Watchmen

On Saturday I jumped (sedately, of course) on a bus down Brixton Hill to the picture palace that is the Ritzy to see 'Watchmen'. For some reason it's not playing at my local cinema at the weekend but it's always nice to head on down to the Ritzy at Brixton (it sells Guinness). I don't know very much about the 'Watchmen' graphic novels except they're very culty so I had to see it. Loaded up with popcorn and coke I sat patiently through the adverts and usual rubbish at the start of a film and then settled back waiting to be amazed. But I wasn't very. Amazed that is.

I found it an odd sort of film, clearly paying homage to the graphic novel and stuffed full of the kind of detail the geeks would love but maybe there was too much attention to detail. It's a bit of a slow burner and took a while to get going - but then again, most superhero films seem to be a bit slow to start off with since there's always a back-story to explain. And most of the heroes don't really have super-powers as such, other than agility, a good punch and a tight costume. Except Dr Manhattan who has powers aplenty and not a costume in sight. Yes, the good Doctor is blue and naked for most of the film with his willy hanging out all over the place. And his bum.

It's set in a very rainy alternative America in 1985 when heroes have gone public and retired other than the Doctor and a sociopath hero who tells the story in short soundbites. No more heroes is the message, the world can save itself except it can't. The nuclear annihilation clock is ticking closer to midnight every time we see it. The USA and the USSR are at stand-off and only Dr Manhattan - who could personally blow up the world - seems to be the only thing stopping the superpowers going to war. So why is someone killing off the heroes?

It's a complex and layered plot but I think I followed it. I wasn't entirely convinced but, hey, that's probably due to lack of super-powered zaps and too much punching and general bloodiness. There was lots of blood. There were also lots of flashbacks to explain the plot.

Did I enjoy it? Yes. It's not as immediate as some other superhero films but it worked for me. It's dark and very serious, not very many laughs but some great fight sequences with Nite Owl and Silk Sash trashing a prison-load of baddies in the blink of an eye. Mindless violence, blood and gore, rape and alcoholism, it's all in there somewhere. Plus a giant golden glass watch on red Mars and Dr Manhattan's blue bum against the dreary rain and grey of New York. I suspect the film will benefit from several viewings for the uninitiated (like me) to get all the in-jokes and references but it certainly seemed well done with lots of care and attention lavished on it. A sequel would be interesting...