Watchmen (the newer longer version)

[Dave (imported)]

I normally don't go back to movies but today I make an exception.

WATCHMEN (2009) The film adapted from the earlier comic book series of the same name.

It is an alternate history of the USA from before "alternate histories" were famous and popular and the "in" thing.

The plot: In 1985 where former superheroes exist, the murder of a one of the retired heroes sends an active vigilante (Rorschach) into his own sprawling investigation. What he uncovers is a plot to change the course of history.

Why go back to this older movie?

There are new versions (the "Director's Cut" and the "Ultimate Cut") out and if you can catch it on HBO or on the newer Blu-ray or streaming service, then you see it all. The movie was originally rated "R" for violence and nudity (not only Dr Manhattan's blue and glowing very flaccid floppy penis, but also a rape scene, a pregnant woman's death, and several of Rorschach's very bloody killing sprees). These new versions show it in unflinching grime and tawdriness... These are the versions where the plot of the movie begins to make sense to the viewer and WATCHMEN lives up to its truly dark and despairing vision of mankind.

Some people try to call this "film noir" and it has that dark meme about it (I think that is because of the narration by Rorschach) but it isn't "film noir." But it is more than that. Philosophically, it is screamingly nihilistic with a gritty, unrelenting, darkness that makes it one of the true "R" rated movies. It's heroes kill with no guilt. The Doomsday Clock creeps toward annihilation and nuclear war. This "alternate history" of the world is flawed and lacks hope. Its "heroes" are not heroic and do not just do good, they do bad in graphic and terrible ways.

So if you haven't seen this on anything but a channel like SyFy or TNT or FX or any one of those, get the newer version and watch them uncut an uncensored. Whole parts of the movie will suddenly start to make sense.

In the words of Rorschach's opening narration: ...Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll whisper "no."

And in the words of Dr Manhattan: Perhaps the world is not made. Perhaps nothing is made. A clock without a craftsman.

[Paolo]

We went to see this in the theater, and after one hour and twenty minutes, got up and walked out. It was tedious. It was boring. It was too much with the penis.

[Dave (imported)]

I understand that.

It's not an easy story and the plot just twists around itself with what seems to be lots of exposition.