IMDb > Watchmen (2009)
Watchmen
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Photos (see all 211 | slideshow) Videos (see all 42)
Watchmen (2009) -- 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.
Watchmen (2009) -- Clip: Rescue
Watchmen (2009) -- Here's the 12th video journal for Zack Snyder's Watchmen.
Watchmen (2009) -- Director Zack Snyder offers his thanks as production on Watchmen begins.
Watchmen (2009) -- This is a Watchmen trailer that was shown during the 2008 Scream Awards.

Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   110,021 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 39% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
David Hayter (screenplay) and
Alex Tse (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Watchmen on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 March 2009 (USA) more
Tagline:
This city is afraid of me. I've seen its true face. more
Plot:
In an alternate 1985 where former superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach into his own sprawling investigation, uncovering something that could completely change the course of history as we know it. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(2177 articles)
The Nightmare on Elm Street HD Movie Trailer
 (From ShockYa. 27 November 2009, 11:48 PM, PST)

New Human Target Promo Trailer
 (From Slash Film. 26 November 2009, 11:55 PM, PST)

User Comments:
very good, even if you've read the book. more (1025 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Watchmen: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)
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MPAA:
Rated R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language. (also director's cut and ultimate edition)
Runtime:
162 min | 186 min (director's cut) | 215 min (ultimate cut)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
USA:R (certificate #44894) | Czech Republic:15 | Australia:MA | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | Netherlands:16 | Ireland:18 (original rating) | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:R21 | Singapore:M18 (edited for re-rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Ireland:16 (re-rating on appeal) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Germany:16 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Japan:R-15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Brazil:18 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Portugal:M/16 | France:-12 | Iceland:16 | Hong Kong:IIB (cut version) | Hong Kong:III (IMAX DMR version) | Italy:VM14 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Peru:18 | Mexico:C | USA:R (director's cut) (certificate #45165) | USA:R (Ultimate edition) (certificate #45166) | Denmark:15 | Austria:16 | South Africa:16LV | Chile:18 (original rating) | Chile:Y7 (re-rating)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The song played during the love scene between Night Owl II and Silk Spectre II is Leonard Cohen 's 1984 version of Hallelujah. This song is often used in movies (by several cover artists) depicting a moment of sadness or heartbreak. In this case it is used in exactly the opposite situation. Significantly, the part used includes the last verse which is usually omitted in most cover versions, but which is fitting in the context of the scene. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: (At 04:05) During the opening fight, as the Comedian is thrown across the room, Director Zack Snyder can be seen huddling between the drawer and brick wall, lower, left-hand corner of the screen. (Snyder points this out during his "live" Blu-Ray commentary.) more
Quotes:
Adrian Veidt: You wanna know my past? Okay. Happily. It's a matter of public record that by seventeen both my parents were dead, leaving me alone. I guess you could say I've always been alone. I mean, they say I'm the smartest man in the world, but the truth is I've often felt stupid at being unable to relate to anybody. Well...
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Features "The Outer Limits" (1963) more
Soundtrack:
All Along the Watchtower more

FAQ

Is the line "The world will look up and shout 'save us.' And I'll whisper 'no,'" in the comic book?
What happened to the Minutemen?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
more
228 out of 407 people found the following comment useful.
very good, even if you've read the book., 1 March 2009
Author: gcj4201987 from United States

I recently saw a free (oh yes) early showing of Watchmen and have to say that it was very good. There have been few movies that I have been this excited for. Some disappointed horribly (Spiderman 3), and some far exceeded my expectations (Dark Knight). This movie falls somewhere in between, leaning closer to exceeded what I thought was going to be a hard book to turn into a movie.

The first half of the film is extremely accurate to the book and very well done. While there are some differences from the book (for example, Dan Dreiberg goes to warn Viedt about the "masked killer", not Rorschach) but almost all of them are excusable and didn't effect the flow of the movie or my ability to enjoy it. Even as far as dialog goes, the movie stays true to the book. Towards the middle, some of the differences begin to effect the film. The best example I can think of is how Dr. Manhattan acts during his live interview (I'll restrain from giving away any scenes). Not only did the course of events change from the book (which I can understand, given there must be some sort of time limit for a film), but some of what he says was pretty much copy and pasted from other scenes in the book. Nevertheless, I was able to oversee these differences and enjoy the film.

The ending of the movie was the biggest change from the book that I noticed. I think they did this for 2 reasons. 1, I had heard that they were going to include an aspect of energy and where we get it into the film, making it more topical. Secondly, I think the ending of the book would have been too out there for most viewers and would have required a lot more explaining (which the book gives) then would have been feasible for the length of the film (it was about 2 and a half hours long).

I think if you have read the book, you will enjoy the movie. You'll probably spend a lot of time making sure the movie stays true to the book (like I did), but then you'll stop and just enjoy it for being a good movie. I think if you haven't read the book, you might enjoy the movie even more. As most readers know, it is unlike any comic book and actually answers the question, what would the world be like with superheroes? We see even the ones we like have dark sides and the ones we don't have the best intentions.

On a closing note, there are some things I would have changed, had I been to art school and had a gazillion dollar budget for a movie of this magnitude. For one, I think making Dr. Manhattan appear nude, while keeping true to the book, takes away from the movie. I heard a lot of snickers whenever you could see his penis, and I even think they may have showed it more than they do in the book (if you've read the book, take note of the scene were Rorschach comes to visit him and Laurie). I think while it was done with good intentions, covering him up would have been acceptable and not have changed anything about the movie. Also, while I really enjoyed 300 and all the fight scenes in it, the style of slowing down a punch or kick and then speeding it up to real time, I felt, didn't work for this movie and sort of made it seem corny. 300 the book is written like a comic book. Watchmen isn't. The fight scenes, as gritty as they were, still felt like I as watching 300 again. Besides these small points, I thought the movie was awesome and I recommend it to reader and non- reader of Watchmen alike.

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Message Boards

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What's with all the hate here? madman_mundt
Cloverfield monster (spoilers i guess) mulderscullyromance
If *blank* directed Watchmen, this would be the cast fatkidsavestheday88
Cool YouTube video! wallo_2000
Does anyone else think this is better than The Dark Knight? Sarfield-1
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