A dark and dystopian deconstruction of the superhero genre, the film is set in an alternate history in the year 1985 at the height of the Cold War, as a group of mostly retired American superheroes investigates the murder of one of their own before uncovering an elaborate and deadly conspiracy, while their moral limitations are challenged by the complex nature of the circumstances.

Based on Alan Moore’s comic book stories, the film was stuck in development for a staggering 18 years, from 1987 to 2005. The film polarized fans and critics: the style was praised, but Snyder was accused of making an action film that lacked the subtlety and wit of the comic. A director’s cut, with 24 minutes of additional footage, was released in July 2009 to more generous reviews.

Some critics who wrote negative reviews disliked the film’s use and depiction of the Cold War-period setting, stating that the film’s attempt to use the 1980s fears that never came to pass felt dated, and that Snyder’s slavish devotion to faithfully adapting the source material as literally as possible did not allow his work to exhibit a creative distinctiveness of its own, and that as a result, the film and its characters lacked vitality and authenticity