One of the best things about “Watchmen” is its setting.  Unlike most settings, the one that defines “Watchmen” isn’t a place, it’s a time.  The year is 1985.  Richard Nixon has just begun his fifth term as President.  He’s so popular because he enlisted superheroes to win the Vietnam War. Yes, we won Vietnam.  Right-wing domination has turned liberals violent, and there are many riots.   The United States and Russia are this close to nuclear war.  And there are plenty of other goodies. 

        Masked weirdo Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) is the only superhero still doing illegal vigilante work.    One of the government-sanctioned superheroes called The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is assassinated.  The Comedian couldn’t have been defeated easily, and Rorschach thinks there’s a superhero killer (both possible definitions of “superhero killer”) on the loose.

        Rorschach reconnects with the other members of The Watchmen, his former superhero squad.  Gadget-whiz Nite Owl/Dan Dreiberg (Patrick Wilson) is shlumping around in retired life.  Lightning-quick genius Ozymandais/Adrian Veidt (Matthew Goode) owns a huge corporation and is making millions selling superhero-related merchandise.  Genetically-altered superhuman Dr. Manhattan/Jon Osterman (Billy Crudup) is helping Ozymandais build weapons for the government.  Silk Spectre/Laurie Jupiter (Malin Akerman) lives with boyfriend Dr. Manhattan in his research facility.  She craves a relationship with someone who isn’t emotionally detached from all humanity.  The death of The Comedian leads to all the Watchman examining the decisions they’ve made since their glory days. 

        The team comes to uncover a conspiracy with motives far different than what he imagined.  Rorschach is used to seeing the world in black and white (possibly because his mask is black and white and covers his entire head) but the diabolical plot that makes for the film’s climax is enough to give anyone pause.  Or at least it should. 

Unfortunately, even at 162 minutes, a lot of what happens in “Watchmen” is too abbreviated and the ending feels rushed.    To his credit, director Zack Snyder makes his best effort to date.  He succeeds in translating the Watchmen’s world, but falls short of telling their story.