"Watchmen, Chapter I" Animated Release Talkback (Spoilers)

[Yojimbo]

"No. Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise."

Watchmen Chapter I
Studio: Warner Bros. Animation
Release Date: August 13, 2024 (Digital), August 27, 2024 (4K, Blu-ray); TBA Max Streaming Service
Run Time: 1 hour, 23 minutes
Rated: R

Synopsis: In an alternate world history shaped by superheroes, once-celebrated "costumed adventurers" have been banned by a society disenchanted with vigilantism. Now, in 1985, the murder of hero-turned-government operative The Comedian draws the attention of Rorschach, the last of the outlawed vigilantes. Rorschach's investigation embroils his retired colleagues Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan and Ozymandias in conflict with their pasts, with each other, and in a mystery that threatens their lives and a world on the brink of war.

Watchmen Chapter I Bonus Content
4K, Blu-ray, and Digital
-"The Art of Adaptation: Introducing the Story" - This behind-the-scenes exploration dives deep into the creative process of adapting the original graphic novel to the first of two Watchmen features. From establishing the world and characters to the art of replicating the style of the comic for animation. Run Time: 9 minutes, 50 seconds
-"Dave Gibbons and Watchmen: Chapters I-VI" - logline. Run Time: 9 minutes, 02 seconds

Discuss the Watchmen Chapter I animated release here!

Please note this talkback is for both the Watchmen Chapter I animated feature and all aspects of the assorted home media releases. Spoilers are allowed, so those who have yet to see the movie may want to avoid this thread until they have.

Related Threads:
-Watchmen News and Discussion (Spoilers)
-Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter (2009) Talkback (Spoilers); Special Features Talkback
-Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic Talkback
-Dream casting Watchmen
-Anyone read Watchmen?
-Watchmen (2009) Live-Action Film Talkback
-Watchmen (2019) Live-Action Series Talkback
-Watchmen Classic Comic Talkback
-Before Watchmen (2012) Comic Talkback
-Doomsday Clock (2017) Comic Talkback
-Rorschach (2020 Maxi-Series) Comic Talkback

Note: Remember, we appreciate and encourage discussion, but please keep your posts civil, relevant and insightful. Please do not post any improper or inflammatory material, as we will issue warnings if we believe it necessary. And remember to keep the discussion ON-TOPIC!

 

[Yojimbo]

"Watchmen Chapter I," the first of two movies, is undoubtedly the most faithful and 1:1 adaptation from its source material in Warner Bros. Animations animated DC direct-to-video movies since "Batman: Year One" back in October 2011 while subsequent adaptations tended to deviate to work on-screen, provide a unique twist, or work within an ongoing animated continuity. While it is true some material is omitted like Fine and Bourquin's scenes at the police station or the meeting of the Crimebusters comes long before Manhattan's origin story. It's still pretty close to the comic. On one hand, you could argue a 1:1 adaptation is pointless when you can just read the comic. On the other, it's refreshing to have a clean, unaltered adaptation for once. Then there's the notion, why adapt this now. In 1986, a story about broken super-heroes trying to solve a murder amid an extended Cold War was groundbreaking but in 2024, it's commonplace.

What "Watchmen Chapter I" uniquely boasts is the use of contemporary 3D animation techniques that feel like Dave Gibbons' art is walking out of the panels that 2D animation could never match. The textures, tones, colors, and interplay of light and shadow are a feast for the eyes. While I am a staunch supporter of traditional 2D animation and I tend to sneer at 3D, more and more I find myself surprised and impressed with the strides the latter makes as the years pass. Watching the shadows on the back of Rorschach's pants and he walks down a sidewalk. The patterns on Rorscach's face. The lights of the city. It is alluring and just draws you in. But somethings stick out like a sore thumb like a 3D character holding a 3D mug of beer.

Another strong point (and difference) with this adaptation is that it is a two part movie about 80 to 83 minutes each, rather than one crammed movie, and The Tales of the Black Freighter is kept in. Kept in! However, Chapter I is doing the heavy lifting in setting up the world and introducing the characters some with flashbacks so there is a didactic nature to it and runs at a slog upon replay. The flashbacks and shifting back and forth between the movie and Black Freighter may frustrate some viewers but taking into account what chapters remain, Chapter II undoubtedly will have wall-to-tall action and faster pacing. It was no surprise the stand-outs in the cast were Matthew Rhys (Dan Dreiberg, Nite Owl), Katee Sackhoff (Laurie Juspeczyk, Silk Spectre) and Titus Welliver (Rorschach, Walter Kovacs). Welliver goes all-out, giving Jackie Earle Haley a run for his money. I, myself, had to keep checking if that really was Titus Welliver. He becomes the role, the gruff and grizzled violent vigilante that grabs and infatuates you with his twisted methods, yet good intentions.

The movie is a very faithful adaptation so there are few surprises other than a handful of omissions and rearrangements if you've read the story already but the real draw is watching the translation of Gibbons' artwork from panel to screen in 3D and an amazing cast and score. The question remains if eye candy is enough to differentiate Chapter I from the 2008 motion comic, 2009 live action movie or 2019 HBO series that have come before it or that its existence is justified in 2024 when a tale of super-heroes and real-world politics is ubiquitous rather than a rarely trodden path. The special features are more in-depth compared to other recent animated DC movies but the absence of a commentary track to expand on these pieces is hard to overlook.

 

[Otaku-sempai]

Maybe we'll get a commentary track on the eventual, inevitable combined Collector's Edition.

 

[Yojimbo]

Maybe we'll get a commentary track on the eventual, inevitable combined Collector's Edition.

Perhaps but I'd be fine with a live commentary like others have done on the past like Jeremy Adams did with Super Sons.

 

[Dallas Kinard]

Maybe we'll get a commentary track on the eventual, inevitable combined Collector's Edition.

I am holding out for this. I want the full epic thing to feast on.

 

[Yojimbo]

8/22: Hall of Justice episode 394 has Brandon Vietti talking chapter I (including how they did Rorschach's ink blot shifts and the Black Freighter comic)

Another informative interview about the making of chapter I with Vietti and Jonathan Hoekstra.


9/11: Francesco Francavilla posted the This Island, Earth movie poster from concept to final art.

 

[wonderfly]

The News Team's Christopher Glennon has a new review up on the front page of AnimeSuperhero.com:

"Review: “Watchmen, Chapter I”: It’s Worth A Watch"​

"I can’t overstate the impact of Watchmen, the 12 issue comic book series from 1986 written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons. It’s not just a beloved deconstruction of superhero comic books, it’s also highly respected. Comic book fans, literary critics, and educators all admire the depth and maturity of Watchmen that became a huge influence on so many other works in the decades since. It’s no wonder why this single story (which would remain one story in one format if Moore had his say) has been revisited time and again. From the 2008 motion comic to the 2009 live action movie to the 2019 sequel TV series to characters showing up in DC Comics, Watchmen keeps coming back. With Watchmen Chapter I (and it’s upcoming second part), DC has finally decided to go back to basics and do as faithful an adaptation of the original story as possible. But if it’s so faithful to the story, does it add enough to be worth watching?

At a very basic level, Watchmen examines how the presence of costumed adventurers (and one super powered one) changed the course of history throughout the 20th century and what happens after superheroes fall out of fashion and are outlawed. It tells a dense story about broken people consumed by fear and regret who have to deal with the death of one of their own. Recurring images, overlapping lines of dialogue, supplemental material, and a pirate comic book all come together to weave a gripping story. And right off the bat, Watchmen Chapter I recognizes all these elements and respects them."

Read the full review here.