Watchmen: Chapter I

I love how we finally get to see Watchmen in its truest animated form. Snyder's adaptation was great, but this is as close as it gets to the comics coming to life.

The characters, the slow, lingering shots, the sound design, and the intricate details of the scenes are everything I hoped for. As a huge fan of the Watchmen comics, this feels like a real treat. I didn't expect it to be this good-I thought it would be on par with other solid DC animations, but this film has its own distinct flavor.

Rorschach's voice, inspired by Snyder's film, was possibly even more satisfying than Jackie Earle Haley's portrayal. I truly believe this will be a one-of-a-kind film and an honest depiction of the comics.

Huge thanks to the artists-it was a real treat. I can't wait for Chapter 2!

I know we're only one episode in and I know it's based on the comics but it's word for word, scene for scene an animated version of the Snyder film. They're obviously some artistic additions and perhaps more comic accurate scenes but I'm just curious as to why they blatantly copied Zack Snyder's version. Maybe it's a way to expand on what he had in mind? We all know what the executives at Warner bros are and aren't capable of. I like the animation and the voice actors, over all I don't have any complaints, I'm just sincerely confused as to why it's so similar to the live action theatrical version.

So, Watchmen is one of the most famous, one of the best and one of the highest valued graphic novels in the world.

So, why would we get another adaptation of it with a relatively cheap animation? It basically gets no advertising push and with little information about it (it doesn't even have a wikipedia page at time of writing this!).

Just seems like they are devaluing the IP by releasing it this way!

But that's the why, now we move on to the what - the actual product!

And dammit, I thought it was pretty darn good. Clearly a straight adaptation, but they did it well. It engaged me, I thought the animation style captured the feel of the book well, and the voice acting was pretty good.

So why I don't think this should exist, given it does - I have to admit it could have been way worse.

I'm starting to believe that DC/Warner is actively mocking the intelligence of us geeks and nerds. There's simply no logical explanation for the stark contrast between the consistently impressive output of their animation division and the abysmal quality of their live-action films and television series over the past two decades. It's as if they're either testing our patience to see when we'll finally snap, or they're conducting a grand experiment to determine just how much mediocrity we'll tolerate without complaint. Perhaps the animators at this behemoth of a company have demanded autonomy, and the executives who have repeatedly stabbed the live-action division in the back (and then twisted the knife) simply don't meddle in their affairs. Whatever the reason, I yearn for the truth behind this perplexing dichotomy.

"Watchmen: Chapter I" is a production that will undoubtedly satisfy a Watchmen reader, or even a casual fan of the film adaptation, or simply an animation enthusiast. After experiencing Chapter 1, my sole desire is for the subsequent installments to arrive in rapid succession.

Every frame of this animation has been meticulously crafted, paying homage to the source material with reverence and respect. Ah yes, the pot-bellied CEOs of DC and WB, take note: producing quality work and pleasing hardcore fans is that simple. The real challenge lies in taking beloved, culturally significant characters and stories and turning them into cinematic and televisual abominations.

The animation style is a visual feast, capturing the gritty realism and dark undertones of the Watchmen universe. The voice acting is superb, with each actor breathing life into their iconic characters. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the complex narrative to unfold at a satisfying pace. The action sequences are thrilling, the emotional beats are poignant, and the overall experience is one of pure, unadulterated satisfaction.

"Watchmen: Chapter I" is a testament to the potential of animation to tell mature and thought-provoking stories. It's a reminder that even the most beloved and well-known properties can be reimagined in fresh and exciting ways. It's a beacon of hope in a sea of mediocrity, a shining example of what can be achieved when talented creators are given the freedom to express their vision.

This is an excellent adaptation of the original comics & quite different from the various cuts of the film.

The reviews saying this is boring must be by very boring & bored viewers, because the basic story is intact & as exciting and enthralling as ever.

Various changes have been made , otherwise the length of this film would be several hours long as the older 'animated comic' version proved.

I've seen all the various versions so far & this is a more faithful variation on the original comics (which I read as they were being released & before collected into graphic novel format) .

I love ALL the versions, except the 'theatrical cut' of Snyder's film- I love the Directors cut even tho some serious liberties were made with the story later in the film.

I really enjoyed the several hour animated comic version , tho even that missed several moments from the comics, it was 97% there.

This version begins with a superb recreation of the actual comics pages (altered in Snyder's film versions) , tho starts changing the original flow of the comics by issue 2 (the funeral) , however it does it in an imaginative & creative way that doesn't spoil the overall story. Some of the intercutting works brilliantly & some not so, but it still works & manages to move the story on in a concise manner without disrespecting the source material.

The artwork/animation is fabulous, combining the superb original style with a more sleek & sometimes airbrushed glow, very like Dave Gibbons promotional art for the Graphic Novel Collection. I'm surprised others have criticised it, it really is well designed, devised & implemented. For several scenes I totally forgot I was viewing an animation & thought I was watching a well made CgI moment.

So why not 10/10 then you may wonder?

Well, the soundtrack, which is also excellent can be a bit too high in the mix & obscure some great lines of dialogue... and that is about it with my quibbles !

AND ONE BIG ISSUE- at the end of the credits after the film- a PREVIEW of Part2 is shown that in should really be avoided & never included, as it spoils some key moments later in the story.

Some may whinge that Laurie looks slightly different to the comic, but that is a minor issue. Others may complain that Ozymandias role is more explicit, but I imagine everyone watching this version is already familiar with the source material or Synders film.

Some may wonder what is the BEST version of Watchmen & that depends on the viewer..... but for me the COMICS were the best version (obviously!) .

The animated comic is the closest 'filmatic' version, while the Synder DIRECTORS CUT (with the Black Freighter parts included) is very well done but not as faithful to the source material as this version,.... ALL of them are are superb 'thoughtful entertainment ' that puts most modern writing to shame.

All the various versions are so different that they are all worth seeing if you love the original comics.

Note - I did not mention the HBO sequel series because I thought it was painfully bad & an insult to the original series (the comics).