I'm fond of the '78 cartoon feature of Richard Adams' hailed novel, "Watership Down", so much so that a remake, even if in a promising, four-part miniseries format, seemed a shaky prospect. Nevertheless, I've indulged in the Netflix (linked-to-the BBC) experimental, CGI excursion, and for the most part, I've come away pleased.
For one thing, the new version (as with the '78 adaptation) employs an exemplary cast, with James McAvoy as Chief Hazel (the tale's Bilbo/Frodo equivalent); Nicholas Hoult as his brother, Fiver (a Sam Gamgee of sorts); Gemma Arterton as Clover; John Boyega as Bigwig; Daniel Kaluuya as Bluebell; Anne-Marie Duff as Hyzenthlay; Craig Parkinson as Sainfoin; Freddie Fox as Captain Holly; Jason Watkins as Captain Orchis; Ben Kingsley as General Woundwort; James Faulkner as the godly Frith; Taron Egerton as the legendary El-ahrairah; and Peter Capaldi as the feathered Kehaar (plus many more): a veritable who's who of contemporary, imagi/adventure-film veterans.
Though I had no doubt that each voice would match its assigned character (and yes, the alignment works in spades), the big test was whether the Noam "300: Rise of an Empire" Murro-directed/Tom "EastEnders" Bidwell-scripted structure would supply the earnest glue to keep its parts cohesive.
I'm relieved to report that the structure weaves well, capturing the essential, Orwellian/Tolkien-ish, warring splendor that's inherent in Adam's rich and rambunctious journey of life, death and tremulous travel, with all the good, bad and ugly contained.
To enhance the journey, the computerized animation is lush, realistic ... superior to its big-screen competition (and produced for about twenty-million bucks, though I'm presuming the cast's collective cost figures in). Still, for sentimental reasons, I prefer the lower-budgeted, '78 style, but then as most of my readers realize, I'm old school. (For the record, I've not seen the '99 - '01 animated series, so I can't judge its look or implementation for comparison sake.)
On a more obvious down side, there are times when this miniseries, as with other Netflix productions, carries on longer than it should. No big deal, I suppose. I like Adams' characters, so it's nice to spend extra time with them, but I believe it would have been better if the novel (the odyssey from a doomed warren to an anticipated, safe abode) stuck to a ninety-minute or two-hour scope.
On the plus side, Fiver's (let's-run-before-the-machine-invading-developers-kill-us) premonitions ooze the right, foreboding edge and a sense of constant, woeful threat flows throughout, due in large part to Federico Justid's Goldsmith-esque score. On the other hand, this version also numbs much of its "real-world" violence.
Now, I must confess, I never found the book or initial movie by any means carnage-ridden. (It's just that one doesn't expect bloodshed among the cute and cuddly.) Still, violence is an indubitable part of Adams' engraved mythology. Considering the Netflix connection, why the restraint? After all, the subscription source serves upfront brutality per its Marvel programs, not to mention unapologetic accessibility to shows like "Breaking Bad" and "Dexter". (Now that I think of it, the deprecatory BBC might be to blame for the mollification...only figures.)
Regardless of its sporadic shortcomings and/or miscalculations, "Watership Down '18" should (at the very least) grant greater exposure to Adams' book, which is superior to most examples of kiddie lit, perhaps because it was never designed as kiddie lit. Adams' vision took the fringes of young fluff and spread it into a fresh, exotic and identifiable world, which folks of all ages could learn from and enjoy. (The novel, if the truth be told, is an allegory for overcoming the often intense struggles that stretch from childhood to adulthood: something parents should promote, not shun from their young.)
Let's hope that, even though softened and superfluous on occasion, this revisionist edition still delivers a prosperous, pop-cultural impact and perhaps leads to adaptations of Adams' short-story offshoots. My hunch--it will, and all for the better. Even a watered-down version of "Watership Down" has got to be better than the general, "family" fodder folks are inspired (or should I say, forced?) to exalt these days.
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