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Watchmen

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 15, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 16.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Not a superhero movie; a dark, gory, complex morality tale.

Themes in this movie include:   revenge

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Dark, complex messages about issues like morality, humankind's basic nature, and the specter of mass global destruction. There's not much here that falls into clearly "right" or "wrong" categories; it's all muddled and ambiguous.
  • Role models :

    Unlike traditional superhero films, which draw clear lines between the evil villains and the valiant heroes, the characters here are all very complex antisuperheroes, with complicated motivations and sometimes questionable ends. They all believe they're doing the right thing, though to accomplish their goals they may have to break the law, beat up a few people, or worse; the climax presents a huge moral dilemma, as one character concocts a heinous plot aimed at achieving a noble aim -- but at an enormous cost.
  • Violence:

    Several intense martial arts fight scenes with close-up, slo-mo shots of limbs breaking, faces being smashed into walls and furniture, and people being stabbed, punched, and kicked across the room. The film opens with a man being beaten severely and then thrown from a high rise window to his death. A woman is savagely beaten and almost raped. One character seems to relish carnage, whether it's on the battlefield or during an urban riot, while another shows no emotions as he methodically attacks people in inventive and painful ways, including pouring boiling oil on one attacker, sawing off someone's hands and electrocuting him, and taking a meat cleaver to a child rapist. A young child's corpse is eaten by dogs, and the ashes of the rest of her remains are shown in a furnace.
  • Sex:

    A few long, intimate close-up sex scenes include partial male and female nudity. The only character who's computer enhanced wears no clothing at all and walks around with his penis visible (it's blue, but it's definitely a penis). A prostitute propositions customers on the sidewalk, graphically flashing her breasts. Porn magazine Hustler is visible on a coffee table.
  • Language:

    Plenty of swearing, including "goddamn," "f--k," "s--t," "prick," "bastard," and other choice words.
  • Consumerism:

    Almost nothing except for a fleeting glance of Fuji Film (remember the non-digital camera days?).
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some characters smoke; one has a fondness for cigars. Several scenes feature bars and drinking. One woman seems to have a drinking problem and is rarely seen without a drink in her hand.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Watchmen

Parents need to know that this non-animated adaptation of the beloved cult graphic novel isn't just another superhero story and is absolutely not for kids. Even the director has said that he purposely made the movie intensely gory to make a point about the consequences of violent behavior. Sex is paired with graphic violence in a near-rape scene, and characters act in ways that seem highly amoral. They also swear constantly (including "f--k" and "s--t"), smoke, and drink. There's plenty of nudity, with some very graphic sex scenes and a computer-enhanced character who walks around nude (sure, he's blue, but he still has a normal male anatomy). Both the novel and the movie examine complex issues of morality, humankind's basic nature, and the specter of nuclear holocaust. Not light stuff, and certainly not for anyone who expects a simple good vs. evil story. If your teens can tackle heavy philosophical questions, they might be mature enough to make sense of the film's complicated plot. Finally, the movie clocks in at 2 hours 41 minutes most of which are chock full of in-your-face violence, darkness, and peril.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the movie's portrayal of human nature. Are people good? Bad? All of the above?
  • If your teens have read the book, ask them how the movie is different -- and what impact having real people in the roles has on the story. 
  • According to director Zack Snyder in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, "I wanted to make sure everyone understood: This is not a kid movie. Violence has consequences. And doing that with a PG-13 just dilutes that message." Do you agree? Does the violence in this movie have more impact because it's not illustrated?

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Our Members Say

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See all 120 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title off for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative message

    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    Second best superhero movie, best is and will be The Dark Knight

    This movie is violent, but the violence is shown in an artistic manner, not just killing. There is explicit sex, but there is little nudity and it's not gross nor constant. I defintley liked watchmen, but like everyone else, I didn't like it as much as the dark knight.

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Amazing super-hero/morality tale for Mature older teens: 14-15+

    This is an amazing movie! Warning parnets, this movie is VERY dark, violent, and adult. Contains Graphic Bloody Violence, including, a guy getting both his arms sawed off with a circular saw, brutal hand-to-hand violence, with graphically breaking bones and blood squirting, and people exploding from the inside out with gory details. Also contains some full male nudty, female nudity, graphic sex, and some language, as well as adult themes. But its an amazing movie i would recomend it! :P

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Great movie

    Honstly anyone who can understand that behind the gore and blood is a eep and intertwing story line..but most people, Espically mothers cant se past it wirch amazes me all in all a good movie.

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Dark, complex, and f*****g wonderful.

    This is an in-freaking-credible movie based off of an in-freaking-credible book. There are copious amounts of sex and violence, but still a good movie. And as a response to EmmaGirly89's review, let me make this perfectly clear. YOU ARE A TEN-YEAR-OLD. You shouldn't even be watching R-rated movies, let alone morality tales. The story made perfect sense to me, it's just too complex for young kids. Let me give you the rundown. This takes place in an alternate 1985, where vigilantes walk among regular people. Russia is fighting with the US during the Cold War at the time, and they have acquired nuclear weapons. Ozymandias prevents world war 3 by blowing up New York by forcing Dr. Manhattan to do so. Rorschach and Nite Owl attempt to stop him, but are too late. Now, the US and Russia are forced to team up to stop Dr. Manhattan. Rorschach is killed because he would have told everyone what had really happened, thus ruining the peace between US and Russia. Still don't follow? That's because this is not a good versus evil superhero movie. This is a dark, complex morality tale that should not be viewed by anyone under the age of fifteen. In other words, if you are under the age of fifteen, you will not understand this movie. It is simply too adult. Read into these things next time before you make a faulty movie review. ;D

  5. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    It's a very cool movie!a little violent but pretty cool

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    Great movie, but pretty graphic!

    This is one of my favorite movies! Great plot, and awesome action sequences! However there is some pretty bad nudity, Dr.Manhatten walks around totally naked for a good portion of the movie... And there is some female frontal nudity as well. And one of the main female characters is almost raped. Other than that its a great movie!

  7. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 16 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    am 14 and i love it its a great movie

  8. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 16 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    am 14 and i love it its a great movie

  9. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Colorado
    I rate this title on for age 16 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    Dark, violent, apocalyptic, and... thought-provoking.

    First of all, while this film is great, it's not a normal superhero film or even a normal action film. The "heroes" in it are usually just as bad as the villains. There's not a whole lot of action in it; its appeal relies mostly on the philosophy and politics of the storyline. There is a message about good and evil, but whether its positive or not depends on how you interpret it (the movie gives no clear answers). There's a lot of thought-provoking scenes and heavy subjects, including items about nuclear war, human extinction, the morality of killing people who have done wrong, revenge, the existence of God, and the necessity of violence in certain situations. Not stuff that you want your two year-old hearing about, or at least not on this level. And despite the fact that it's a great discussion piece for older teens who can understand the meanings of the complex situations within the film, it's really not for youngsters. Violence is frequent and extremely explicit, showing a man's face get dissolved with hot french fry oil, people's limbs being broken into pieces with an audible crack, a pedophile's head being sliced and struck over and over again with a meat cleaver, a man's arms getting sawed off, and two dogs fighting over the last bone of a murdered young girl. Your typical R-rated language is used occasionally, and there are several sex scenes, a couple of which are quite steamy, plus some nudity (mostly a humanoid but godlike character who is colored blue). As you can see, everything in this movie is heavy to the extreme. There is no reason in the world that a child should see this movie, but every reason in the world that older teens should see it.

  10. I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 5.0

    AWSOME MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!

    I loved this movie so much this is the best movie i have ever seen! it is from the same person who direted 300 another awsome movie zack snider's comic book adaptaion is amazing!!!You must see it.Just be alermed parents this is not a movie for kids i can watch it becuse i can handle it.

  11. I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Immediately when you see this movie, you know it's not a superhero flick. This dark morbid tale is truly graphic, and has the whole bundle. Nudity, sex scenes, drugs, graphic violence and coarse language. But it's faithful to the comics and is a really good film. The opening ten minutes with the comedian is amazing, and is the highlight of the film!

  12. I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    not nearly as extreme as people say it is. contains suprisingly very few violent or sexual scenes. its a bit too long and gets kinda boring, but its stylish with great effects. the opening sequence with the comedian was excellent. ON for teens and even tweens.

  13. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    Watchmen!

    Watchmen is the best superhero movie ever. It’s entertaining to fans of the book, young adults, and grownups. Watchmen is a suspenseful action thriller that explains the life of daily superheroes throughout the city of New York in the 1960’s. Characters are unique in every way possible. They all have internal conflicts with themselves and the hardships of being a hero have out a major strain on their lives. At the end of the story, the characters learn that sometimes the best possible outcome is caused by the most destruction. This movie should not be seen by kids under the age of 14! Lots of cursing and some pretty long, close up, and intense sex scenes that aren’t appropriate for lots of people. Crazy martial arts scenes where the watchmen just beat the living slot out of everyone. There are limbs breaking, blood spraying everywhere, intense scenes like dogs eating a child’s lifeless corpse, a child rapist being stabbed by a meat cleaver, and boiling water poured on a man and screaming in agony. Other than all of those reasons a child shouldn’t watch this movie, this film is fantastic! The story is unique from other superhero movies. This film doesn’t cross the line between the usual villain and hero. It describes the characters as heroes that have questionable reasons for the things they do and to protect others, they have to break laws and do things that aren’t really heroic. That’s what’s so interesting about this story. I personally love this movie; it has all the characteristics to make an amazing movie, action, suspense, conflicts, and love interests.

  14. I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    perfect for mature and hard-core guys, not okay for little kids or girls

    This movie is an extravagnaza about morals, superheroes, vigilantes and war. But is all packed with intense gore, violence and nudity. Even Dr. manhattan, who is male, walks around nude most of the time, and Rorschach and Comedian are extremley aggresive, mean and violent, Silk Spectre and Dr. Manhattan have a relationship, but she also has sex with Nite owl, showing she's totally not a good relathionship model for teen girls.

  15. I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative role models

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Zack Snyder you dog!

    this movie is very good, but it does contain extreme violence and does show i giant blue naked guy (his penis, nipples, body, pubic hair, and buttocks are visible) through some parts of the film! Also a woman is about to get raped, but then is saved! There is quite alot of sex scenes involving penises, buttcheeks, breast, nipples, and pubic hair! Other than that this film is great!

  16. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Missouri
    I rate this title off for age 2 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Negative message

    one of the worst movies of all time

    im a movie buff. I like new movies and classics. This movie is a wrong, worthless twist on reality. this movie sux balls!

  17. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Negative role models

    Great look at the inner workings of heroes in a disturbed world

    I personally loved this movie, however i did cring at the constant and explict gore and nudity. This movie has an excellent plot, and deep characters who breath life into the story. All the acting was top notch and the sfx were great. But make no mistake, this is NOT for kids, there is an attemped rape scene in which a woman is beaten, a man's arms are graphicly cut off, frontal male nudity is frequently shown (he may be blue but he is still a man), there is almost three objectional sex scenes (first two arent graphic), a man is chopped in the head with a butcher knife repeatedly, various arms, legs, necks are broken, sometimes with the bone ripping through the skin. I feel some teenagers may be ready for this, my teen handled it well, but parents need to know exactly why their younger superhero fans cant see this movie. Great movie otherwise.

  18. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    IT'S A FILM WHEN IT'S ON YOU IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO SEE THE MOVIE.

  19. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title off for age 16 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

  20. I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    My Son Liked It But I Didn't Really Like It

    I Took My Son And He Loved It But He Said It Had Lots Of Violence And Sex.

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