When director Zack Snyder agreed to take “Watchmen,” the all too famous graphic novel of the ‘80s, and turn it into a movie, thus accepting to do what other, equally daring directors had already tried and failed, he knew he had two major challenges to face: that of pleasing the fanbase and of doing what was thought to be impossible. The original, socially-themed and critically acclaimed “Watchmen” material has often been labeled as impossible to render into film, yet Snyder showed that it very well could – with a price to be paid, of course.

“Watchmen” fans will certainly be outraged by the many omissions of this 2009 film, despite the director’s almost obvious efforts to stay true to the mythology. Those who are not familiar with the story might be equally unhappy about the product because of the genuine bombardment of details coming their way, so this leaves only those who take pleasure in the very transposition of a comic book into live images on the big screen to thoroughly enjoy this film. For them, in terms of cinematography and the creation of an atmosphere that remains as if stamped on the mind hours after the final credits run, Snyder’s “Watchmen” delivers. And then some.

Loyal to the original material, “Watchmen” the movie is set in a parallel America of the ‘80s, torn by the cold war, plunged into criminality and grittiness. The last thing it needs is costumed vigilantes, which is why a government act has outlawed them all, forcing all those who had once reached almost unbelievable heights of fame into “retirement,” with their “superhero” suits gathering dust in secret closets or underground hideaways, and compelled to live “normal” lives. The death of one man in the opening scene could be just a random act of violence with absolutely no relevance, come to think of it, if it didn’t so happen that the man in question is actually one of these retired superheroes.

He is Edward Blake, also known as The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in his crime-fighting days, and his death prompts a paranoid masked man, Rorschach, who rarely goes by his real name, Walter Kovacs (Jackie Earle Haley), to look into the murder, thus providing viewers with a voice-over narrative that functions as the backbone of the evolving story. As clues lead Rorschach from one place to another, the major plot becomes more clearly outlined, and the viewers learn that both were once part of a group of vigilantes known as the Watchmen. Someone is killing off the former masked heroes for a reason that still eludes him, which is why he needs the help of his old mates.

Laurie Jupiter aka Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) and Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) lead a secluded life at a military base, where the godlike doctor is trying to replicate his powers for the good of mankind. The suave, always color-coordinated Adrian Veidt aka Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) is unbelievably rich and popular, being the second Watchman to reveal his identity, and thus make a fortune off it. Dan Dreiberg aka Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson) is almost as endearing as grandpa, with his weekly routines and huge, dark-rimmed glasses, and the last thing he wants is to return to a life he has long disowned. As a matter of fact, none of them wants that, no matter how much Rorschach pleads with them, but forces beyond their control will eventually see them together again.

Spanning several decades and beautifully incorporating cultural references that perhaps only a (pre-)teen would ignore, “Watchmen” has actually been described as an anti-superhero movie in its essence. Only the blue, almost translucent, but of a beauty that goes beyond gender and age boundaries Dr. Manhattan is a superhero in the true sense of the word, if not actually more than that. With his ability to bend matter, time and space at will, he is human only in that his sole remaining contact with the real world is his affair with Laurie. In many ways, he could be God himself, if his favorite hanging out place weren’t Mars, several film critics have pointed out. Be that as it may, his overwhelming presence onscreen and the whispered, insane narrative of Rorschach are two of the strongest elements that give the movie coherence and make it more feasible for the general public.

And this is precisely where director Snyder fails. Extremely attentive to the minute details and everything that goes into building a comic book-like atmosphere, Snyder is extremely uncomfortable with rendering dialog and human emotions. Whereas the fight scenes are impressive odes to violence (in the manner those in “300” also were), those centering on human emotion and contact are almost risible for the awkwardness with which they’re rendered. For the guy who literally brought back coolness to slow-mo (images of shattered bones, cut arms, saliva or blood spattering on walls seem to linger in the viewer’s mind even minutes after they’re shown onscreen), Snyder seems utterly unable to make one decent love scene. If it’s love or PDA moments viewers want, then they must look for that in the middle of a nuclear blast, which is Snyder’s way of having his characters share one single moment of genuine human contact, without coming off as ridiculous.

“Watchmen” fans looking to find in the movie the complexity and depth of character the heroes had in the original material will be disappointed to see that virtually nothing is there. They will get, in exchange, a gritty world where even the happiest moment is shadowed by an inevitable, unspeakable but overbearing sense of doom, in which regular people seem to acquire special physical abilities only by putting on a mask and an apparently uncomfortable suit. They will also be immersed in a story that unfolds at lighting speed, stopping for nothing and no one, which almost requires one to sit firmly with the feet on the ground lest one got literally swept away by all the madness. They will get “Watchmen” the graphic novel turned into a comic book again, an ode to violence that morbidly fascinates, and an architecturally stunning film that certainly does not lack moments that make one’s jaw drop.

“Watchmen” runs for a whopping 162 minutes. It opened in the US on March 6, is now playing in European theaters, and will conclude its run in Japan, on March 28.

The Good

Whatever the trailer for “Watchmen” promises, the film delivers. Visually arresting and beautifully rendered, it builds, brick by brick, shot by shot, a parallel universe where most things are possible, just not the ultimate good. Snyder, extremely skilled in the art of rendering physical conflicts (many scenes call to mind his “300” film), was just the director to pick up the amazing challenge of turning one hugely popular graphic novel into a film.

The Bad

“Watchmen” is visually interesting, and that’s just about it. If compared to the original material, these 162 minutes of film are completely redundant. If not, then they’re just a great way of passing the time while being entertained – and nothing beyond that. The characters lack substance, the performances are quasi-mediocre (except for Crudup and Morgan), while the story itself is too laden with details (since the director tried so hard to stay true to the original story) to be easily taken in. However, considering that most said that “Watchmen” could not be made into a movie, all these can be easily overlooked, as also can be several other slip-ups.

The Truth

Fans of superhero movies will certainly have a blast seeing “Watchmen,” as also will action movie fanatics. Those who like their films more grounded in reality will perhaps roll their eyes a couple of times during its entire run, but what is almost guaranteed is that no one will be able to say they haven’t found at least a couple of things to truly love about Snyder’s take on “Watchmen.” Visually speaking, this movie is simply beautiful – which makes it extremely easy for anyone to willingly ignore everything else in it that could have used more work.