Watership Down (2018)
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Dec 23, 2018
User Score
4.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 29 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 29
  3. Negative: 12 out of 29

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User Reviews

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  1. KuramaxDakota
    Dec 23, 2018
    8
    Watership Down in overall is a great retelling of this classic.

    Although there are some flaws in the series like some changes between the novel itself, this remake tells so greatly without even being too horrific like the 1978 film. I praised the performances of James McAvoy, John Boyega, and Sir Ben Kingsley as Hazel, Bigwig, and General Woundwort respectively. The animation was    Watership Down in overall is a great retelling of this classic.

    Although there are some flaws in the series like some changes between the novel itself, this remake tells so greatly without even being too horrific like the 1978 film.

    I praised the performances of James McAvoy, John Boyega, and Sir Ben Kingsley as Hazel, Bigwig, and General Woundwort respectively.

    The animation was done nicely, the music is just majestic. The music brings joy, tragedy, and suspense.

    I recommend this.    … Expand
  2. birdman3
    Dec 26, 2018
    8
    Unlike most TV shows, Watership Down could have benefited from at least one or two additional episodes. I just read the book for the first time last year, and I was enthralled by its portrayal of rabbit culture and mythology. Sadly, many of the finer points of both of these aspects have been omitted in the final product, but regardless, this adaptation represents just about everything IUnlike most TV shows, Watership Down could have benefited from at least one or two additional episodes. I just read the book for the first time last year, and I was enthralled by its portrayal of rabbit culture and mythology. Sadly, many of the finer points of both of these aspects have been omitted in the final product, but regardless, this adaptation represents just about everything I could have hoped for. The story is true to the book, and hits all of the high notes that I'd hoped would be addressed The voice actors are great, although the animation makes it difficult to distinguish between rabbits. I recommend watching with subtitles, as these often help you know who's speaking.

    Another note about the animation - it looks fantastic, as long as the rabbits aren't moving. For still shots (or even just conversations) everything looks finely detailed. As soon as the rabbits start moving, their movements seem stunted and slow, and you realize that the character models don't interact with their environment. It gives the entire production the appearance of a children's cartoon - low budget and half-hearted. It also makes the fight sequences less thrilling, but still overall satisfying.

    I'm still overall pleased with the resulting product, although I wish there had been a finer level of polish across the animation and a deeper level of detail in addressing the rabbit world of Watership Down.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Collider
    Reviewed by: Dave Trumbore
    Dec 21, 2018
    60
    Luckily, the story is so good that it shines above the shoddy animation, but the 1978 adaptation is still a better bet and the original story itself is still the best. Give this one a watch only if you can stomach the visuals and the visceral material.
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  2. IndieWire
    Reviewed by: Ben Travers
    Dec 20, 2018
    83
    Despite cheap computer-animation, director Noam Murro (“300: Rise of an Empire”) and writer Tom Bidwell (“My Mad Fat Diary”) evoke a strong sense of empathy for the animals while crafting a stirring limited series built on big, frightening themes of life and death along with more humble thoughts on love, friendship, and socialism.
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  3. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: John Anderson
    Dec 20, 2018
    100
    It is rigorously intelligent, absolutely thrilling, and--unless the kids are about 17--definitely not for children. ... One of its virtues is its fidelity to the source material—dark, filled with dread, marked by stinging indictments of fascism, fundamentalism and cruelty. Being so true to itself, it’s utterly absorbing--once you get past the fact that the principal characters are rabbits. ... All the performances are convincing.
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