Review - WATCHMEN: THE COMPLETE MOTION COMIC

Author: Jett
March 8, 2009



TITLE: WATCHMEN: THE COMPLETE MOTION COMIC
RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2009
OFFICIAL SITE: WATCHMENMOVIE.COM
OWN IT: BLU-RAY | DVD | ON DEMAND OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS: Watched any great books lately? Now you can. The most celebrated graphic novel of all time that broke the conventional mold continues to break new ground WATCHMEN illustrator Dave Gibbons oversees this digital version of the graphic novel that adds limited motion, voice and sound to the books strikingly drawn panels. All 12 chapters of the story are here nearly 5 hours spanning everything from the mysterious demise of the Comedian to the crisscrossed destinies of loosely allied superheroes to their fateful impact on the world. Be in the know. Be watching. With WATCHMEN: THE COMPLETE MOTION COMIC.
TRAILER:



What do you get when you cross a comic book with a audio book with a DVD/Blu-ray?

A “Motion Comic!”

I recently received a copies of WATCHMEN: THE COMPLETE MOTION COMIC -- on DVD and Blu-ray -- for reviewing purposes here on BOF. Now I knew of this “Motion Comic” format, because some of the BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE stories were given the treatment not long ago. But honestly, I only saw short previews and didn’t pay it much attention. This time, I had to pay attention because I had to review it. Consequently, I sat through all five hours -- that’s right five -- of WATCHMEN: THE COMPLETE MOTION COMIC.

And I was completely enthralled.

Honest to goodness, I popped in the Blu-ray version around 3 in the afternoon on a Saturday, and watched it chapter for chapter in one sitting.

It’s that good.

Here’s what to and not to expect…

There’s only a narrator (Tom Stechschulte), so don’t anticipate that each character has their own voice actor. And Stechschulte does a really nice job anyway.

This is not an animated film, though it is “animated” at times. That doesn’t mean that someone was created for the DVD, they simply used panels from the graphic novel and made them move at appropriate times.

If you’re worried about parts of WATCHMEN being nixed for time purposes, don’t sweat it. The entire graphic novel is here.

I was tremendously impressed with WATCHMEN: THE COMPLETE MOTION COMIC. I recommend it for not only folks who’ve read the graphic novel (many times) like me, as well as those new to WATCHMEN.

Remember in elementary school when you’d have “reading time?” Your teacher would read a book to the class while showing you the pictures? Well, this is kinda like that except, uh, it’s for adults and R-rated.