Watchmen

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2:19

Watchmen

R

2009

2h 42m

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Mystery & Thriller

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

304 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In an alternate 1985 America, costumed superheroes are part of everyday life. When one of his former comrades is murdered, masked vigilante Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) uncovers a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his retired associates, only one of which has true powers, Rorschach glimpses a far-reaching conspiracy involving their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the world's future.

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Matthew Rozsa

Salon.com

07/23/2019

3.5/4

When given a great story and told that his job is to simply adapt it, Snyder more than rises to the occasion.

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Matt Singer

The Rumpus

09/18/2017

The only way to truly adhere to Alan Moore's vision of Watchmen would be to not make the movie in the first place.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

09/12/2017

B+

Watchmen isn't your typical caper flick filled with kickass effects and gunfire and no premise.

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Kyle Logan

Cultured Vultures

Feb 16

The best superhero movie Snyder has made...Watchmen is an epic that feels worthy of its 3 hour director’s cut runtime largely because it has so much story to tell.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

10/28/2023

The story of costumed superheroes into the real world offers a visual spectacle to be sure, but it emphasizes the “novel” in graphic novel: narrative complexity, character dynamism, the density of fiction and history and commentary swirling together.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/05/2023

2.5/4

Ambitious films like this are generally either glorious artistic successes or utter failures; Watchmen uniquely falls somewhere in the middle.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom Apr 10

Watchmen is a visually striking and ambitious adaptation that mostly succeeds in bringing its complex source material to life. Zack Snyder’s direction stays very faithful to the graphic novel, capturing its dark tone, stylized violence, and layered themes about power, morality, and heroism. The cast delivers solid performances across the board, with Jackie Earle Haley’s Rorschach standing out as the film’s most compelling and memorable character. The world-building is immersive, and the alternate history setting adds depth that sets it apart from typical superhero films. However, the movie can feel overly long and dense at times, making it harder to stay fully engaged. Some emotional moments don’t land as strongly as they should, and the pacing can drag in places. Overall, Watchmen is a bold and visually impressive film that doesn’t always hit every mark, but still offers a thoughtful and unique take on the superhero genre. A solid 7/10.

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Leprechaun K

@LeprechaunKing Jan 28

Movie seems too long. Plot twists are artificial and characters are just not likable. There are some cool visuals and that's about it.

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James H.

@420Drive-in Jan 23

Watchmen is incredible. If you enjoy brutal superhero violence, then this is your movie. An amazing adaptation of the Graphic Novel and Snyder nails the visuals and Bravo to the casting director. Awesome performances all around.

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Will S.

@William165 Jan 21

Give me back my face! (Theatrical Cut)-(9.5/10) (Director’s Cut)-(10/10) (Ultimate Cut)-(10/10)

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Matt M

@Hanover_Phist Jan 12

This is a horrible adaptation of the source material. Saved only by the original story and some compelling performances. Zack Snyder is a hack who doesn't understand comic books.

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John B

@Eladamri Dec 15

A riveting and original take on 'superheroes' but much more than that, a take on existentialism, the nature of evil, and what makes a man.

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Zack Snyder

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Billy Crudup

Jon Osterman

Malin Akerman

Laurie Jupiter

Jackie Earle Haley

Walter Kovacs

Matthew Goode

Adrian Veidt

Patrick Wilson

Dan Dreiberg

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Synopsis

In an alternate 1985 America, costumed superheroes are part of everyday life. When one of his former comrades is murdered, masked vigilante Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) uncovers a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his retired associates, only one of which has true powers, Rorschach glimpses a far-reaching conspiracy involving their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the world's future.

Director: Zack Snyder
Producer: Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Deborah Snyder
Screenwriter: David Hayter, Alex Tse
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Lawrence Gordon Productions, Lloyd Levin
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Sexuality|Strong Graphic Violence)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 6, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 31, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $107.5M
Runtime: 2h 42m

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