Possibly
the most realistic and exciting sea saga to date. If you get a
chance to see this film at the movies, it is better to choose a state
of the art theater. You'll know why five minutes in. I was lucky
enough to see this great film in Portsmouth after a day clambering
over HMS Victory
and HMS Warrior.
Hence, I had just become accustomed to the conditions onboard a real
ship of the line, real cannons, etc.
The filming was technically perfect. The direction fantastic.
Russell Crowe has been one of my favourite actors since Gladiator.
He simply needed to be himself to breath life into this part and I
think he got it right. It's stirring stuff, uncluttered by love,
or indeed almost anything else, except the diverse onboard botanist's
forays, which, being a scientist myself, I could forgive. This
must have been what it was like in the Royal Navy in 1805. One ship, 197
men, 4500 miles from home. Chasing a French ship twice her size. No
retreat.
Russell
Crowe - Magnificent
Plot
Outline: During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain
pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable
French war vessel around South America.
User Comments: The Most Realistic and Exciting Sea
Saga to date.
Pirates
of the Caribbean was also a great film but for different reasons.
However, Master and Commander takes the biscuit for beleivability.
Real ships, real crews, real cannon, convincing characters and
historical accuracy.
Director/ Peter Weir (Witness) has returned big time and, with this
one film, revived classic Australian realism. This is not a fantasy
film, but history - painstakingly recreated. Rousing history it is,
with plenty of action. The adaptation by Weir and John Colley is right
on target, brimming with great characters and scenes. A real
life .
What of Russell Crowe? Gladiator
converted me, where Connery, Clint, Willis, Niro and Cage were and are
characters you could identify with. Russell just gets better.
As to Beautiful Mind - this film demonstrates his flexibility.
Weir
is one of our great directors. Now he's been given all the toys
Peter Jackson enjoys, and he uses them to great effect - recreating a
nautical reality that lacks nothing except the need to wipe your face
every ten seconds. The cutting of Russel Boyd's fabulous photography
is perfect. You get to know every inch of the ship, topside and down
below. You also get a strong sense of the social dynamics on board -
how men got along with each other for so many months. I felt swept
along in a perfect mix of virile action and characters I could get to
know and care for. One thing I loved was the constant caring between
many of the men along the rank and file. There's a strong sense of
honor and decency in the film. Yet enough grog flows to keep things
loose.
Congratulations to everyone involved. Apart from the immense
entertainment, I hope to see another film ASAP and would urge the film
company to capitalise on a winning formula.
