Superhero movies these days have a bad habit of sticking to the generic "man in tights beating up bad guys" storyline, and while movies like The Dark Knight are certainly excellent, it's rare that we get a superhero movie that can actually be considered new. Watchmen is one of those movies. It's dark, graphic and mature in every sense of the word. From the dark and complex characters and story to Rorschach's psychopathic dialogue, Watchmen isn't the superhero movie you're used to watching. It requires thought to understand, but to avoid being the next Da Vinci Code, forcing upon you three hours of tedious puzzle solving, Watchmen throws into the mix a healthy dose of action and drama.

It's worth noting that without Jackie Earle Haley as the infamous Rorschach, Watchmen wouldn't be even half as good as it is. Haley's performance is dark, disturbing and appropriately psychopathic, making Rorschach a genuinely likable and complex character. You'll wait eagerly for moments when he's on screen, and the second you hear his bone-chilling voice you'll sit up with excitement for what brutal and disturbing things are about to happen. Most of Watchmen's best moments, if not all of them, involve Rorschach and his wonderfully delivered dialogue. The time in which he's in prison are some of the film's shining moments. He's a rough, dirty and disturbed man who, even without his mask, is a total bad-ass. I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it, but I will tell you this: during the prison scene, he says what is quite possibly the best line ever written, and only Haley could make it so incredibly awesome.

All performances here are good, but none of them really compare to Haley's, though that might be because he got the best character in the film. Patrick Wilson is a good Nite Owl, and while he certainly isn't as unique a character as Rorschach, he still has some cool fight scenes, and he plays a significant role in the story. Silk Spectre is one of the less interesting characters, partly because she doesn't have any sort of unique look or personality about her. Most other characters are unique spins on superheroes with unique personalities and complex back stories, but Silk Spectre isn't really that interesting. It's not that Malin Akerman gives a bad performance, it's just not an entirely believable one. There are moments that should be tense and chilling that are made annoying by her somewhat naggy portrayal of Laurie Jupiter.

Watchmen is a complex story; one that's hard to describe, especially without giving away spoilers. I myself have not read the graphic novel and so there were times when I didn't fully understand what was happening. This feels like a movie that should be watched a second time to fully understand, since the first time I was really just waiting for Rorschach to do something awesome (which he did a lot). I watched the movie in standard definition and the picture was quite blurry. During darker scenes it was sometimes hard to even tell what was happening. The sound was fine, if not a little too quiet.

I definitely recommend Watchmen to those who are fine with lots of graphic violence and several extremely awkward moments. I mean, come on, maybe a sex scene played into the story, but it's not like they couldn't cover that stuff up – it's like watching porn. And why isn't Dr. Manhattan wearing pants? Those issues aside, I really liked Watchmen, mostly due to Jackie Earle Haley's fantastic portrayal of Rorschach. But if you're going to see it, see it in HD.

8.5/10