Master and Commander (2003)

Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Director: Peter Weir
Venue: DVD
DVD Features: The Day After Tomorrow trailer, I, Robot “Inside Look” and Man On Fire trailer.
Trailer

After seeing the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, I was hankering for more sea-faring adventure. While not at all a pirate movie, Master and Commander was the first film that sprang to my nautical mind. So, off I ran to the video store and picked up two movies about trans-oceanographic exploring. (I’m not telling what the other one was just yet). I still want pirates. But, I’ll take seamen as a substitute (hee hee)

Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) captains a large sailing ship under the directives of the British (?) Navy. The movie takes place during the war with Napoleon (1805) and Aubrey and his crew are to hunt down enemy ships. While sailing in mysterious waters, an enemy ship appears out of the fog and attacks. Not able to resist a good battle, Capt. Jack spends the rest of the movie pursuing the ghostly ship. There is a sub-plot regarding the relationship that the captain and his friend, the naturalist, have. The naturalist acts as a foil to Aubrey, but it’s a little transparent and doesn’t satisfy. The movies also features a handful of characters that the audience is meant to care about. However, I wasn’t able to feel any emotion or concern when the crew starts to drop off. This movie was based on a series of books by Patrick O’Brian. And, if I had more than just a passing interest in sailing, I might be tempted to pick them up. It’s almost always a good bet that a novel will be more entertaining than it’s adaptation and I get the sense that Master & Commander falls into that category.

Plot: 2 1/2 stars

All in all, the acting in this film was convincing. I could see Crowe as the fanatical captain and the rest of the crew met their roles well. Although I don’t generally enjoy child actors, the youngest member of the cast was tolerable. However, as I mentioned previously, I wasn’t able to muster up any real concern or attachment for anyone in the film. I would have been drawn more to the naturalist, if he hadn’t been such a prick. It could be that the foregoing is a fault of the script rather than the players involved. I spent a good deal of the movie playing “spot the hobbit”.

Acting: 3 stars

The action in Master and Commander is the one thing that drew me into the movie. There are cannon blasts, careening debris, sword-fights, floggings, and raging storms! I’m terrified of the sea (go figure) and so every hull breach and man-overboard made my toes curl. I can’t imagine what it must have been like “back in the day” when a ship full of men put their lives in the hands of a wooden sailing vessel and spent months away from solid ground. Well, actually, I can now. The action choreography during the sword fight left something to be desired. Why is it that American directors like to focus in close and make the combat confusing? I couldn’t tell which men were the good guys and which were bad. I couldn’t tell who was shot, stabbed or wounded until the final body count. Sure the cannon blasts were pulse-pounding, but certain scenes should have been less confusing. I realize that, in all actuality, a battle across two ships would be confusing. However, when making a film, there comes a time to set aside a little of that authenticity in the interest of your audience.

Action: 3 ½ stars

Master & Commander is visually wonderful. I was told that authentic sailing ships and true to period costuming were applied. Whether or not the scenes were actually filmed out at sea, it’s hard to determine. The visual appeal doesn’t lie in the use of color; most of the film is greyish blue with splashes of color dotted here and there. Where it lies, however, is in the set design and costuming. I can honestly write that some scenes almost made me seasick. That’s realistic.

Visual: 4 1/2 stars

Once again, I am disappointed by the lack of snappy dialogue. And while snappy dialogue doesn’t make a movie, it certainly adds an attractive element. I keep hoping for a film that leaves me either pondering several lines, or repeating them endlessly in my head. No such recognizable banter in Master and Commander. While the conversations between the naturalist and the commander intend to serve a specific purpose, they lack a certain follow-through. Aside from a few quips placed here and there, no actual substance appears to support the dialogue.

Dialogue: 3 stars

While this movie had action that drew me into the moment, I didn’t find that I was actually left with any lasting effect. I think Master and Commander would hold up to one repeat viewing, but that’s all. I won’t be purchasing the DVD. The features of the DVD suck drastically anyway. If you really, really like sea adventures and old-school boats, you might be able to get into this film. If not, I don’t think you’d cry over passing it up at the video store.

Alternate viewing choice: Pirates of the Caribbean (either one)
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Rotten Tomatoes review

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