WATCHMEN (18)

Mar 17 2009 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THE NOTION of the comic book caper is given a darker edge in Zack Snyder’s Watchmen.

A faithful adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ graphic novel, the action centres around a semi-retired group of superheroes – the Watchmen – who are thrown into a state of panic when one of them is murdered.

The story begins in 1969 with Richard Nixon occupying the White House and the threat of nuclear war with Russia looming large.

Normally, the audience would expect a band of spandex-clad superheroes to come charging to the rescue.

But this brooding and violently alternative take on the genre focuses on the protagonist’s inner demons rather than the usual outward bravado.

The computer-generated Dr Manhattan, the only one with any real superpowers, is bored and Night Owl II (Patrick Wilson) overweight and impotent.

Silk Spectre I (Carla Gugino) and II (Malin Akerman) have mother-daughter issues, whereas Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) is haunted by his past and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) seems so self-obsessed he has lost his grip on reality.

Despite this intriguing set of personality traits – all sharpened by the death of The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) – much of the action is slow and over-egged as the plot values conspiracy theories over progression.

At times it feels like the only thing propelling the film towards a conclusion is the brilliant soundtrack, which features numbers from Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix.

Director Snyder, the man responsible for 2006’s CGI-soaked 300, should be commended for offering a twist on a genre which can often be criticised for being stagnant.

But, despite offering a gripping opening, his latest work – like many of its participants – is just a little too bloated to ever really take off. Rating 3/5.

Johnathon Menzies

EYE-CATCHER: Carla Gugino provides the glamour inWatchmen.