The groundbreaking DC Comic receives yet another adaptation. Watchmen: Chapter 1 is now available to own on digital.
The Seminal Story Returns in Animated Form
In 1986, Dave Gibbons & Alan Moore created one of the most illustrious and impactful stories of the time – Watchmen. A 12-issue maxiseries that changed the landscape of comic-book storytelling for generations to come. Weaving elements of political discussion & superheroic irony, set in an alternate 1985 with the world on the brink of World War III, with a story unfolding into a larger conspiracy reflecting the Cold War and the uneasiness of nuclear conflict. After a motion comic, live-action film, and sequel television series, the story has been adapted again, in animated form. Watchmen: Chapter 1 is out now digitally, but poses the question – Was it necessary?
Story Retelling
One of the highlights of Watchmen has always been the relevancy of the overall story. Watchmen: Chapter 1 covers roughly the first half of the acclaimed graphic novel faithfully. Adapted to the screen by writing veteran J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Thor) and directed by longtime WB alum, Brandon Vietti (Batman: Under the Red Hood) this animated feature’s strongest element is the narrative. A true page-to-screen translation, in which you could turn the page to the original comic along as the movie runs. While written in 1986, the overall story remains impactful and fascinating despite being adapted twice before in different mediums.
Animation Evaluation
From a visual perspective, the animation choice for this two-part drew similar comparisons to the Marvel Animation outing What If…? and while the similarities resemble one another, I would say in some spots it seems smoother here, but also just as rigid. The CG animation practice has its noticeable faults but still manages to capture an effective display of the emotions displayed by each character. CG also provides a much more sleek and realistic look on background buildings, surroundings as well as vehicles, but the human models still feel stiff in certain sequences. Another high point with the CG animation is the vibrant color style, which helps evoke the graphic novel’s authentic form.
Voice Talent
A weak spot in this version of the Watchmen retelling is the voice talent. While nobody stands out as terrible or miscast, it’s hard to invest in these versions after Zack Snyder assembled an excellent star-studded ensemble. Titus Welliver does a good job as Rorschach/Walter Kovacs but does come off as forced and over the top in certain sequences, especially toward the end of Chapter 1. Michael Ververis even less so, giving a somewhat hollow vocal performance as Dr. Manhattan but providing an uplifting take on John Osterman. Rick D. Wasserman as Edward Blake/The Comedian & Matthew Rhys as Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl II offer serviceable talent but nothing as memorable as Patrick Wilson or Jeffrey Dean Morgan, respectively. Rounding out the cast are Troy Baker as Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias & Katee Sackoff as Laurie Juspeczyk/Silk Spectre II who is probably the most notable.
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for a straight-up page-to-screen adaption, purely for the aesthetic of the comic brought to life in the most faithful form possible, this adaption might be for you. On the occasion you’re in for something slightly more stylized, Snyder’s vision in live-action might be more your speed. As long as you’re a fan of this world and all that encumbers it, this will fit nicely alongside the original graphic novel, and the sequel HBO limited series. Overall, this adaption is genuine and deserves a glance if you’re a fan of Watchmen and that world. Given that this is only Part 1 in a two-part story, the entirety of this epic could feel more satisfying when the inevitable second part releases sometime in 2025.
7.5/10
Watchmen: Chapter 1 is now available for purchase digitally, with a Blu-Ray + Digital & 4K release set for August 27th, 2024.