Based on the hugely popular graphic novel, the movie is set in an alternate version of 1985 where tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union have escalated out of control, on the verge of nuclear annihilation the world waits for the inevitable as the escalating confrontation nears breaking point, which is represented by the doomsday clock which is now permanently set to 5 minutes to midnight.

 

As the clock ticks closer to Doomsday a group of retired heroes come together to investigate the death of one of their clan, which leads them to uncover a plot that threatens to bring the world to the brink of destruction.

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The world of The Watchmen is a very different one to our own; it’s a place where costumed superheroes and villains have become a part of everyday society. But as anyone who’s read the graphic novel will know, these are not your average run of the mill superheroes and this isn’t your standard popcorn superhero story. These masked avengers are flawed in as many ways if not more than anyone else. And this is a dark and brutal tale that’s as warped and complex as the characters it portrays.

 

I had very high expectations of this movie after years of waiting for it to eventually make it to the big screen and for the most part it delivered. Without giving too much away, there are actually moments in the film that are quite simply brilliant, the story is so rich in detail as are the special effects (which are flawless by the way) that you find yourself immersed in the extraordinary but familiar world of the Watchmen, and that’s something I thought would be impossible for a movie to achieve.

 

Ultimately the greatest success of the movie is not its awesome viewing experience but its accessibility to those unfamiliar with the watchmen universe which is a feat in itself. Any viewers that haven’t read the graphic novel will finish the movie with an understanding of the brutally violent and complex nature of both the watchmen and the world in which they exist.

 

Editors Rating: 9/10

 

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