Fluentiama Perfect cast and a good story

XoWizIama Excellent adaptation.

WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Paul J. Nemecek If there is a connecting thread in the work of director Peter Weir it is to be found in his great theme, the clash of cultures. Sometimes the clash of cultures is in the foreground (Witness, Mosquito Coast, The Year of Living Dangerously, Picnic at Hanging Rock); in some of his works it is more subtle (Dead Poets Society, Gallipoli, The Truman Show). In Master and Commander it is revealed in the tension between the values and worldview of the warrior-leader and the healer/man of science.The master and commander is Jack Aubrey, very capably portrayed by Russell Crowe, one of the best actors working today. His good friend, the doctor and naturalist is played by Paul Bettany (who played the imagined roommate opposite Crowe in A Beautiful Mind). It is easy to view this as simply a standard swashbuckler, and to be sure there is plenty of swash to be buckled (whatever that means) but the strength of the film lies in its juxtaposition of the larger conflict and the battle scenes, and the interpersonal conflicts between the two friends.If the film were just about the larger conflicts, the spectacular battle scenes, and the pursuit, it would be too easy to dismiss the film as a remake-Gladiator Goes Sailing-in the same way that I dismissed Waterworld as Mad Max goes sailing. In the macro-story, the quest for the elusive ship, the story is reminiscent of many other sailing films. There are elements of Moby Dick, Mutiny on the Bounty, The Caine Mutiny. The thread that connects these films is obsessive leadership that walks the line between duty and prideful ambition. The most engaging part of the film, as is always the case in Weir's films, is the clash of cultures. In this case, the cultures are represented by the values of the two friends. The tensions created by the conflicting values of the warrior and the healer. These represent conflicting values, dialectical tensions, in all cultures and perhaps in all people. It is this storyline that redeems the film from being just another run-of-the-mill seafaring adventure.Having said that, I should add that the seafaring adventure story is particularly well told, and is wonderfully supported by superior cinematography. Cinematographer Russell Boyd is an Australian (as are Weir and Crowe) and Boyd has worked with Weir on a number of films from the beginning of Weir's career in the mid 70's. The cinematography is superb in this film. In the battle scenes we feel the claustrophobia, in the storm scenes sheer terror. When Boyd shows us the vast oceans or the Galapagos Islands we are awed by the sheer beauty of the scene. When the Academy Awards are announced, the Master and Commander may not be able to defeat the Lord of the Rings but you can count on it to be in the running. This one is definitely worth a look.

pbandht This is a brilliant movie for those who appreciate how tough it was before steam powered ships. Also just a brilliant movie about discovery and well acted by all.

liverocknroll Some films are great because they uses the things they excel at to their advantage. Their greatness comes from the fact that they know exactly where their strength lies. By contrast, other films are great because they master every single aspect of filmmaking. It is proof of a vision come to life on the screen through cooperation of several talents. Peter Weir's adaptation of Patrick O'Brian's naval novel is a perfect example of the latter. Weir places the viewer in the middle of the roaring seas. It's a perfect depiction of the unpredictable nature of the ocean; delicately serene at times and ferociously violent at others. Russell Crowe displays an impressive portrayal of Captain Jack Aubrey, the dedicated and determined commander of his ship, but the rest of the cast should not go unnoted. The mission is to capture a French vessel Acheron. There is a mix of joviality and dire consequence in the air, which perfectly communicates the general atmosphere on the boat; carefree despite the inevitability of it all. This is helped, in part, by the score, which has a blend of thunderous cinematic compositions and beautiful classical pieces. It sets the adventure at full speed, sufficiently prepared for a journey at sea, topped off by an exciting finale. Watching Captain Jack go through much character development is quite the experience, and it manages to create much suspense in the film. There's something to be said about this movie's depiction of fear's influence on people. In the end, though, it's a movie about a captain and his ship that doesn't deserve to be as well-made as it is. Peter Weir is a fantastic director who never fails to impress.

BasementBanter.com Read More: http://basementbanter.com/530-2/Have you ever wondered what would happen if you gave Maximus from Gladiator a gun, a cannon and a frigate? Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World answers that question in glorious, bloody fashion. Master and Commander is an epic naval Napoleonic war movie where Britain and France fought for control of the seas. With maybe the most badass character ever put to screen in Russel Crowe's Captain 'Lucky' Jack Aubrey, and more epic shots than any movie out there, I cannot praise this movie enough. Showcasing more charisma, machismo, and intelligence than any other of his roles; other than maybe Maximus, Crowe becomes the bold and cunning naval captain of the HMS Surprise. Captain Aubrey goes on a daring mission to the far side of the world, chasing a French Ship.Featuring a fantastic cast with several people you sort of recognize like Vision, from the Avengers movies, either Mary or Pippin I can never tell them apart, and some bloke from Agent Carter. Crowe and Paul Bettany (Vision) have excellent chemistry together as they play best friends and trusted confidants. Bettany shines as Dr. Maturin, the surgeon and head doctor on the ship. Dr. Maturin has little nautical experience, so most of the many laughs of the film come from him. His dead pan delivery expressing his confusion about what is going on with the ship creates much needed comedic relief. The rest of the cast are mostly unprofessional actors who have experience on the sea, making the movie feel all the more authentic as you travel back in history to a time of adventure.After his ship is nearly destroyed Captain Jack Aubrey pursues the French ship, The Acheron. It is a new breed of ship that the British have not seen before. The crew of the Surprise go south, around South America and back north towards the Galapagos Islands. The journey pushes Jack Aubrey, and his crew, to their physical and mental limits, testing his leadership and skills as a Captain. From the beginning to the end there is action a plenty, cannons blowing peoples arms off, excellent sword fights, clever problem solving, a man doing surgery on himself (fucking insane), and the best ship to ship combat ever put to film.As will soon become evident, many, many of the movies I love came from my Father making me watch them, this was one of the first ones he made me watch. I watched this when I was 12, and I immediately fell in love with the ocean, and the time period. This movie perfectly blends the swashbuckling adventures of an Indiana Jones or Pirates of the Caribbean movie with the somber and serious take on war and its hardships from Saving Private Ryan or The Hurt Locker.The movie flows between awesome badassery, somber slow moments, and back to action. You will care about all the characters and wince every time someone gets hurt. Every shot that Crowe is in, he improves through his amazing, and complicated performance. All in one he is a bad ass soldier, loving father figure, caring best friend, trying musician, and stern leader. I cannot heap enough praise on him. This is one of my top 20 favorite movies of all time, and I could watch it again and again. I highly recommend this movie, and encourage you to check out other movies by the great Peter Weir. This movie does not get enough attention and while it did get many Oscar nominations, not enough people saw it. I implore you to go see it, all things considered I can almost guarantee you will enjoy it.