Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood (2009)

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Named after the comic book that appeared in the original Watchmen graphic novel as a story-within-a-story, this animated companion piece to director Zack Snyder's feature film version of Watchmen finds an inner-city youth reading a story entitled "Marooned" from the eponymous comic book. In… More Named after the comic book that appeared in the original Watchmen graphic novel as a story-within-a-story, this animated companion piece to director Zack Snyder's feature film version of Watchmen finds an inner-city youth reading a story entitled "Marooned" from the eponymous comic book. In "Marooned," a young mariner cast adrift at sea attempts to return to his hometown in order to warn the locals of the approaching Black Freighter. In order to accomplish this formidable task, the desperate seaman must shed his inhibitions, using the bodies of his dead shipmates as a raft, and killing anyone unfortunate enough to get in his way. Arriving back in town under the assumption that the crew of the Black Freighter has already taken over, the mariner mistakenly attacks his own wife in the darkness of the couple's home. Realizing his tragic mistake, he ventures back to the shore to see the Black Freighter approaching, and swims out toward the ship to confront the crew. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 2 hr. 4 min.
Directed By: Zack Snyder, Mike Smith
Genres: Action & Adventure, Horror, Animation

In Theaters: Mar 24, 2009 Wide
On DVD: Mar 24, 2009
Studio: Warner Home Video

Critic Reviews

MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[A]ppropriately bleak and rife with animated horrors even more powerful than they were in the still illustrations of the graphic novel...
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media
Sometimes-gruesome Watchmen extras best for fans.
Mike McGranaghan, Aisle Seat
I really loved the Watchmen film, and this DVD (as well as the Complete Motion Comic DVD) make for a really wonderful way to experience this extraordinary world.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...to satisfy purists and completists, WB put them both on a single Blu-ray disc in high definition. (Blu-ray Edition)
Bill Gibron, PopMatters
Like Alice tumbling head over heels deeper and deeper into her own special rabbit hole, Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood are destined to overfeed a fanbase already rabid for anything Watchmen related.
Todd Gilchrist, Sci Fi Wire
A collection of content that would better serve the film's future DVD and Blu-ray iterations than exist as a standalone release.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
It provides another angle on the Watchmen universe we might not otherwise get.
James O'Ehley, Sci-Fi Movie Page
Buying this disc is a bit like buying a disc consisting of special features only! It all feels very slight . . .

Read all 8 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Conner R

I'm really glad that Tales from the Black Freighter was put into a medium that made me enjoy it. While it was my least favorite part of the comic, this is really a great cautionary tale/horror story. The animation is beautiful looking and matches the style perfectly. Gerard… More
I'm really glad that Tales from the Black Freighter was put into a medium that made me enjoy it. While it was my least favorite part of the comic, this is really a great cautionary tale/horror story. The animation is beautiful looking and matches the style perfectly. Gerard Butler's outrageous Scottish accent is perfect for something like an animated movie about a deranged Scottish sailor; who'd of thought? I also thought the retro "Under the Hood" tv special was really well done, especially for a glorified special feature. It really helps you get that sense of a believable world.
Morgan G

It wasn't bad. I enjoyed each of the separate parts but it just left me feeling somewhat...unsatisfied. The film and original graphic novel were of such high-quality, this often felt weaker by comparison. However, it is essential if you want to fully get the experience - the… More
It wasn't bad. I enjoyed each of the separate parts but it just left me feeling somewhat...unsatisfied. The film and original graphic novel were of such high-quality, this often felt weaker by comparison. However, it is essential if you want to fully get the experience - the Tales of the Black Freighter were well done, and the Under the Hood was very funny at times.
Jens S

It's hard to rate this animated horror story on its own, since it has to be seen as part of the whole Watchmen film, where a kid is reading it as a comic and where it adds a certain depth, as pointless as it seems as first. The animation may look dated and basic at times, but the… More
It's hard to rate this animated horror story on its own, since it has to be seen as part of the whole Watchmen film, where a kid is reading it as a comic and where it adds a certain depth, as pointless as it seems as first. The animation may look dated and basic at times, but the story and monologues (spoken by Gerard Butler) are wonderfully creepy and the solution to the story accordingly unsettling.
Ken S

Well done, but not amazing.
Lorenzo v

A mariner survives an attack from the dreaded pirates of the Black Freighter, but his struggle to return home to warn it has a horrific cost. <center>REVIEW</center> This… More
A mariner survives an attack from the dreaded pirates of the Black Freighter, but his struggle to return home to warn it has a horrific cost. <center>REVIEW</center> This was a very cool, well done little piece of psychological horror. In the vein of Hitchcock or The Twilight Zone with copious amounts of blood and gore, and with pirates. There is a very nice sense of tension throughout the story and there are more than a few shocking moments. Even though animated, I still found myself unintentionally cringing at some points. The animation is done well, I'm glad its not done in anime style. It reminded me a little of Ralph Bakshi which was nice and the twist or climax at the end left me satisfied. I will definitely be recommending this to everyone I know. Especially the ones who enjoyed Watchmen.
Aaron N

The Mariner: Exhausted, I slept atop the grave, dreams ringing with the horribly familiar screams of children. I saw the black freighter bearing down on all I loved... A neat little bonus for fans of the book Watchmen. The main story presented here is a story from Tales of the Black… More
The Mariner: Exhausted, I slept atop the grave, dreams ringing with the horribly familiar screams of children. I saw the black freighter bearing down on all I loved... A neat little bonus for fans of the book Watchmen. The main story presented here is a story from Tales of the Black Freighter. In the book - Watchmen, a subplot involves a frequent look at a newsstand, where a young man reads from a comic book. Now in the world of Watchmen, where superheroes exist, superhero comic books wouldn't be of much interest, so Pirate comics are very popular, and this is one example. Some of the plot, themes, and some character references are reflected in this story within a story. The Mariner: A Buccaneer's whore deserved no pity. This tale's story involves a marooned sailor who fears that a dreaded pirate ship is headed for his hometown, threatening the lives of many, including his wife and daughters. The sailor, voiced by Gerard Butler, goes through drastic measures in order to make a raft capable of taking him back home. The thoughts of what he is trying to do combined with the distress of dealing his means of travel take an unexpected toll on him however. Its a neat little animated bonus, which will apparently be incorporated back into the deluxe edition of the Watchmen DVD director's cut. Another feature on this disc is a forty minute faux interview with the generation of superheroes that existed before Watchmen. Its another neat extra that opens up a little more of what is in the book but couldn't quite be squeezed into the film. It opens up the universe a bit more to a movie viewing audience. The Mariner: Gradually, I understood what innocent intent had brought me to, and, understanding, waded out beyond my depth. The unspeakable truth loomed unavoidably before me...
Michael G

Essential viewing for Watchmen fans, Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood are essential viewing even they're not necessary to the story. Black Freighter is just gruesome and so well-executed to the point where it makes those handful of panels from the comic pretty much… More
Essential viewing for Watchmen fans, Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood are essential viewing even they're not necessary to the story. Black Freighter is just gruesome and so well-executed to the point where it makes those handful of panels from the comic pretty much forgettable. Also it makes a great standalone story in a Twilight Zone kind of way. Under the Hood is a great "dated" mockumentary that reeks of self-important interviews. It's so brilliantly done that you get embarrassed in that nostalgic kind of way watching it. A nice companion or side piece but that's about it.
Luke B

Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood are two very different companion pieces to the incredible film Watchmen. Tales of the Black Freighter is a brilliantly animated story. It's about a pirate whom does terrible acts in order to defend those he loves from a threat, he… More
Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood are two very different companion pieces to the incredible film Watchmen. Tales of the Black Freighter is a brilliantly animated story. It's about a pirate whom does terrible acts in order to defend those he loves from a threat, he believes, is coming to harm them. Though it has nothing to do with the story of Watchmen, it's themes share a kinship and it works as a parallel to a certain characters ideals and plot. Butler gives some great vocal work. Under the Hood is a mockumentary detailing the past of Hollis Mason and crime fighters in general. It gives you further back-story to the earlier heroes not touched upon in the film. Gugino, McHattie and some other supporting players so their faces and make this a believable extension of the universe. These are not stand alone films. They should be watched just before or after the film itself. I can't wait to enjoy all of Watchmen on DVD together.
Andrew F

Since this disc actually contains two films, I will review them separately. Tales of the Black Freighter - I enjoyed this animated tale direct from the Watchmen comic, but the animation felt really sloppy and it was obviously rushed into… More
Since this disc actually contains two films, I will review them separately. Tales of the Black Freighter - I enjoyed this animated tale direct from the Watchmen comic, but the animation felt really sloppy and it was obviously rushed into production. But I still enjoyed revisiting the tale. Under the Hood - This film is definitely for fans only. It will be really boring to those not familiar with the comic. And I kind of wish they would have focused more on the secondary vigilantes (Hooded Justice, Captain Metropolis, Dollar Bill, Silhouette, etc.). But nonetheless, I still enjoyed seeing this brought to life. All in all, this two-part disc is entertaining, but is strictly for fans only.
Chad R

Gerard Butler does a great job with the voice acting but this short cartoon story is weird, weird, weird! Its like a film adaptation of the old horror comics I used to read when I was 10. Kind of like the old Heavy Metal cartoon animation. It's nothing special and you… More
Gerard Butler does a great job with the voice acting but this short cartoon story is weird, weird, weird! Its like a film adaptation of the old horror comics I used to read when I was 10. Kind of like the old Heavy Metal cartoon animation. It's nothing special and you don't need to see it unless you are a HUGE nerd....er Watchman fan. What does that say about me? hell, I just like cartoons, and I am big for a kid my age.
Jim W

Black Freighter isn't worth buying or even renting. It's just a short that was originally part of the Watchmen movie script. It wouldn't have fit in with the movie, despite being as dark and violent. It's about a castaway (voiced by Gerald Butler) trying to… More
Black Freighter isn't worth buying or even renting. It's just a short that was originally part of the Watchmen movie script. It wouldn't have fit in with the movie, despite being as dark and violent. It's about a castaway (voiced by Gerald Butler) trying to get to land to save his family from a deadly ship called the Black Freighter.
Marion R

It doesn't really translate well, the thought behind the story is more entertaining than the actual film. I really did like Gerard Butler, but overall it was sub par.
shane h

This seems to be a mixture of Heavy Metal and Pirates of the Caribbean. The animated short follows a captain of a ship that is destroyed by a menacing pirate ship called the Dark Freighter, a sinister ship with black sails, (sound familiar). The captain is marooned on an island and… More
This seems to be a mixture of Heavy Metal and Pirates of the Caribbean. The animated short follows a captain of a ship that is destroyed by a menacing pirate ship called the Dark Freighter, a sinister ship with black sails, (sound familiar). The captain is marooned on an island and over the next couple days pieces of his crew wash up on the beach. The captain slowly goes mad and is willing to get home to his family at any cost before the freighter arrives to destroy everything he knows. His trek back to his home is no easy one and he finds himself talking to the dead body of his first mate and good friend. The movie is kinda boring but I managed to watch the whole thing, probably because it wasn't very long. I was let down by Watchmen the movie too so this was no surprise.
Jason R

Was very dissapointed, I thought that it was going to be a nice little companion piece to the film, but felt liked a rushed project that didn't quite fit in the film so they threw onto a DVD.
James B

Tales of the Black Freighter story arc looks awesome in animated form! I also enjoyed the way they turned the Under the Hood snippets into a fake-TV retrospective interview with Hollis Mason. Very cool idea and is a great compliment to the feature film.
Remi L

So much scenery and narration from this film was so reminiscent of 300. I felt like I was watching an animated slightly-altered version of it. Of course, getting Gerard Butler to voice one of the characters certainly must have helped. Black Freighter is a dark, but interesting and… More
So much scenery and narration from this film was so reminiscent of 300. I felt like I was watching an animated slightly-altered version of it. Of course, getting Gerard Butler to voice one of the characters certainly must have helped. Black Freighter is a dark, but interesting and well-told story of descent. And you don't need to see Watchmen or even have liked Watchmen to see this animated short.