A good starting point or genesis of the movie, Watchmen,  was the one time category  " Best Other Form"  Hugo winning science fiction comic series of Alan Moore,  in a special category to recognize his genius . Sadly the movie failed to get his blessing but is non the less stunning. 

A post WWII America where a superhero, with amazing God like super power, defeats and subjects Vietnam to be the 51st state of the Nation. America a land where men dressed as superheros fight villains for all types of personal reasons real and imagined. Costumed hero's have been banned by 1985 yet some continue to fight either for the government or in spite of it.  The World's Doomsday clock is ticking closer to striking.

Each character has their own interpretation of what life is, it's meaning, and how they fit into the post WWII nuclear race.  The World is on the brink of self annihilation, an old member of the super hero group , " The Comic" a self styled vigilante, has just been murdered, and little by little we are introduced to a multiple planes of realities and possibilities. Time bounces forwards and backwards as we the realities unfold.

The movie moves frame by frame , like a comic book but without the stiffness and constraints of a painted action frame.  Rather it flows.  Action sequences can be  surreal and intimidating, like when Dr. Manhattan is neutralizing a threat. Yet his attitude is completely aloof and distant.  Caring as much for a lifeless planet, Mars as he does for all of humanity. His powers really are frighteningly God like, created in the mysterious experiment gone wild of all earthly superheros.  Some are super genius and intelligent others seductive.  I never did wrap around the women's motives very well but the movie needed the love triangles and would be hard pressed to supply the obligatory sex.

Mostly narrated by a moralistic character Rorschach played by Jackie Earle Haley .  He has a mask he calls his face, that has an constantly changing inkblot depending on his mood.   He is ultimately framed for the murder of the "Comic", and locked in a prison where most of the inmates are there because of him.  When cautioned to lay low and out of the general population after a confrontation, he yells at them all and says " I'm not locked up with you, you're locked up with me" his defiance to all that would harm him.  He is out to solve the murder and find out who or what is behind the killing of the past and present costumed hero's.  One by one the other superheros of the past and present are pulled into the plot.

True to the original story however is all of the sub plots, character complexities, and an almost visual overload that will demand more than one sitting from the fan base to take it all in.  Especially noteworthy is the flying machine "Archie" with the owl like portals, the flying machine of Nite Owl. He explains his wealth and the money it took to develop his toys with the lucky comic book inheritance line.  Batman anyone ?

Graphic violence and the possibility of World destruction, superhero's, women in latex, Dr Manhattan with the body of a God floating around in blue halo nude for the women, stunning graphics and visuals, eclectic music almost like 2001 A Space Odyssey only to the tune of the likes of Jimi Hendrix "All Along the Watchtower" and sprinkle in just enough eye popping, hard throbbing sex...What's not to like ? ( an almost quote from my son especially if your a twenty something male. )

Personally I was spell bound, and this movie is long, like over 2 1/2 hours!  I took an attitude of  total detachment from reality and immersed myself in that science fiction reality.  Adding the excitement of the Thursday midnight show hard core fans to entertain me as well.  Director Zack Snyder from 300 fame has another hit.