the darker, grittier tone, but it felt more grounded and realistic than other superhero films. There were no stupid puns like the infamous Batman and Robin nor any fun and whimsy that you would expect from one of the million MCU films. Everything was grounded in real life. Nothing was played for fun. Nor should it have been.  Even in the eighties, the threat of nuclear annihilation was omni-present. It was a real fear, and Zack Snyder tapped into this fear well.

I was also impressed with Zack Snyder's direction. Having seen a few of his other films, I've noticed that the he prioritises spectacle over storyline, but he was remarkably subtle here. He also released a director's cut, which was also well-received.

Out of all the characters, Dr Manhattan is the only one with any powers which added another layer of realism. These aren't super-powered beings who became heroes, but simply everyday people.

Across the board, the performances were strong as well. Jeffrey Dean Morgan showed his early 'Negan' tendencies in his role as the slimy and smarmy 'Comedian. But Jackie Early Healy was the star of the show. Rorschach was a tortured soul, but Healy made him a sympathetic anti-hero.

Sure, it is relentlessly dark, but the next time you credit the Dark Knight Trilogy for reimagining the superhero genre, please also give Watchmen its due.