Collider is highlighting Zack Snyder's 2009 film adaptation of Watchmen as a recommended late-night watch now streaming on HBO Max, arguing that a film once dismissed as a box-office disappointment has since gained a devoted cult following. Adapted from Alan Moore's acclaimed graphic novel, the film tackles weighty themes of fascism and the dangers of unchecked power through its story of costumed vigilantes, and the article suggests it was simply too ambitious and unconventional to find its audience on initial release.

The film is set in an alternate history where America won the Vietnam War with the help of the god-like Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup), and follows a group of outlawed former heroes, including Night Owl (Patrick Wilson) and Silk Spectre (Malin Akerman), investigating the murder of one of their own. The article notes Snyder remained largely faithful to the source material except for the ending, which diverged from the book's bizarre giant-squid resolution — a change later addressed more faithfully in Damon Lindelof's HBO sequel series. Collider praises the film's casting, soundtrack and visual style, concluding it has aged well and deserves reappraisal.