Customer Reviews

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (Widescreen)

5 star:		(112)
4 star:		(61)
3 star:		(33)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

I have to admit that I am a bit of a sucker for both this time period in general, as well as nautical adventures as a whole. Taken in this context, this film does everything just about right. There is lots of action - from exploding cannon shot tearing mizzenmasts apart, to frenetic hand to hand combat (almost too frenetic - shades of the battle against the Germanians in "Gladitaor"). Lots of gore (two difficult scenes to watch for someone as girlie as me were where a young officer's arm is amputated, and another where the doctor removes a musket ball from his own stomach). Lots of comraderie (the crux of this manifests itself in the friendship between Capt. Aubrey, and the doctor, Maturin, who also played Russell's imaginary bud in "A Beautiful Mind"). Perhaps most impressive, in this day and age of CGI, are the special effects. This was obviously shot on a real ship. I don't know if the ship was actually bobbing on the waves or not, but it sure looked like it was. Obviously there were some computer effects here, but I couldn't catch them. Usually CGI is exposed by its weightlessness (when Spiderman bounds from building to building, he looks like he weighs nothing - and he doesn't in computerland) - however, here, the HMS Surprise doesn't coast through the waves (as in the A&E "Horatio Hornblower" series, or even in "A Perfect Storm" and "Pirates of the Carribbean"), it plows! For 2 hours and 18 miniutes, I believed that I was on the open sea.

The two faults one might find with this film, were to my mind strengths. For one, a lot of time is spent watching the men working. Hauling on this, keeling on that, tying, pulling, and speaking in a language that might as well be foreign. But I love that stuff. There is very little in the way of a musical soundtrack, and the audio is mainly devoted to the constant sounds a ship makes. The creaking of the boards, the sounds of men sleeping in uncofortable bunks, the lonely tolling of a ship's bell. Wonderfully evocative sounds. This will sound great on DVD, and deserves a DTS treatment (when there is a musical score, it is great - mainly punctuated by the duet of cello and violin).

The other fault is that it is hopelessly earnest. Life on the ocean isn't glamorised, but the service is. Aubrey is a man of honour and bravery, who wholeheartedly believes in the service he has devoted his life to. There is never any question that God has ordained England to be on His side against that dastardly Napoleon. It is a time of the perfect english gentleman - genteel and refined on land, yet savage to one's enemy at sea. There is little cynicism in Capt. Jack. His companion, Dr. Maturin does add some balance. He is not 100% devoted to King and country. There are definite shades here of Star Trek - the intrepid captain, being counseled by his somewhat disenfranchised, but brilliant doctor (Star Trek was based on Horatio Hornblower, although I don't recall if there was a doctor in that or not - I have only read one book). Together they argue, debate, and play classical music together.

I am almost loathe to say it, but Russell Crowe has done it again. The man knows how to pick material. I don't know that this is an Oscar-worthy performance but he has yet again strapped himself boldly to a part where he is allowed to carry the film almost entirely on his own. He did it in The Insider, Gladiator, and A Beautiful Mind (and arguably, Proof of Life, which I quite liked, even though no one else did - particularly Dennis Quaid), and he's done it again here.

The film probably isn't perfect. It's not Star Wars. Or Jaws. Or The Godfather. But it is everything you really need from the movies. Solid, fun entertainment.

Now, back to my original warning. Why be wary? Well, they've obviously establishes the premise and characters that could be long running. There could easily be a sequel (or prequel) to this film. Unlike the Matrix, or Back to The Future, which produced not one, but two unnecessary sequels, one easily believes that there are endless adventures in store for Aubrey and Maturin. Why? Well, because this film is based on one of the books by Patrick O'Brien - specifically "The Far Side of the World", which was actually the 10th in the Capt. Jack Aubrey series (the first was entitled "Master and Commander". The film semi-follows the 10th book only but studio execs were wary of the title, so they also used the first one). And there were 10 that followed that one! From what I have read the books are just excellent. So while Miramax-Universal-20th Century Fox (was the movie really that expensive that they needed THREE studios to finance it?!?) may indeed plan a sequel, I don't think I can wait that long. I plan to delve into the first book. But then, what if I like that? Then the second...then the third. And I'm not done until I have read 9,000 pages about the 19th century British navy!!!! Previously I have only read "Commodore Hornblower" and "Mutiny on the Bounty".

What have I got myself into?

Quickly- lots of hype out there, and it is all right! Damn good movie.

Summary: Rusel Crow plays ship captain Lucky Jack aboard the British Frigate Suprise. The scene is set with a battle against a French Frigate with twice the guns, twice the speed and twice the range. The Suprise is quickly defeated. The rest of the movie follows the relentless quest to catch the French ship and get revenge (as well as completing orders). Tons of crew interaction, tons of man vs man, tons of man vs the elements.

The Good: Pretty much everything. This is the best Privateer movie I have ever seen. The acting was award worthy. The cast was perfect. The story was great. You got right into it and forgot about reality. The effects were so good you forgot they were effects, heck I am just assuming there was some digital work done in there, maybe not. Heck to quote a friend: "It's all good but the bad parts" which you can see below.

The Bad: The DVD didn't have much on it besides the Movie. Just the usual commentaries and one of those Made to Make You Go See the Movie featurettes. The movie ends without the story quite coming to a close which was a bit of a disapointment. Not one of those There Will Be a Sequal kind of things, but it leaves the end open.

The Ugly: Hmmm.... I just kept thinking of the Doctor as Hyde from League of Extrodinary Gentlemen and thinking Pipin looks odd tall with huge sideburns. Really not a poblem... but I had to think of something. Oh actually - there is a lot of realistic gore in this, it's all fitting with the movie but as Pandora said at the time "the begining put me off my popcorn"

Overall: I really enjoyed this. This is probably the best movie I have seen in a long time. There isn't much bad to say, pretty much everything is good. Just don't go into it expecting a Swashbuckling Pirate movie. It's more like a War movie at sea. If you don't like gore you may have to squint in a few scenes but other then that, I would call this a must see.

Thank you, dvd delivered promptly and in good shape. Good price, prompt delivery and clean dvd. A pleasure to do business with.

This magnificent, swashbuckling epic takes place during the Napoleonic Wars, aboard the British frigate, HMS Surprise. Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) has orders to destroy, or take as prize, the French warship Acheron, off the coast of Brazil. Most of the film concerns the day to day life aboard ship and we get to know the men very well. There is the ship's doctor (Paul Bettany) who is the Captain's friend and confidant and Midshipman Blakeney (Max Pirkis), one of many young boys who are learning about the sea and will one day be captains of their own ships. The crew engage the Acheron in battle, and the Captain asks the men to defeat the enemy for England, for home, and for the prize.

This is Russell Crowe's best role to date, and he rates a 10 on the Macho-Meter. He is gallant, brave, handsome, and kind in a very appealing performance. The story is told at a leisurely pace, allowing us to feel the rolling of the ship, the camaraderie of the men, the adventure of it all. The battle scenes are exciting, but not gory. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and recommend it to those who want heroic, sensitive characters that you care about, a literate script, and masterful direction.

I am a Russell Crowe fan and while sdoe sstrange things, he also makes some great movies. This movie quite good. I found it was well plotted and close to the toen of the original Patrick O'Brian books. I can only hope for another form the series.

This beautifully filmed movie seamlessly transports the audience to the days of the pirates. Along with the interesting, authentic details (my favourite is the revelation of the nautical term "knots" to measure vessel speed) there are plenty of swashbucking action scenes, as well as, more importantly to the discriminating viewer, emotional tear-jerks about the young-yet-noble cabin-boy, PLUS an intellectual challenge framed between the two main characters concerning the moral question of duty vs friendship (and scientific discovery). Great actors in a riveting film that has something for everyone!

1. this is THE cute guy movie. from 8 to 80, small, tall, thin or round, this movie will have someone for you. i can only imagine my sister, who once had a list of 254 men she Truly Cared About that included people like the guy 3d from the left in the second scene of Star Trek 2, drooling like a pet of pavlov w/in the first 3 minutes.

2. & speaking of star trek-----

russell crow _IS_ Captain James T. Kirk.

this is the most postmodern movie i have ever seen!!

here is an actor playing a captain playing an actor playing a captain!!

i think captainhood has been forever embedded in the mind of anyone young or old & privileged enough to see the _real_ & _only_ Star Trek as meaning one thing: William Shatner. watch the timing!! watch the _gestures_!! watch the way he looks at the camera. the likeness is uncanny!!

my partner watched this movie a couple of days before i did & when i said to him, "you know who that is--" he said he had thought the same thing.

amazing!!

dont worry, i LOVE Captain James T. Kirk. when i was a very little kid, even younger than any of the little kids in this movie, my parents & i saw him (the actor, not the captain) screaming at his girlfriend at a folk dance festival. that image is embedded in my brain as well!!

anyway.

Captain Kirk, in order to be Captain Kirk, MUST have his Spock. & here, of course, he does. but oddly his Spock is only the entrée into........

3. the Monty Python element. think John Cleese, younger (much much younger), w/ a lot of freckles & a slightly skinnier jawline. think his uppercrust gestures & the way he often looks up at you (thru the camera) w/ those eyes..... right here. Mr. Spock as a naturalist-warrior-sailor-doctor who also, on the side, runs the Ministry of Silly Walks.

but thats not all!!

you also get, in this movie that was modeled on "Star Trek transports itself into Monty Python & the Holy Grail on the High Seas" --the old guy. you remember the Old Guy. he is embedded in yr brain too. i know he is. & it will be very very hard for you to watch a scene wherein he appears w/o thinking of eric idle, hanging on a dungeon wall & singing. every single time.

but nobody is singing "la marseillaise" b/c when you finally do meet those french types, they are too busy yelling things like:

"oh you english pig-dogs!!" --you get that too!! i almost expected a bunch of fruit & a cow to come flying over the side of the boat.

& theres more-- so much more-- it makes ones brain itch trying to remember it all.....

4. &, speaking of an itchy brain, in addition to heroic self-surgery, one also gets: trepanning. woohoo!! personally, i recommend amanda fielding's video (worth looking up) as she is doing real-life, real-time self-trepanning, but this one works as a little preview. & besides, she doesnt stick a quarter into her skull.

5. &, wait, there is so much more!! poop on the poopdeck (rewind or you will miss it. my partner, who worked on lots of boats made us rewind so i wouldnt miss it)-- & LOTS & LOTS of animals. i LOVE this movie!!

but probably not in the way that peter weir intended. which is why i gave it 4 stars. it is the most postmodern movie i have ever seen. the whole thing seems plotted, directed & acted as if it were a bunch of archetypal television programs strung together or laid on top of one another (lets not forget marlon brando (rip) in "mutiny on the bounty," although that might just have been inspiration for the costumes) (& do remember "the poseiden adventure" & undoubtedly "titanic" (i havent seen it)) w/ unbelievably fabulous images of oceans, islands, ground & ships-- just gorgeous stuff from the director of "the last wave."

& yes, it is a roiling barrel of entertainment.

Set in the Napoleonic Wars of the early nineteeth century, Master and Commander is based on the Patrick O'Brian's historical novels. The essence of the story is a chase starting off the coast of Brazil and ending up off the Galapogos islands, between a French ship with its clever commander and the HMS Surprise- the ship at the center of the story.

The movie itself is richly laid out in genuine props of the era, which succeeds in giving it an air of realism. Russell Crowe does a fine job as Captain 'Lucky Jack' Aubrey, a man with a history of experience and well respected by his sometimes grumbling men. The supporting cast is excellent with a list of characters that adds to the richness of life on a seafaring ship of that era.

Crowe doesn't grandstand and take over the movie allowing the story, other characters and action to speak for themselves. A lot of credit should of course go to Peter Weir for his direction and his adaption of O'Brian's novel.

Master and Commander is very reminiscent of old Hollywood epics and a quite enjoyable movie. I honestly didn't expect much and came away very satisfied and entertained.

Highly entertaining and recommended.

A definite surprise - I enjoyed this movie much more than I thought I would. Very well acted, especially Paul Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin and Max Pirkis as the very young midshipman who loses his arm in the opening battle scene. While the special effects of the movie are amazing, they didn't overshadow the depth of the characters protrayed. Unless you are a reader of the O'Brian novels (which I recommend even more highly than the movie), you wouldn't notice one major change. The Acheron was really the USS Norfolk - an AMERICAN ship - not French. I guess the producers figured we wouldn't put down our dollars to see a movie where we were the losers.

There are more than enough great reviews of the movie Master and Commander, and I agree with them: the film itself was an excellent production. Probably the best that could be made to be both true to the spirit of the books and publicly marketable. But the widescreen DVD loses something onscreen. I am generally a fan of widescreen format, but the director captured so much activity onscreen that the film is best seen as it was meant to be seen---large. The beautiful sets, the background action are not seen to best advantage on TV. Similarly, the sound quality is different on DVD. The film is alternately quiet, then loud,and back again, etc., as the plot moves from gentle sailing to battle to storms to island. At home--at least at my home---we doesn't play the sound as loud as it would be played in the cinema. I never had problems hearing the dialogue in theaters, but did (a little) on DVD. For DVD recommend playing it loudly. In fact, try to reproduce the theater experience as best you can. Play it on the largest TV screen you can find, turn down the lights, turn up the sound, and enjoy this wonderful film.