🙂 Watchmen (2019) Blu-ray Review
Rewriting history, one squid at a time!
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🗓️ Release Year: 2019
📀 Format: Blu-ray (3-Disc Set)
🏷️ Label: DC Comics, HBO, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
📦 Region: A / 3 (BD)
🎨 Video: 1.78:1, 1080p Blu-ray
🔊 Audio: English DTS HD-MA 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, German Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0
💬 Subtitles: English SDH, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Korean, Mandarin, Norwegian, Swedish
📚 Extras: See special features section below
💣 The Series 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Having not watched the show since it first aired, I wasn’t prepared for how much of its imagery would feel like déjà vu. Police in masks. Riots in Tulsa. Conspiracies wrapped in nostalgia. Some of the iconography mirrors real-world events unfolding right now -- and that makes Watchmen hit even harder today than it did back in 2019.
Damon Lindelof didn’t remake Watchmen, he rewired it. This 9-episode limited series isn’t a direct sequel to Zack Snyder’s film. It's a continuation to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ graphic novel -- one that honors the text without being shackled to it.
The result? A genre-bending, mind-bending collision of race, memory, identity, and masked justice.
Regina King owns the screen as Angela Abar, a woman with two masks: one for the job, one for home. Her arc is the emotional and narrative anchor -- every revelation peels back another layer of the trauma buried in this alt-history version of America. Jeremy Irons turns in an unhinged performance as a marooned Ozymandias, while Jean Smart’s dry, weary Laurie Blake delivers venom with every line. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II? Let's just say he’s got range.
This series works both as a sequel and a side-quel to the original comic, diving into the mythos of Hooded Justice and the legacy of generational violence with a clarity that feels almost prophetic. The world seems ready for squid rain now.
🎥 Picture Quality 🌟🌟🌟🌟½
Note: Stills shown are promotional and not taken directly from the Blu-ray.
The 1080p transfer delivers a crisp, cinematic experience. Framed at 1.78:1, this is one of the better-looking HBO-to-disc presentations in recent memory. Contrast is excellent -- whether we’re in the rich yellows of Oklahoma sunlight or the icy whites of Europa’s artificial paradise, every frame has texture and purpose.
While it’s not 4K (and yes, Dolby Vision would’ve given those deep blacks and neon glows more bite), there’s still a lot to love here. Detail in fabric, prosthetics, and visual effects holds strong across all nine episodes. No major banding, macroblocking, or compression issues.
🔊 Audio Quality 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix is thunderous and hypnotic. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score doesn’t just accompany scenes -- it slices through them. Whether it’s synth swells or ambient dread, the music wraps around you like static electricity.
Surrounds get a full workout -- street riots, surreal dreamscapes, squid rain -- all of it is immersive and richly layered. Dialogue is sharp and centered, never drowned out by the chaos. This mix pulls no punches and doesn’t waste an inch of its soundstage.
🎁 Special Features 🌟🌟🌟🌟½
Spread across three discs, the bonus features may be bite-sized, but they’re rich in texture — much like the show itself. You get character deep-dives, production insights, and a handful of behind-the-scenes vignettes that lean more thoughtful than fluffy. Some segments may run short, but they pack surprising commentary —especially on the show’s eerily prescient themes.
Character Trailers
It’s Raining Squids
Watchmen: Masked and Dangerous
2019 New York Comic Con Panel
Becoming Sister Night
Watchmen: Alternate History
Watchmen: Unmasked
Andrij Parekh on Directing
Squid Shelter with Tim Blake Nelson
Anatomy of a Fight Scene
Immortal Vigilante: Hooded Justice
Adrian Veidt: The Colossal King
Glimpses: The Visual Effects of Watchmen
Notes from Dave Gibbons
Rorschach Featurette
Sadiqua Bynum Profile
📦 Packaging
The standard Blu-ray case houses three discs with individual trays -- sturdy, clean, and collector-friendly. The front cover art leans minimalist, spotlighting Regina King’s Sister Night in stark black and gold. You also get a small episode guide insert. Note: This edition does not include a digital copy, despite older listings stating otherwise.
🐙 Final Thoughts 🌟🌟🌟🌟½
For fans of radical reimaginings, genre television with teeth, and stories that echo louder with time, Watchmen is a must-own. The Blu-ray may not be 4K, but it nails the essentials: sharp image, killer sound, and a limited series that hasn’t lost a step — or its sting.
If the original Watchmen asked "who watches the Watchmen?" — this version answers with a side-eye and a riot baton.
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Did Watchmen rewrite the rules for comic book TV — or just peel back the mask? Hit reply and let’s dive in.
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