Now, I’d like to preface this with the fact that I am not familiar with Watchmen’s graphic novel. However, I know my way around a comic movie and I recently saw this again, so I thought I’d give it a go as an “outside watcher.” Therefore I’m leaving out delightful surprises and biggest disappointments as I had no real expectations set for this movie. So, here we go:
Things the film did well: The first and most obvious thing is the visuals. This movie is stunning, just as you would expect coming from the director of 300. The art direction alone is a good enough reason to experience this movie at least once. Just make sure you don’t mind big blue dongs… but I digress. Another thing the movie did quite well was give a background to each character without feeling too forced. As an outsider, I didn’t know any of these heroes’ histories, but by the end I felt I knew enough to gain an opinion on their characters.
Things the film could’ve done better: Umm, plot? Not that there wasn’t one, but just that the story line seemed to jump around and when you thought something was coming, nothing did; and when you thought it was over, there was more. The erratic narrative is distracting and while the stunning spectacle is almost enough for you to put aside the jumpy plot, you end up feeling… a bit empty.
Hungrily yours,
Rogue 1
The Cupcake Rogues 
Without reading the graphic novel, the movie probably isn’t as strong. Watchmen is one of my favorite books, and the movie VASTLY improved the ending.
The movie does a pretty good job of keeping all the major elements from the book in there. True, the plot of comics doesn’t really hang together as well in cinema, because the comics are 16 or so mini-stories that connect, but each have their own rise and fall. I thought this was a pretty solid job translating the plot.
Part of the charm of the book is the time period it was released in. Going into the movie blind, you lose a little of that.
Anyway, highly recommend the book. Go read it. Now. Seriously, why are you still here. Go already.
Interesting. Yeah, I’ve heard nothing but excellent things on the book, so maybe I’ll have to read it. I did enjoy the movie better the second time I watched – there was almost too much to process the first time around for someone that didn’t already have a solid background of the story. And as I said, at some points you could almost tell it was the end of one part of the story, but then they just kept going – as if fitting 16 or so mini-stories into one haha. I think I would’ve preferred a 2 parter that went into more detail, but again, that’s probably because I’m unfamiliar with the origin.
-R1
Loved this movie! I don’t normally give a two thumbs up for DC creations, but this was great. I loved how all the characters were neither good nor bad, making an interesting superhero story. Loved the intro, that was one of fav parts of the movie. Also, you should read the graphic novel…. don’t tell anyone i recommended a DC novel hahah
I thought the intro was the best part too. And, agreed, Marvel is way better than DC… but don’t tell R2 I said that hahaha.
-R1
Suck it R1!
R2
Hahaha Marvel>DC. Fact.
What happened to “you shouldn’t judge anything until you’ve tried it”? You haven’t immersed yourself in the DC Universe nearly as much as you have the Marvel. You owe it to yourself and our many readers (I know you’re out there, you’re just not commenting!!) to bone up on your DC Knowledge! Haha, bone.
R2
Actually I have, but it’s just not as interesting as Marvel. You say yourself Batman is the best of DC so if he can’t keep my interest as the best… Again… Marvel>DC.