Based on the graphic novel, "Watchmen" takes place in an alternate version of America. The year is 1985 and Richard Nixon is still president after the Vietnam War. The United States and the Soviets are on the brink of nuclear war.

A group of former crime fighters called The Watchmen are now a shell of what they used to be. With masked heroes now outlawed, most of them like Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson), Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) and Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) have retired and moved on to normal lives. With unlimited cosmic abilities caused by a scientific accident that left him glowing bright blue (and apparently naked), Dr. Manhattan's (Billy Crudup) existence is the U.S. answer to the Cold War.

When a former member known as The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is killed, masked renegade Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) suspects someone is trying to kill the remaining Watchmen and potentially plotting to destroy the world.

"Watchmen" goes beyond the masks and takes a look at the dark, human side of superheroes. Excluding Dr. Manhattan, none of the Watchmen have superhuman abilities; they're nothing more than ordinary people in costumes fighting crime and the demons in their lives.

Rorschach is viewed as paranoid; the patterns he sees in society must all be in his head, right? Silk Spectre II tries to live up to the legacy of her mom (Carla Gugino), who was the original Silk Spectre. She must also deal with her lover, Dr. Manhattan, whose mind seems more distant with each moment.

"Watchmen" feels gritty, and the action scenes are gruesome. The actors fit into their roles accordingly. Flashbacks of The Comedian show him as a brute, who breaks down when he discovers the truth before his death. Billy Crudup's soft, yet apathetic voice as Dr. Manhattan takes getting used to. It's hard to imagine any character being that emotionally detached.

Except for the ending, the movie is one of the most direct adaptations ever. At times it felt like scenes were taken frame-for-frame from the novel. I enjoyed reading the comic, so technically it's a good movie. However, I didn't leave the theater pumped up like I expected because I felt no emotional connection to the Watchmen’s world. I just assumed I would, and I assumed wrong.

For the most part, fanboys should enjoy it, but what about those unfamiliar with "Watchmen?"

The entire background story of The Watchmen is crammed into the opening credits. If you didn't read the graphic novel, it's like you're on the outside of an inside joke. The story itself is complex enough, and I'm not sure how many people have the patience to spend the film's nearly three-hour runtime trying to figure it out.

I wouldn't be surprised if those experiencing "Watchmen" for the first time said it was a "highly overrated phenomenon."

Kary Bowser is co-producer of the Matt & Ramona Show (107.9, The Link). Read his reviews at  kbowser.wordpress.com. Email: kbowser@mattandramona.com.

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