Watchmen: C+

It is true that director Zach Snyder [300] struck a skillful balance between honoring his source, the classic graphic novel Watchmen [1986], and creating a movie which could be enjoyed by audiences not familiar with the original. The larger potential audience is most clearly addressed in the credit sequence, a simultaneously subtle and over-the-top bit of filmmaking. In most particulars, Snyder chose fidelity, and fans of the original seem grateful. At the risk of revealing how uncool I am, I'm part of the larger audience, and I just didn't get it. Cool visuals, especially Rorschach's constantly morphing mask, and Dr. Manhattan in all of his blue glory, but also dreadful superhero sex and, ultimately, more cognitive involvement than this non-fan could muster.