Malin Akerman, Patrick Wilson, Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode ...( see more  see more... ) , Jeffrey Dean Morgan , Carla Gugino , Matt Frewer , Laura Mennell , Rob LaBelle , Stephen McHattie

When an ex-superhero is murdered, a vigilante named Rorshach begins an investigation into the murder, which begins to lead to a much more terrifying conclusion.

Flixster Users

68% liked it

993,669 ratings

Critics

64% liked it

272 critics

R, 2 hrs. 43 min.

Directed by: Zack Snyder

Release Date: March 6, 2009

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DVD Release Date: July 21, 2009

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Stats: 65,935 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (65,935)


  • April 11, 2009
    Truly a powerful superhero movie that's darker than "The Dark Knight" and more thrilling than any other superhero movie in recent memory.
  • December 8, 2009
    I have to say I knew nothing of the Watchmen graphic novel before seeing the film. Overall it's a very interesting film with a good, dark and violent story. This has more in common with Sin city than Superman if you are not sure what to expect. Yes it's slightly long at two and a...( read more) half hours but the visuals are great, very good SFX, cool fight scenes and a great soundtrack. I just wished it covered a bit more about how each of them got their powers for those not knowing any back story to it. Still a kick ass film for adults.
  • December 5, 2009
    A masterpiece. It's The Godfather of graphic novel movies. It burst off the screen with astonishing speacial effects, mind-blowing suspense and incrediable action. A groundbreaking film, a work of psychological realism in a world as real as our own. It's a dazzeling visual treat ...( read more)that will keep you glued to the screen. It's set in a great time period where superheros and anti-heros are apart of everyday society and are nothing like the characters we've encountered on the screen before. A bold, stunning, compelling and breathtaking piece of cinimatic brilliance that will stand as a classic. Director, Zack Snyder has crafted an incrediable and faithful adaptation to the graphic novel and turned it into a real solid jolt of entertainment. An exhilerating and adreniline-pumping action-packed thrill-machine. It's extroadinary, powerful and absolutely unforgettable. A blistering and stellar cast of amasing actors playing these complex, enduring and compelling characters, each one crafting memorable and superb performances. Billy Crudup is incrediable, showing intelligence and effective force. Malin Akerman is fantastic. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is electrifying, an intense, cool and impressive performance. Matthew Goode is brilliant. Patrick Wilson is excellent. Jackie Earle Haley is teriffic, giving an explosive and fearless performance. This film explodes with the mystery, character development, action, story and eye-popping visuals that any movie fan will love. It truly raises the bar on the entertainment meter and will knock you flat out. A gripping and utterly original picture.
  • November 7, 2009
    So chock full of incredible action, dialogue, great production values, and philosophical pondering that I wouldn't have eve stopped even to pee during the extended 3 hour version if my cousin hadn't gotten me to pause the film.
  • October 10, 2009
    I had been waiting to see this movie for ages but when I finally came across it at a reduced price in a second hand shop I thought nothing could ever beat The Dark Knight as the greatest comic book movie ever made but 'Watchmen' certainly gives it a run for its money. Drawing awa...( read more)y from the classic save-the-day superhero and looking into the dark side of morality, vigilance and politics. The movie is set in a gritty, cruel and porn theatre drenched New York City where most of the worlds vermin are revealed. One inparticular scene where Dr.Manhattan is being interviewed on television and then a reporter reveals that his ex-wive (for whom he is responsible for) has cancer and then as soon as this is revealed she walks in and removes her wig to show the world just what he had done to her. Another great performance in this movie is Jackie Earle Harley as Rorshach whose performance is absolutely spellbinding and give us the deeper look into how horrible the world could become, and not to forget the famous line "What You Need To Realise Is That I'm Not Stuck In Here With All Of You, All Of You Are Stuck In Here With Me", Classic 5/5
  • December 22, 2009
    Without the giant squid this movie can get no higher on my list
  • December 21, 2009
    I only had a vague idea of what to expect with this movie and having seen it, it's difficult to describe. Visually very engaging, the story is quite strong but there's no strong empathic connection to the characters and you start to wonder why you should care. I guess it's just a...( read more) case of wanting to know what's going to happen next but it's just so out there that it's difficult to predict. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be laughing at the Nixon bits. It doesn't have as much of the grittiness that I liked about 300 and SIn City. I'll probably have to watch it another 10 times to "get it".
  • December 21, 2009
    Too much to fit into one movie. It would have been better as a trilogy. However, I can't help feeling there's a mad genius to this movie that drags me back to it.
    I want more. Very impressive direction and a soundtrack that comprises of quite a few albums from my cd collection.
  • December 20, 2009
    A quite literal translation of the original graphic novel, however a bit too literal.
  • December 20, 2009
    It's been 9 years since I last read Watchmen so I was looking forward to seeing it up on the big screen. I'm glad to say it was fantastic to see that it stays mostly faithful to the graphic novel. It's a unique superhero tale. The characters come alive so brilliantly from the nov...( read more)el's pages. The special effects look great especially on Dr Manhattan. And as for the soundtrack - superb. Don't worry about the long running time - it just flies by so quickly when you have an engrossing movie such as this. A highly recommended movie.

Critic Reviews


March 6, 2009
Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com

A stunning, mind-bending, breathtaking densely-packed motion picture experience. full review

March 6, 2009
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Zack Snyder's film version of Watchmen is a grim and grisly excursion into comic-book mythology. full review

March 4, 2009
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Another bold exercise in the liberation of the superhero movie. full review

March 4, 2009
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

It should have remained what it was from the start: a masterpiece of vicious Cold War paranoia, completely and gut-churningly rendered on the printed page. full review

March 4, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

As the story proceeds, however, it grows plodding, convoluted and forgettable. full review

March 4, 2009
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

You have to go back to the comic to learn that the freaks in Watchmen are not only for geeks, maybe that's not so bad. Just sayin'. full review

March 4, 2009
Nigel Andrews, The Financial Times

So what is missing? A little of the original's madness and a lot of its aesthetic high-wire walking. full review

March 4, 2009
Armond White, The New York Press

Neither political satire nor camp, it fails the unique, fantasy mix of classicism and modernism that distinguished both 300 and Vin Diesel's The Chronicles of Riddick. full review

March 2, 2009
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker

Incoherent, overblown, and grimy with misogyny, Watchmen marks the final demolition of the comic strip, and it leaves you wondering: where did the comedy go? full review

March 2, 2009
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

They've made the most reverent adaptation of a graphic novel ever. But this kind of reverence kills what it seeks to preserve. The movie is embalmed. full review

View more Watchmen reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • GHOSTRiderX
    April 23, 2009
    average..
  • storinlove
    April 20, 2009
    I haven't even seen the movie...but in my city...I have yet to find even 1 person that liked it!!! I have heard comments like, "Do not waste these three hours of your life that you can never get back!!" That is pretty rough. Also, the guy at the movies said, "If you are not a fan of the books...then you probably won't like the movie". So I will be skippin this one. One person might be wrong...maybe two or three....but my whole city seems to say, "SAVE YOURSELF!"
  • SJMJ91
    April 15, 2009
    Very crap film! Was over the top in pretty much everything.
  • og2hot
    April 4, 2009
    WASTE OF PRECIOUS TIME....... i mean seriously what was the point to this movie? watching a bollywood movie would have been far rewarding.
  • darabutler2011
    March 30, 2009
    I've heard from a few people that this movie sucked
  • XxXsesshysangelXxX
    March 25, 2009
    ...

    its crap..
    the first 10-20 mins were good, but then it dragged on and became worst..
  • moonrivers
    March 24, 2009
    with characters that are no more than takeoffs of the different Batmen over the years (the Bob Kane Batman = NiteOwl, the Frank Miller/Dark Knight Batman = Rorshach, played to Clint Eastwood/Dirty Harry perfection by Jackie Earle Haley i have to say), Superman (Dr.Manhattan), and a Catwoman/Batgirl clone (Silk) this film is more 70's/80's era social commentary than adventure epic: do we live in a bad world? what can we do about it? don't women only like a guy if he's man enough to take what he whats from her? i wonder what the adventure epic would've been like? while 100% watchable (a pun, huh?), nonetheless disturbing...
  • TheBlackKnight
    March 21, 2009
    I see a lot of people expecting a MARVEL movie giving this one bad ratings...
  • Zhuliya
    March 15, 2009
    Greatly overrated. This film was mostly a waste of time...and it is based on the greatest graphic novel of all times!!! What a pity to have missed such a great chance.
  • kololee
    March 13, 2009
    Waste of time, the odd action sequences are not worth your while. The script was incoherent and the acting performances inconsistent. And the torture of seeing the big guy with the blue p*nis for practically the whole movie didn't help either.

    I should have probably walked out like the two people sitting next to me, and seen something like The Combination or Changeling instead.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Watchmen Trivia


  • He was a night watchmen, a male model, and a cop with a sweet ride. Who was he?  Answer »
  • What comic book adaptation is 300 director Zack Snyder now filiming?  Answer »
  • Who acts as The Comidian/Edward Blake in the highly anticipated, graphic novel adaptation Watchmen (2009) ?? He's also had a main part in: - The accidental husband (2008) - P.S i love you (2007) - Grey's Anatomy  Answer »
  • Zack Snyder, director of the upcoming comic book adaptation of The Watchmen also directed which other comic book movie?  Answer »

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