Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World | | Cast : | Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy, Billy Boyd | | Director : | Peter Weir | | Studio : | Twentieth Century Fox Home Video | | Format : | Color, DTS Surround Sound, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | November 14, 2003 | | DVD Released Date : | April 20, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 09, 2005 | | Summary | Crowe Takes Command | Content
 | Every ten years or so, Hollywood studio points its cameras out to sea. This time, it seems the navigators got it right. MASTER AND COMMANDER follows some of the heroic exploits of Capt. "Lucky" Jack Aubrey, (played by some fellah named Russell Crowe.) He is a veteran sailor who got his sea legs as a child. Now, he is an extremely respected leader who will do anything to fulfill his naval duties. His latest assignment requires he find and destroy a French vessel that has been wreaking havoc. Aubrey quickly discovers that his nemesis is more than prepared to deny the King his prize. And what follows is a clever game of chess between 2 strategic masterminds. The only way to beat this enemy is to confront one of his core beliefs.
Master and Commander is an excellent film from many angles. The film seems to be a taut adventure story but at its heart are Aubrey's trying differences with his friend, the ships doctor. The film often plays like JAWS... You are always aware of the shark, but half the fun is watching the three men on the journey. Director Peter Weir (Witness, The Mosquito Coast, and Dead Poets Society) doesn't bother showing you life on board a military vessel during Napoleonic times; he brings you on board as part of the crew.
The film's detail is a marvel and through modern computer imaging, we are able to see things that would have emptied many a coffer. While not overly bloody, the film may be too graphic for some as shipboard surgery often was performed with eating utensils.
This film may be somewhat of a 'guy film'. It probably does not have the crossover potential of that other boat film, Titanic. After all, that story was told around a love relationship between a doomed man and the woman he loves. In Master and Commander, other than a group of island natives rushing out to meet an anchored boat, not one woman appears on film. And much of the fun comes in battle.
MASTER AND COMMANDER is rated PG-13 for some intense action and results. It comes in a little over 2 hours. If you catch it in the multiplex, it'll come in at 2 and a half as there are now 5 minutes of commercials and 15 to 20 minutes of `trailers' for upcoming features.
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| Rating | | | Date | August 04, 2005 | | Summary | Drama on the high seas | Content
| First off for all of you that complain that you don't understant the plot or think there is none here is the opening to the movie:
April - 1805 Napoleon is Master of Europe. Only the British Fleet stands before him. OCEANS ARE NOW BATTLEFIELDS
HMS Surprise 28 Guns 197 Souls N. Coast Brazil
Admiralty Orders: To Capt. J Aubrey. 'Intercept French Privateer ACHERON en route to Pacific INTENT ON CARRYING THE WAR INTO THOSE WATERS...Sink, Burn, or take her a Prize.
So there you have the plot. The HMS Surprise needs to take out the Acheron before it can disrupt British interests in the East Indies. Only problem is the Acheron is about the best built ship of its time. It out guns and is quicker than the British ship a lesson Capt Aubrey learns more than once. Only through brilliant seamanship and clever tactics could he survive and make his ship a worthy match.
This movie really illustrates what naval life was like back in those times. It was a rough life occupied by a wide range of people. This movie did a great job in its prop work and dialogue. The story was good and the action was realistic and appropriate.
Who will like this film: Anyone looking for a movie that incorporates early 19th century naval warfare with a bit of action as well as historical insights of the time. You will also require an IQ higher than room temperature and have an attention span to match.
Who will not like this film: People that have the attention span of a 3 year old. People that are not interested in history. People that are all around not that bright. I would recommend watching Speed or something of that nature for these folks. Something that requires little thought and can keep your attention with neat little explosions and zero storyline.
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| Rating | | | Date | August 01, 2005 | | Summary | Captures the Spirit of the Book | Content
| I've been a big fan of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels about the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars. Like everyone else, I was very excited about the movie's premiere, and I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed by it. It's faithful to the book, but it also makes a very good movie, and I hope that Peter Weir and Russell Crowe will collaborate again on future ventures. Even if you haven't read the books, this is a movie worth seeing. I think it stands pretty well on its own. If you liked this movie, I would also recommend that you try the 1962 movie "Damn the Defiant!" with Alec Guinness and Dirk Bogarde. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 27, 2005 | | Summary | Movie Industry Mastery | Content
| This was a very clear movie. A lot of information was gained from the communication between the characters, and it was easy to understand that they were chasing that ship because of the captain's sense of purpose and duty. It was full of incident, and every scene added to the movie's depth. It was interesting all the way, and there was plenty of excitement. In the end the captain was fooled by the enemy captain faking his identity, so it was decided to escort the French prize back to Valparaiso. There weren't any useless scenes to delete, and the ending was good. A very entertaining and instructive movie, and definitely worth watching, even if you're not a Russell Crowe fan. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 26, 2005 | | Summary | Almost a perfect seafaring movie | Content
| This movie is pitch perfect in depicting a ship in the British Navy during the Napoleonic wars. It is an exciting blend of action, acting, design, music, and pinpoint depictions of very complex characters.
Even though most of the movie involves one ship chasing another halfway around the world, the movie never felt slow. Every scene offered something compelling whether it was the interactions between Aubrey and the doctor, the subplot of the Jonah who is bringing bad luck to Lucky Jack's ship, how the crew responds to the death of a popular seaman, or realizing just how young the midshipmen (junior offices) were when they first went to sea. The fact that these young boys were expected to lead grown men in battle was simply amazing.
I also loved how the movie highlights just how rare this kind seafaring was and how awestruck the crew could be at sights such as the Galapagos Islands. The West was on the cusp of great discoveries and visits like the Surprise's to the islands symbolizes the rapid gains that would soon be made. The doctor's excitement and then let down about being allowed to explore the islands is one of the most poignant aspects of the movie.
And then of course there are the battle scenes. Any kind of warfare is awful and early 19th century naval warfare was particularly brutal with body parts being blown off by cannon fire, wood splinters skewering men, and musket fire raking the decks. The Surprise is lucky to have a real doctor....most ships were stuck with barely educated saw bones who could do more harm than good. The movie doesn't shy away from the violence of the times or the certain brutal joy that the men seemed to take on in combat. Truly a different era.
I highly recommend all aspects of this movie. It's simply a great piece of movie making. |
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