It stars an ensemble cast including Matthew Rhys, Katee Sackhoff, Titus Welliver, Troy Baker, Adrienne Barbeau, and Michael Cerveris.

In an alternate 1985, veteran superhero known as the Comedian is killed by an unknown individual, as the policemen try to investigate the crime, but fail to find any clues or sources.

In prison, Kovacs is consulted by psychiatrist Malcolm Long, to whom he reveals his dark, disturbing past, which led to his transformation into Roschach; from the abuse of his mother, to the investigation of a disappeared and murderered child.

Meanwhile, Dreiberg begins believing Roschach's theory after being haunted by nightmares of what is yet to come, for which he decides to don the mantle of Nite Owl again, with Juspeczyk joining him as Silk Spectre, eventually drawing public attention after saving a group of citizens from a fire in a building.

[13] William Bibbiani of TheWrap felt that the film respectfully adapted the story, but struggled to properly convey its complexity and described the visual aesthetic as "serviceable but not entirely effective".

[14] Brad Cook of Flickering Myth agreed, calling the film a "very faithful adaptation" with a visual style that "hews closely to artist Dave Gibbons' well-regarded depictions of the characters and the alternate 1985 timeline they inhabit".