The document provides a detailed summary and analysis of key scenes and characters in the movie Watchmen directed by Zack Snyder. It analyzes four important scenes that establish characters and the alternate universe setting. It also examines the complex characters of Rorschach, The Comedian, and Dr. Manhattan in depth. Finally, it discusses the major themes of the movie such as who watches the watchmen, never compromising morality, and the view of life as an insignificant phenomenon. The document analyzes key elements of the plot, characters, and themes of the Watchmen movie.

1. CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF WATCHMEN
DIRECTED BY JACK SNYDER
BASED ON THE GRAPHIC NOVEL WATCHMEN BY ALAN
MOORE
SUBMITTED BY SONAL KUMAR
2018A5PS1010P
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2. WATCHMEN
PLOT
SCENE 1; "opening credits" (5:40 - 11:10)
The opening credit scene for the movie is a series of slow-motion montages that explains
the alternate universe in which the main story is taking place. The very first scene is of
the Night Owl mugging a robber outside a theatre building. We can also see Thomas and
Martha Wayne safely coming out of the theatre in the background, and the posters of
"Detective Comics #27" on the walls show that the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents
never happened and as a consequence, Batman is a fiction in this reality. The first
montage establishes the watchmen universe apart from the main DC comics' continuity.
In the next few images, Silk Spectre, The Comedian and the original team of Minutemen
is introduced. Just by the look of it, a diversion from the mainstream superhero storylines
can be easily seen. The characters are rational human beings dressed as superheroes, but
they are flawed.
Next, Miss Jupiter (Silk Spectre) is shown on the side of the Enola Gay as it drops the
atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Then Silhouette kisses the nurse instead of the sailor on V-J
Day in Times Square, in resemblance of Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photo.These scenes
prove that this universe is not too far from the reality, and significant events like World
Wars have happened in this reality also but with a few changes.
In the next three images, fall of the original Minutemen is shown, Dollar Bill is shot and
killed, the retirement scene of Silk Spectre mimics Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' which
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3. symbolizes end, Mothman is taken to a mental asylum, Silhouette is murdered due to her
lesbian relationship. The rise of the Watchmen follows these scenes.
Rorschach's childhood is shown, also a clever use of puns "Russ has A-Bomb."
introduces the cold war setting of the movie. Dr. Manhatten meets President Kennedy,
and the Comedian shots him wearing the same clothes as the 'three tramps,' the men who
were initially arrested for the crime. Silk Spectre 2 is introduced and a reference to the
Vietnam war is seen on the television. Reference to Elliot Erwitt's famous photograph,
'Peacemarch,' and Nite Owl 2 is shown to be a vital part in Andy Warhol's work rather
than Marilyn Monroe. Dr. Manhattan is seen by Neil Armstrong on the moon in 1969,
and the introduction of Ozymandias outside of the famous Studio 54 club in New York
City. All these scenes introduce the main characters and capture their reactions while
entangling them and their surroundings with real events. These scenes also connect the
Watchmen universe with reality.
In the final shot, various televisions depicting different stations bring us to the present.
The final shot raises the questions "are superheroes good for society," "do we need
superheroes," and "if the superheroes or vigilante start controlling the society who will
manage them."
SCENE 2; "Ozymandias explains his plan to Dr. Manhattan"
(3:12 - 3:15)
It's the dramatic and emotionally impactful end to the Watchmen's journey that reflects
on the core questions at the heart of the story. The Veidt's plan doesn't just have tragedy,
but betrayal and it's personal. Veidt doesn't only betray humanity, he reveals his former
teammates, framing a man he knows to be good. Further, Watchmen is ultimately a story
that asks, in a world where heroes are as faulty and unruly as the world they seek to
protect, would we be better off without heroes at all? And so, in the film's ending,
humanity loses its most brilliant, stalwart defender to another galaxy, while the villain
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4. who disfigured humanity remains a cherished beacon of hope.
The scene questions the morality of the characters as well as the audience. The visuals are
captivating, Nixon's peace announcement on the television screens shows the importance
of the event, the scene in itself forces the audience to think that may be Veidt is right. The
feelings of the characters involved especially Night Owl and Silk Spectre are the most
relatable.
Justice, peace, guilt, and morality contradict each other while the characters struggle to
make an opinion of the events, each showing their own flaws. Watchmen shows twisted
humans with their own unsolved problems trying to solve and control the problems of the
world. It raises the question of whether society needs to be controlled, should the power
be given to masked vigilante to decide what is good for the world.
SCENE 3; "Dr Manhattan's flashback story after he gets his
power"(1:26 - 1:30)
Dr. Manhattan is probably the most potent and complex character among the watchmen.
But the discussion here is how the world reacts towards his existence. In this scene, he
explains how the Americans, the Vietnamese, his friends, and the media perceived him.
Americans, as well as the Soviets, saw him as a weapon. In this context, he can be seen as
an advanced nuclear weapon. The sense of relief and pride for the people having it, here
the Americans, and the fear and uncertainty for the Soviets are portrayed throughout his
narration, showing the Watchmen universe's version of the cold war. The Vietnamese like
the Soviets saw him as a threat, but they also show respect for him as if he is a god. While
the media continuously tries to show him as a superman or a god, while also stressing this
point that he is an American. His view of himself, life, and the universe are changing
while his close friends, especially his girlfriend, is trying to understand his new strange
personality. The world and sometimes the Americans too obviously see him as a threat
with all his powers; this also shows the human tendency to fear everything that he can't
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5. control.
SCENE 4; "Dr Manhattan talks with Silk Spectre on mars"(2:49 -
2:56)
First, Dr. Manhattan had the idea that the existence of life is not a unique phenomenon to
be amazed, not important enough to be saved from extinction. He didn't know that it was
the Comedian that was Laurie's father, this made the odds even lower because Silk
Spectre should've hated the Comedian for trying to rape her (if not also for his other
abrasive qualities). The odds were lower still that Laurie would be the type of person that
he loved given the Comedian being her dad
On this revelation, he realizes that the creation of Lorie was nearly impossible given the
odds, and that sparks his interest in humanity. This means that the existence of life isn't a
random coincidence in the cosmos. Life is precious because every life is unique and
beautiful and must be saved. The main point of this scene and its side story in the movie
is a classic love story, though. Seeing that he took Laurie for granted helped him realize
that life, in general, is full of miracles, she's just the one he loves. Experiences don't seem
so expendable and pointless to him after he sees all that. So he did tell Lorie that they
were going to have a conversation on Mars where she would try to convince him that
humanity is worth saving, but after realizing that the creation of life, here Laurie, can't be
a mere coincidence , he decides to save humanity.
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6. CHARACTERS
1.RORSCHACH
The development of Rorschach's character occurs in a complicated way, unlike any crime
thriller protagonist: with very little information at first, and a more thorough explanation
later on. In terms of Rorschach, we see him less as a superhero and more as an anti-hero.
Rorschach is a vigilante figure with a twisted perception of the world, society, and justice.
He narrates the story through his journal about his quests for answers and the filth that is
humanity. This style is used in the presentation of Dr. Manhattan's character too where
the audience knows from early on in the movie that he is somehow superhuman, but an
explanation of how he came to be that way is told later.
Rorschach shows a weird kind of complicated psychology. Even before he reveals his
history, it's evident that Rorschach considers his vigilante identity to be more real than his
civilian identity, this comes when he refers to his mask as his face during his fight with
the cops. If he was removing his "face," what is it that is underneath? He considers his
original self as weak, soft but with the mask he is powerful, he is Rorschach. The
audience gets more details on his psychology when he's talking to Dr. Malcom and
becomes angry when Mal addresses him as Kovacs. As Kovacs' unmasked face is seen
even before and can be identified as the man carrying the "End Is Nigh" sign seen
throughout themovie. It is obvious that this figure is what Rorschach considers his
"disguise" as he views his real personality to be Rorschach, the vigilante.
Rorschach's opinion of humanity is formed his early childhood experiences with violence
and immorality, but the development of his moral philosophy is intriguing. The turning
point in Rorschach's life was when he murdered the dogs and the kidnapper of a small
girl. Rorschach creates an idea that conventional morality cannot cure the evils of the
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7. world and that one is within their power to create their own righteousness. His
interactions with the prison inmates, the amount of fear and hate he induces in the minds
of criminals, tells a lot about his ways with criminals. He hates the evil; this is shown
when he says, "I am not trapped with you; you are trapped here with me."
However, if Rorschach's idea of justice is to seek out and eliminate villains- why does he
even bother if he's under the impression that humanity is dismal and doomed anyway?
Rorschach is a complex, complicated character in that the audience can't quite get a
handle on the way he thinks.
The main idea is that Rorschach views the world as black and white just like his mask,
for him, it is good and evil, and the evil must be punished however big and small it is. He
can't understand the grey psychology of Veidt. At the end of the movie; he rejects the
idea of killing thousands to save the millions. He gets killed but never flinched from his
concept of justice as he said: "never compromise, not even in the face of armageddon."
2.THE COMEDIAN
The Comedian is the alter ego of Edward Blake. His murder started the stories of
Watchmen. He's a cruel man who does whatever his heart wants and still manages to be
one of the most interesting anti-heroes ever created. He chose his name because of his
outlook on the events of his surroundings. He is as carefree as a man can get. His contacts
in the government ran deep. Throughout his life, the Comedian worked as a government
agent. Earlier, as a part of the Minutemen, he attempted to rape Sally Jupiter, the first Silk
Spectre. Later, in Vietnam, he killed a local woman who tries to get him to stay after she
reveals she's pregnant. Still, he was seen as a hero due to his involvement in the Iranian
hostage situation. The Comedian was always telling people that nothing matters. His
outlook and knowledge of life is complex as well as a genius, but he is a monster. His
character is also a satire on the military because no matter what they've done overseas, as
long as they're doing it for the country, the society doesn't care.
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8. More insight into the madness and genius of this character is revealed during his funeral.
During the funeral, Blake's interactions with the main characters are shown through
flashbacks. This helps to understand the Comedian and also learn about the weaknesses
of the other characters. Each flashback involves a moment where the Comedian
challenged their identity. When he shoots the pregnant woman after the Vietnam war, he
tells Doctor Manhattan that he could've stopped the bullet, but he didn't. He tells
Manhattan that he doesn't care about humanity and never will. A harsh truth that even
Manhattan hadn't realized just yet.
The next interaction is with Ozymandias. During the meeting with the Watchmen. The
Comedian laughed at the idea of them trying to form another group just to bust up
criminals. Being a government agent, he knew about the terrors this country faced. To
him, war and violence were only going to continue until the nuclear armageddon. He
challenges Ozymandias to come up with a solution that he couldn't despite being the
smartest man on the planet. The Comedian proved to him that intelligence didn't matter.
The last interaction is with Dan, the second Nite Owl. The people have become
discontented because of the actions of superheroes. The Comedian is abnormally
aggressive in handling the civilians. The Comedian asks the Night Owl why he's gotten
soft. He tells Night Owl that they are protecting the people from themselves. Night Owl
can hardly process it. His country is destroying itself in front of its eyes. He asks the
Comedian, "What happened to the American dream?" The Comedian answers back, "It
came true. You're looking at it." It isn't revealed what drove the Comedian to act the way
he acts. He serves more like a theme piece than anything in this story. The Comedian, as
a character, mocks the ideology of superheroes.
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9. THEME
1.WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN
The slogan is a reaction by the public to a lack of law enforcement protection, and it
raises the question that if the masked vigilante is controlling the society, who is
controlling them. Unlike conventional superhero movies, the characters of Watchmen are
not ideal; they are real human beings with flaws, and often complex psychology and
unique view towards the world. Watchmen is an alternate reality where police protection
of society has vanished, and the costumed crimefighters of the story engage in crowd
control. So the moral question arises whether a masked person who is not willing to show
his face should be let free to control crime instead of real authorities. Riots have broken
out in New York City and Washington, D.C., and many ordinary citizens have taken to
the streets to protest the intervention of costumed heroes in law enforcement.
2.NEVER COMPROMISE, NOT EVEN IN THE FACE OF
ARMAGEDDON
Ozymandias' plan is revealed, and Night Owl and Rorschach fail to stop him from
destroying an entire city. However, Ozymandias has also managed to find a way for the
world's leaders to band together and, thus, actually, have world peace through a truly
despicable act. Most of the characters, including Dr. Manhattan, who is framed for the
attack, agrees to the plan except the anti-social Rorschach due to his straight forward
sense of justice refuse to keep the secret. Rorschach's proves that a person's integrity and
humanity will never be tested when things are easy. Only through times of hardship, there
arises a need to compromise. While some people may believe that conceding may be the
proper thing to do, there will be people who will be sticking to their guns no matter what.
These are the people that may not be able to see the greater good of compromise or these
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10. people may be the ones who are the true heroes for standing up for their beliefs even if
they are not accessible. Ultimately, the only history will say which was the right choice.
3.LIFE IS A HIGHLY OVERRATED PHENOMENON
Dr. Manhattan's view of life and the universe is very complex.He finds nothing special in
the existence of life as he sees earth as a tiny pebble in the ocean of cosmos. People want
to believe that they have some purpose and meaning. Sounds like the person was an
atheist or probably believes that all the world and universe and life and stars and water are
all coincidence. The known world is existing on such a crazy chance that it is best
described like this: imagine a broken watch with busted pieces all separated and mixed up
and then put into a bag. Now imagine shaking the bag and all of the watch being perfectly
assembled and in working order. This is how rare and amazing the moving breathing
living earth we reside on is. This is not just chance or happenstance my friend. There is
much meaning to all you hear, see, taste, smell, touch and feel. It's truly foolish to think
otherwise.
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11. CONCLUSION
The Watchmen is about a lot of things, which may be why there is a little trouble with it.
It's a complex story.
It's a movie about coping with ultimate power -- Doctor Manhattan has slowly lost his
humanity due to his immense power and his ability to see any number of pasts, presents,
and futures simultaneously. The effect on those who loved him and whom he loved are a
major component of the movie, as is his detachment and how that provides an
opportunity for Veidt to pull off his plan.
It's a movie about the lengths someone will go to promote peace -- Adrian Veidt is
ultimately correct that his action will likely bring all of the nations together against
Doctor Manhattan and anyone else with super powers, though in doing so he sacrificed
millions of lives.
It's a movie about the inhumanity of humanity -- as viewed through the lens of Rorschach,
the movie demonstrates just how vile the vilest of humanity is, and how when push
comes to shove, people are just as likely and capable of abandoning what they view as
morals and ethics when either (1) the odds of them winning are substantially low, or (2)
the ends of an immoral or unethical act justify the means. Rorschach is the only character
in the film willing to die for his beliefs, and he's insane.
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