Watchmen movie No Spoilers!

Last night here at the San Francisco Wondercon I was lucky to be able to attend the Watchmen Imax sneak screening (one week early) with the only real minus being that it started after twelve midnight so I didn't get back to the room until after 3am. While the movie didn't have the "Citizen Kane quality / scope" that Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Watchmen has, it still was very ambitious and had several scenes / sequences that will give chills (the good kind) to readers of this seminal graphic novel.I thought the songs selected for the movie were great and used to great effect, especially a long sequence / chapter using a Phillip Glass composition.

Watchmen, the movie, doesn't feel rushed and although it's not as multi-layered as the Moore / Gibbons production, it does have a lot of nudge, nudge, wink, wink visual and character moments throughout. Artist Dave Gibbons introduced the movie so that was a special treat for the audience, but although on some level I enjoyed seeing it on the IMAX screen, I don't think viewing it in IMAX is essential.I think Watchmen, the movie, will do well, but I'm still curious as to how it will play to people who haven't read the graphic novel because while there are several really violent scenes that will push the buttons of those looking for Watchmen to be that, this is also a movie that wants the audience to chew on some of the ideas behind what being in a world with costumed characters (both super powered and not) means. I want to see it again so while it's not as artful as the comic production, it definitely succeeds on that level and is a movie people will be talking about and not soon forget.