Sometimes, I love this job.

OK, so on Wednesday night, myself and The Dizzle were lucky enough to attend a premiere screening of the movie that everyone is talking about, Watchmen.

Being a comic fan, and having read my copy of Watchmen so many times it has disintegrated, I was really looking forward to this movie. There has been a lot of talk on the ol’ intrawebs about it, but I have to be honest. I’ve been clamouring for this flick since I saw the first promo shots of the cast.

The one word that I would use to sum up Watchmen is: Uncompromising. Zack Snyder does not pull any punches in this movie. From the extreme violence, to the graphic sex, to the running time (almost 3hrs!), Watchmen delivers in an excess that is almost uncomfortable at times. There was more than one moment that had me a bit squeamish, and I knew what to expect. I have no idea how someone who’s not familiar with the world of Watchmen is going to react.

This brings me to my next point. Watchmen is a movie that people are either going to love or hate. There will be very little “in-between” with this film. If you are a fan of the book, then you have nothing to worry about. The adaptation, in terms of the shots and dialogue, is so literal at times that I felt like I was watching the book. It was almost eerie. I can see where the hardcore fans are going to gripe, but honestly screw them and the horse they rode in on. Which might actually happen in the Director’s cut. I wouldn’t put it past them.

There has been much discussion about the changed ending as well. Let me assure you, Snyder & Co managed to come up with an ending for this movie that is just as satisfying as the book, though very different. That’s right, a completely different ending that still feels as though it is a natural part of the world of Watchmen. It becomes very apparent early on that this movie has been lovingly crafted down to the last detail, and it is a beautiful piece of work.

Now, I can say that because as I mentioned, I am a huge fan of the graphic novel. Those of you who haven’t read it might be in for a shock. I have heard from more than one person that they couldn’t follow some of the story, and that it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. I think that might be true if you are seeing the movie with eyes that have never read the book. The good news is that it looks spectacular enough that it won’t really matter. By the end things should sort themselves out plot wise.

Finally, I want to mention that this is NOT a movie for kids. It is a hard “R” rating, and is NOT the typical superhero/comic book flick. Watchmen was one of the first comics to show us superheroes in an unseemly and often all-too human light. This movie capitalizes on that, and pushes it to the next level. It is a dark and complex film, and definitely not something to take the kids to.

To sum up: Watchmen = awesome. Be sure and catch this flick, but make a point to skip the giant cup of pop. Even at 3 hours long, you don’t want to need to pee and miss a minute of this incredible story.