I am being honest when I tell you I had no idea what Watchmen was all about when the screening notice hit my inbox several weeks ago. Once again, I had to rely on my 20-something sons to fill me in. Thank you, boys!

Created by writer Alan Moore and artist David Gibbons, Watchmen was originally a 12-issue graphic novel that examined the concept of the superhero in a society that had come to rely on superheroes. In other words, how well do we live with our gods? Set in an alternative 1985, the story opens on the murder of one of the caped crusaders and then plunges quickly down a dark rabbit hole of conspiracy.

At the center of this cautionary tale is the character of Rorschach. Like all but one of the Watchmen, he has no “true” superpowers, but is nonetheless able to get the job done when it comes to uncovering the truth and saving society from itself. Operating just outside of the law, he is a gritty and intense anti-hero in the classic style of Eastwood’s Dirty Harry. As his former colleagues have either retired or sold out, it is Rorschach who must rally the cry to battle. The problem is that he has always been an outsider, and the role of clarion fits him ill. Still, he soldiers on and, in doing so, gathers his kin to ferret out the plot that threatens to kill them all.

Directed by 300’s Zack Snyder, Watchmen is a sight to behold. Like a comic book come alive, the screen shimmers with evocative images. Shadow and light play against each other as though they were archenemies, and the audience is flicked through scenes like the pages of a graphic novel. Unlike the classic Batman or Superman series, this tale has an unnatural feel about it. No Gotham City or Metropolis here, my friend. Just dark and foreboding corners where good girls and boys have no business!

As if this were not enough, there is a distinct sexual overtone to several of the intertwined story lines. Characters are not just flirtatious, but sometimes felonious in their behavior. In one scene, I felt as though I might have stumbled into a soft-core theater by mistake. Mind you, I am not prudish about such things, but forewarned is forearmed!

If I might make one critical comment, it would be that Watchmen simply ran too long! It’s two hours and 42 minutes long, and I found the project to be lacking in focus. While all roads did eventually lead to Rome, the side trips down “character-development lane” and “romantic B-story drive” struck me as unnecessary and distracting! Had the writers stuck to what involved Rorschach specifically, it would have made for a much tighter and infinitely more enjoyable experience. I fear this is what happens when you have a director who breaks the box office with a film like 300. Warner Bros. felt like it should reward him and, in doing so, went overboard on the budget. It’s kind of ironic in an age when movies are written with sequels already in place that this meaty subject had to be overstuffed into one offering!

With this said, I must admit that I did enjoy Watchmen. I would not recommend the jumbo soda and might even suggest that you wait for the DVD for the simple convenience of segmented viewing, but if you are a fan of the graphic-novel genre (or just a Watchmen fan), this is one you will want to see.

— In addition to being a great movie reviewer, Michael O’Brien Sr. owns and operates a DeLand-based catering service, Michael’s Gourmet to Go. E-mail him at movieman@beacononlinenews.com.