At long last, the big screen motion picture adaptation of the legendary WATCHMEN graphic novel is here, and wait has been more than worth it. The build up to the film's release has been intense to say the least, and legions of new fans have come to the story through the run-up to the film, discovering the graphic novel that has been so respected for so long. The Watchmen graphic novel was originally published in 12 individual issues by DC Comics in the 1980s, and was a critical success, but it wasn't until the story was collected together into trade paperback format that the Watchmen legend truly began to spread.



That graphic novel became the most respected and celebrated piece of comics storytelling of all time, ranking higher than all of the big name characters and franchises. This was a true one-off, a masterpiece of writing and art that has stood the test of time and should be enjoyed for generations to come. The book, by comics legend and infamous writer Alan Moore, with incredible art by Dave Gibbons, brought the idea of darker comics to a wider audience. Where many darker, more dramatic hero titles had previously wallowed in indie comics obscurity, now audiences wanted tales with more bite.

And now here is the film adaptation. For many years it was said to be unfilmable, impossible to bring to the big screen, but after many rights issues the property was made by Warner Brothers, directed by Zack Snyder and features a cast that is utterly perfect for the characters they portray. It is the holy grail of comic book films, and to the surprise of many and the thrill of many others, the most important comic book series and graphic novel in history has become the greatest comic book feature film ever made.

With incredible production design thoughout, exquisite editing and a cast that has fully grasped the nature of the characters they play, this interpretation of WATCHMEN is incredible. It may have changed the story a little, and notoriously changed the ending, but it is as close to the real thing as it is possible to get onscreen.

The task that lay ahead? Someone must now create something just as incredible for the next generation to enjoy, but with Watchmen's strength and influence impossible to ignore, it will be some time yet before we see anything that makes such an impact on so many areas of the entertainment industry.