I didn't particularly enjoy the theatrical release of Watchmen, but I also didn't hate it.
For those that haven't read the "Watchmen" graphic novel, "The Tales of the Black Freighter" is a violent pirate comic read by one of the characters within the story and it coincidentally mirrors the story being told in its own alternate universe.
"Tales of the Black Freighter" provides a layering effect that strengthens the central plot line and adds additional depth. It is one of the reasons a filmed adaptation was thought to be impossible for so long and one of the reasons the simplified story shown in theaters didn't particularly move me.
Gerard Butler from Zack Snyder's '300' provides the voice of the protagonist in this interesting 26-minute short that will certainly appeal to the fans of the graphic novel more than unfamiliar audience members who are likely to watch it and wonder how it could possibly fit in with what they saw in theaters.
Also included on this disc is "Under the Hood," another short pieced together from the pages of the "Watchmen" graphic novel inspired by the faux superhero autobiography of the first Nite Owl. This is a feature more likely to resonate with folks that saw the theatrical release of Watchmen, as it ties in well to the film and simply provides a little bit of background story.
Supplements include a documentary on the making of both "Tales of the Black Freighter" and "Under the Hood" as well as detail their involvement in the Watchmen universe. The doc is titled "Story Within a Story: The Books of Watchmen", and it is the best thing on this disc.
Watching "Tales of the Black Freighter" come to life was more fun than the whole of watching Watchmen, but it all still feels incomplete and it will remain incomplete until Warner releases the director's cut. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that the ultimate version of Watchmen somehow manages to appeal to all sides.
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