Watchmen - A Social Commentary

Not my image.

A few nights ago I watched Watchmen on DVD. They had a copy at the library which I borrowed. It was my second time seeing it. The first was at the theatre when it first came out. I have to admit I was skeptical about whether or not I would enjoy it after seeing the TV commercials. They seemed a bit cheesy. But, I remember liking the film quite a bit.

Now, I have to admit, some details of the movie had slipped my mind over time. Especially the graphic violence. It was a comic book after all. But, when you translate that sort of violence onto film, let's just say, you'd better not be squeamish.

For those of you who, like me (at the time), had no idea who the Watchmen were, here's a brief description from Wikipedia:

Watchmen depicts an alternate history where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1960s, helping the United States to win the Vietnam War. The country is edging towards a nuclear war with the Soviet Union, freelance costumed vigilantes have been outlawed and most former superheroes are in retirement or working for the government. The story focuses on the personal development and struggles of the protagonists as an investigation into the murder of a government sponsored superhero pulls them out of retirement, and eventually leads them to confront a plot that would stave off nuclear war by killing millions of people.

I think part of the appeal to me about the story was the vigilantism of the characters. Where the law could only deal a slap on the wrist to the perpetrators of crime (or none at all) the Watchmen dealt on the spot justice.

That's something I think a lot of people in today's society are frustrated with. We see repeat offenders like those convicted of multiple drunk driving offenses set free only to take innocent lives on the road after yet another night of binge drinking. Or serial spousal abusers being let go by judges with their heads stuck in last century only to come back and murder their estranged wife and/or children. It happens far too often and I don't see why we should stand for it any longer.

And don't get me started on The Young Offenders Act (or whatever version they have of it now). There's a certain population of young people that know they can repeatedly get away with whatever they want and no one will do anything to stop them. Why, oh why, are we protecting them?

So when I see a movie like Watchmen where a child sex predator gets an axe to the head, I think, well, he certainly deserved that. Now, of course, I wouldn't say you need push justice that far. But, you understand what I'm getting at. When called for, the punishment should fit the crime. If you can rehabilitate the offender, by all means, do that. In all other cases... fasten your seatbelts.