Watchmen: Chapter I

Cast View all

	Troy Baker	Adrian Veidt
	Adrienne Barbeau	Sally Jupiter
	Corey Burton	Captain Metropolis
	Michael Cerveris	Jonathan Osterman
	Jeffrey Combs	Edgar Jacobi
	Grey DeLisle	Female Citizen #2
	Kelly Hu	Vietnamese Woman
	John Marshall Jones	Hooded Justice
	Max Koch	Detective Joe Bourquin
	Phil LaMarr	Comic Book Narrator
	Yuri Lowenthal	Wally Weaver
	Geoffrey Pierson	Hollis Mason
	Matthew Rhys	Dan Dreiberg
	Katee Sackhoff	Laurie Juspeczyk
	Dwight Schultz	Detective Steve Fine
	Jason Spisak	Doug Roth
	Kari Wahlgren	Janey Slater
	Rick D. Wasserman	Edward Blake
	Titus Welliver	Rorschach

Crew View all

Director	Brandon Vietti
Writer	J. Michael Straczynski, Dave Gibbons
Producer	Christopher G. Collins, Dave Gibbons, Larry Gordon, James Krieg, Lloyd Levin, Cindy Rago, Sam Register, Brandon Vietti
Musician	Tim Kelly

Trailer

Edition details

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Notes

My quick rating - 7.0/10. I decided to dive back into the gritty, morally complex universe of one of the most iconic graphic novels of all time. As a massive fan of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen, I approached this animated adaptation with high expectations—and for the most part, it delivered, offering a solid start to what promises to be a faithful multipart adaptation. Set in an alternate 1985, the story unfolds as The Comedian (voiced by Rick D. Wasserman), a once-celebrated hero turned government agent, is murdered, sparking an investigation by Rorschach (voiced by Titus Welliver), the last active vigilante. His grim, unyielding pursuit of truth not only resurrects unresolved conflicts among his former colleagues—Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, Dr. Manhattan, and Ozymandias—but also raises the stakes, hinting at a deeper conspiracy. The adaptation succeeds in capturing the shadowy, heavy atmosphere of a world on the edge of nuclear annihilation, where heroes aren’t what they seem, and where no one can be trusted. The animation does justice to the dark, iconic visuals of the original comics. The art style is suitably gritty, and the character designs stay close to the original, making it feel like the pages have come to life. The voice acting deserves praise as well, with each character's voice fitting their distinct personalities—Rorschach’s narration is especially well done, capturing his cynical worldview and giving his internal monologues the weight they need. The pacing works well for a first chapter, covering the essentials without feeling rushed, though the episodic structure might test the patience of fans used to the depth of the graphic novel. As a first installment, it doesn’t dive too deep but lays out an intriguing mystery that leaves you eagerly anticipating the next chapter. The adaptation maintains the essence of Watchmen’s critique of power, identity, and morality, themes that only seem more relevant with each passing year. Overall, this is a promising start, true to the source material while bringing a fresh energy to the narrative. It’s not easy to capture the depth of a work as legendary as Watchmen, but this adaptation clearly respects its origins. It might not yet reach the heights of the graphic novel, but for fans like me, it’s enough to keep us hooked and waiting for what’s next. (Click on Watchmen anywhere on this page to read the original comics online)

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