Watchmen **1/2

Cast: Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Carla Gugino, Matt Frewer, Robert Wisden
Director: Zack Snyder
Running Length: 2:43
MPAA Classification: R

In an alternate 1986, the US and Soviet Union are sliding towards war. The Comedian (Morgan), a member of a disbanded group of superheroes called the Watchmen, is brutally murdered; setting events in motion that will change the world. Rorschach (Haley), another member of the Watchmen, who happens to be a little unstable, sets out to find the killer. He seeks the assistance of the rest of the team, Dr. Manhattan (Crudup), Silk Spectre (Ackerman), Ozymandias (Goode), and Night Owl (Wilson), to find the killer and is met with mixed reactions. Still, he pushes onward, discovering a plan beyond his imagination .

“Watchmen” is based on the vastly popular graphic novel by Dave Gibbons and an uncredited Alan Moore. I have not read the source material, but have heard that the movie is very faithful to the comic with the exception of the ending. The story is dense and complex and is not always easy to follow. I don’t think that is intentional, and that works against the film. For the most part, the characters do not stand out. The exception is Rorschach, amazingly played by Jackie Earle Haley. He chews the scenery and simply steals every single scene he is in. I would have loved to see more of him, but this is an ensemble film, so he is only one of many. The film looks great. Director Zack Snyder has a clear grasp of how to make a good looking movie. In the end, fans of the book will be mostly pleased I think, but those unfamiliar with the work might be a bit put off. This isn’t a film for everyone, and I can only give it a marginally positive review.

Dawn of the Dead ***1/2

Cast: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Mekhi Phifer, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Kevin Zegers, Lindy Booth
Director: Zack Snyder

"When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth." And that is just the problem facing a handful of the living in the remake of this horror classic. They take refuge in a mall, and baracade themselves in as the world around them becomes more and more zombie-filled. I have not seen the original, so I cannot offer an opion as to which is better, but I do know that I never expected to enjoy a zombie movie as much as I did with this one. The fast moving (and hungry) undead are exceptionally creepy as they strive for just a bite of the survivors. And that is all it takes to set about changing someone from a happy-go-lucky human to flesh-eating zombie. The bigger the bite, the quicker the change. Soon the survivors, led by Ana (Polley) and Kenneth (Rhames), decide they need to make a break for a (hopefully) uninhabited island in the lake. Will they make it? I'm not saying, but be sure to stay through the closing credits where the real end of the story takes place. Filled with horror, action, and even humor, "Dawn of the Dead" is a great escape for those craving a horror-fix.