Plot: What’s it about?
Watchmen is one of the most acclaimed graphic novels of all time, with legions of rabid fans and a massive amount of critical praise. While most have felt Watchmen could never be filmed and numerous people tried, only to fail, the graphic novel was indeed turned into a motion picture. This release however, takes us back to the source material and allows the graphic novel to come to life like never before. The experience is much like reading the graphic novel, we see all the frames and such, with one man narration thrown in. So this is not an animated feature in the traditional sense, more like a visual book on tape, if that makes sense. This kind of concept won’t appeal to everyone, but this is well executed and effective. So if you want to revisit Watchmen in a new way or you’re a first timer, The Complete Motion Comic is great fun.
As I said above, this kind of project isn’t going to entertain all audiences. This twelve episode series runs almost six hours, which means almost six hours of comic panels and one man narration. The material is so good, its hard to knock even this approach, but I can see why some wouldn’t be down. The narration proves to be an issue at times, since one man does all the voices and yes, that includes the females. This isn’t usually a concern, but some variance could have enhanced the experience a lot. The concept of “watching” a comic book might not sound fun, but in this case, it is. Watchmen is such a strong source, even in this format it shines and never fails to entertain. Warner’s Blu-ray release offers enhanced video & audio elements, plus you score a digital copy for your portable device of choice. This is a no brainer for fans of Watchmen, but even those newcomers would be advised to at least give this a rental.
Video: How does it look?
Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. This looks about as good as it can in high definition, which is all we can ask. I wondered how much of an upgrade this would be over the DVD and in truth, this is a sizable step up. The visuals here are limited by the source, but all of the potential detail is drawn out here, so no concerns there. The colors are well replicated and contrast is smooth, not much else we could ask. Given the unusual nature of the visual presentation, this looks quite good.
Audio: How does it sound?
This Dolby TrueHD 5.1 option sounds great, but is by no means a powerhouse. The surrounds get sparse use, but that is fine, as this approach doesn’t require intense audio presence. The music is the most active element and it comes through well, so there is some life in this mix. The narration is clear and clean also, with no errors to report. This is simply a rock solid soundtrack that covers all the needed bases. This release also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 option, as well as English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
release includes a brief Watchmen production diary featurette, as well as a digital copy for use on portable devices.
