Watership Down (BBC/Netflix Miniseries)

I'll probably be having rabbit pie for lunch tomorrow. Mmmmm.

When you mentioned the budget and uncanny valley I had visions of some of those dreadfully cheap knock-off films that you sometimes see ridiculed on YouTube, that seems to be done with the cheapest rendering software available by people who have a vague idea that animals walk on four legs but have never actually bothered to watch one. The stills for this don't look too bad, although it's the animation that really matters.

Apparently Sam Smith is singing the theme, so that’s me out.

Well, I must say I really liked this adaptation.

I still found the animation a bit off but by the end it didn't bother me.

I also noticed some inconsistencies, such as an execution scene where they are trying to build up the tension, but then they keep cutting to stuff happening elsewhere that seem to happen over a longer period. So when they cut back to the execution I wonder when are they going to do the final chop. Also, a prominent character in the execution scene disappears for some reason.

This wasn't going to be as scary as the film, but they don't shy away from the bleakest moments of the story and there are moments of blood here and there.

But out of all the adaptations of Richard Adams' novel I have to say this is the most character-driven version I've seen. The series adds stuff from the novel as well as adding their own to expand on the characters and give them more to do. The film, whilst great, keeps the story going at a 90-minute run, which does affect the depth of the characters.

With Hazel, for example, the series takes its time to show his fears and trials to lead his fellow rabbits, expressed brilliantly by James McAvoy. And despite my reservations on the animation the facial expressions combined meant you follow what the characters are going through.

Overall I was impressed