Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who portrayed The Comedian in Zack Snyder's 2009 adaptation of Watchmen, has acknowledged that the film's CGI has not aged well. Reflecting on the movie nearly 20 years after its production, Morgan stated that the visual effects, particularly those used for Doctor Manhattan, are noticeably dated compared to contemporary standards, even citing the quality of some online content.
Watchmen, based on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' acclaimed graphic novel, was met with a divided critical and audience reception upon its release. Some critics pointed to a perceived emphasis on style over substance and noted significant changes from the source material, such as the alteration of the ending. The film depicted Adrian Veidt, Ozymandias, framing Doctor Manhattan as a global threat through staged energy attacks to unite humanity against a common enemy, averting World War III. This differed from the graphic novel's climax, which involved a giant telepathic alien squid destroying New York City.
Morgan suggested that the original squid-centric ending was likely not feasible given the special effects technology available in 2007, when the film was shot. He recounted watching the movie with his son and finding himself laughing at the CGI, remarking, "It just doesn't match up to what we see now, even what kids are doing on YouTube. It's crazy!"
Despite these reservations about the visual effects, Morgan expressed enjoyment during the making of Watchmen. He specifically highlighted the film's opening sequence and the fight scene depicting the death of The Comedian at the hands of Ozymandias. This particular scene, which was among the first to be shot, was an arduous eight-day process for Morgan. Requiring extensive prosthetics for the older version of his character, the actor recalled working 20-hour days, which led to a revised shooting schedule from director Zack Snyder to allow for recovery days.
Other cast members have also commented on the film's ahead-of-its-time nature. Patrick Wilson, who played Nite Owl II, stated in 2023 that Watchmen was "awesome" and suggested it paved the way for darker superhero narratives, enabling lighter entries like Marvel's Avengers to find their audience. Similarly, director Christopher Nolan praised Watchmen in 2023, calling it "ahead of its time" and noting its subversive take on superhero teams predated the widespread popularity of ensemble superhero films.