Alan Moore's graphic novel gets another shot at life with Watchmen: Chapter 1, a faithful, yet flawed, adaptation. The 3D cel-shaded animation offers a unique approach to the material, yet feels cheap in parts. The cast are well-chosen for their roles, particularly Titus Welliver as Rorschach, and the adherence to the source material's story is welcome, but ultimately feels too familiar and lacking surprise.

The world of Alan Moore's iconic graphic novel is coming back to the screen with Watchmen: Chapter 1, the third major adaptation of the source material. Zack Snyder first adapted the superhero satire with the 2009 movie of the same name, which saw a generally polarized response from critics but, much like other Snyder movies, has amassed a cult following since. Lost alum Damon Lindelof came back a decade later with the HBO Watchmen miniseries, which served as a sequel to the graphic novel and explored the same universe 34 years later,...