4. Setting The Scene (Watchmen)
Zack Snyder's adaptation of the seminal graphic novel is by no means a bad movie; it is perhaps a little too slavish to the material and the pacing is sometimes funereal (personally, I find the Director's Cut to be far superior) but as a whole the movie fails to capitalize on the potential of the opening scene. In just five minutes of visual exposition, the montage establishes an alternate timeline where costumed heroes have been around since the 1940's and gives a glimpse into what motivates the main protagonists, set against the backdrop of famous moments in American history; the end of World War 2, the Kennedy assassination and the Moon landings to name but three, are all shown to involve costumed heroes in some form. Much better than a voiceover, the opening credits both build the world of the movie and the influence that the Watchmen have had on it without a single word of dialogue. The more somber moments (costumed heroes both being found dead and taken to mental institutions) also indicate that this will be darker and harder-edged than your average superhero movie.