Malin Akerman May Excite and Disappoint as Silk Spectre

The title Watchmen is mostly accurate to describe the team of super heroes in Alan Moore's famed novel, and Zach Snyder's controversial movie version. The Watchmen are pretty much all men, and they watch over us - for good and ill. But the Watchmen do have a token female among them. Actress Malin Akerman gets to fill the tight tights of Silk Spectre II, opening herself up to become a new sex symbol, and to large criticism.

Malin Akerman is one of the many Watchmen cast members who are just leaping to a new round of stardom. Akerman was best known for breaking into movies two years ago, in the critically panned remake of The Heartbreak Kid. Akerman played Ben Stiller's dream girl who turned into a nightmare during the honeymoon, causing Stiller's eye to wander.

Akerman also got into the romantic comedy game as Katherine Heigl's sister in 27 Dresses a few months later. But Akerman is making her first foray into big budget, blockbuster filmmaking, as are most of her co-stars.

Akerman helped fire up the Watchmen fanbase, and maybe a few male outsiders, with her yellow, form fitting outfit. That goodwill may have to get Akerman and her character pretty far.

Akerman's character, Silk Spectre II, is the daughter of a legendary superheroine who struggles to live up to her mother's shadow. Things are further complicated by her relationships with two of the Watchmen - blue, emotionless superman Dr. Manhattan and the meek, impotent Night Owl II. But they must be resolved if she is to help the Watchmen stop the end of the world.

Alan Moore's original novel took aim at subverting many of the super hero cliches in comic books. Silk Spectre II was his way of tearing down the "token hot female superhero" stereotype. But this area of satire may be one of the things lost in Snyder's adaptation.

The divided reviews for Watchmen are mostly down on Akerman, criticizing her for being flat and wooden. Akerman gets to look hot in her super suit and show nudity in her sex scenes, but that seems to be all that many critics are impressed at.

Akerman and Matthew Goode, a.k.a. Ozymandias, have gotten the brunt of negative reviews for the Watchmen actors, with Jackie Earl Haley, a.k.a. Rorschach, earning the most praise.

Audiences can now finally see for themselves if Akerman is able to live up to Silk Spectre's shadow, with Watchmen out today.

Sources

Crave Online- "Malin Ackerman Is The Silk Spectre" www.craveonline.com/articles/filmtv/04653184/malin_ackerman_is_the_silk_spectre.html

Rotten Tomatoes- "Watchmen" www.rottentomatoes.com/m/watchmen