Russell Crowe Movie:

Editorial Review:
In the capable hands of director Peter Weir, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a seafaring adventure like no other, impeccably authentic, dynamically cast, and thrilling enough to give any classic swashbuckler a run for its money. In adapting two of Patrick O'Brian's enormously popular novels about British naval hero Capt. Jack Aubrey, Weir and cowriter John Collee have changed the timeframe from the British/American war of 1812 to the British/French opposition of 1805, where the HMS Surprise, under Aubrey's confident command, is patrolling the South Atlantic in pursuit of the Acheron, a French warship with the strategic advantage of greater size, speed, and artillery. Russell Crowe is outstanding as Aubrey, firm and fiercely loyal, focused on his prey even if it means locking horns with his friend and ship's surgeon, played by Crowe's A Beautiful Mind costar Paul Bettany. Employing a seamless combination of carefully matched ocean footage, detailed models, full-scale ships, and CGI enhancements, Weir pays exacting attention to every nautical detail, while maintaining a very human story of honor, warfare, and survival under wretched conditions. Raging storms and hull-shattering battles provide pulse-pounding action, and a visit to the Galapagos Islands lends a note of otherworldly wonder, adding yet another layer of historical perspective to this splendidly epic adventure. --Jeff Shannon

Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World Reviews:
Blu-ray quality good, movie has real problems
2009-12-13 - I've really tried to like this movie. In watching it on blu-ray after watching it on DVD, I can truly say that the blu-ray quality is really quite good, with a few poor shots from the original film intact, and the sound is great. I have several major problems with the movie, all of which I think seriously detract from its quality. First, the story line really drags on, and the relationship between the French and British combatants is not really developed to the extent that it deserves, as the movie focuses more on the personal relationship of the commander (R. Crowe) and the ship's doctor/naturalist. There are a lot of minor side plots going on, like suicidal depression, and an inordinate number of surgeries. The time scale of the pursuit around Cape Horn, like most events in this film, is lost on the viewer. After a while, the consistently upbeat attitude of the commander is almost maniacal! Then there is the ununatural but substantial natural history- an unusually large part of this film, as the ship's doctor is portrayed in a Darwinesque fashion, in the Galapagos. The first strange episode involves the identification of meal worm (Tenebrionidae) larvae as "weevils," part of a pun by the commander, but clearly demonstrating the ineptness of his naturalist friend. This gets worse on the Galapagos, particularly where impossible telescopic views of remote animals are depicted, and the naturalist releases a captured lot of common green iguanas (Iguana iguana), a species that does not occur in the Galapagos Islands. At least in Gladiator Ridley Scott (whose work I greatly respect) used a European Robin. Imagine your reaction if he used an American Robin in a Roman battle scene! Terrence Mallick, in The Thin Red Line, and in The New World, has also focused on natural history, but takes care to accurately depict the local flora and fauna (more than anyone). Given the emphasis on Natural History in this film, and its obvious cost, care should definitely have been taken in this area. It's either sloppy movie-making, or distain for natural history.

Blue Ray vs DVD
2009-12-09 - I own both the original DVD and the Blue Ray Disc of this movie. I have played them both and it is impossible to compare the two together. The Blue Ray Disc offers much more clarity and sound to that of the standard DVD. It was given to me as a present and I plan to gradually replace my standard DVD's - at least those I particularly want to see in Blue Ray - to get the most out of the movie experience.
I highly recommend this product to those interested in an incredible Visual and Audio experience.Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World [Blu-ray]

A truly inspiring naval adventure...
2009-11-06 - One of those movies that has grown (a significant amount I should say) on me over time, `Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World' is probably, in my personal opinion, the greatest swashbuckling sea adventure film ever filmed. Now, when I walked out of the theater the first time I saw this I didn't feel that way.

I was supper hyped about seeing this (you think I worship Peter Sarsgaard, you should see the shrine I have in my bedroom dedicated to thy Holy Crowe) and so I was there opening night with all this built up enthusiasm and wound up nearly falling asleep and completely giving into my friends constant griping and concluded that this was a dud of a film. Problem was, I already promised my father that I would see it with him the next day and so I braced myself for boredom (although I do enjoying watching Crowe do anything). Get this; there in the middle of the day I watched this film through new eyes.

I absolutely loved it.

Now I was already going to buy the film regardless of my feelings (like I said, WORSHIP) but now I had a new outlook and was highly anticipating the DVD release. While the film is glorious (I've seen it nearly twenty times and am strongly considering watching it this evening...the wife is away for the weekend which always turns into an excuse for me to eat pizza, drink beer and watch every Russell Crowe movie I own...which is all of them) I have to give a major shout-out to the extras here, because this DVD is packed with them and they are all amazing. This should be noteworthy coming from me, because if you follow my reviews then you know that I never discuss extras because to me the review is all about the content of the film, not the DVD, but these are just too good to ignore. I don't generally watch the extras but I've seen these a few times and find them thoroughly engaging.

Back to the film.

I think my issue with the film upon first viewing was that I was expecting something totally different. I was under the impression that the last fifteen minutes here (briskly paced, non-stop action) was the entire film. It is not. It is the last fifteen minutes. Now, as we all know, I love slow brooding character studies; but not at midnight (yes, I went to the midnight showing). That was a huge mistake, although had it been a high speed adrenaline rush I don't think it would have been.

So, like I said, the biggest issue was that I was expecting something else entirely.

Upon subsequent viewings (many, as you can tell), I've come to appreciate this film as so much more than just your average high seas tale. There is a beautiful honesty about its portrayal of sea life that makes me quiver in appreciation, but there is also a genuine sense of comradeship that really becomes the basis for the film in my opinion. The chemistry between Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany is utterly fantastic and it really makes this a simmering beauty of a film. There is a natural elegance with the way Crowe portrays Jack Aubrey's feelings towards his crew, and the awkwardness with which he tells a joke (much like a grandfather at a dinner party, unsure of others reactions but sure in his own `need' to tell it) is completely endearing. Just witness the way he allows his character to seep into his delivery, making every word seem so natural and almost expected ("Name a shrub after me; something prickly and hard to eradicate.") Matching him every step of the way is Bettany who completely soaks his character Stephen in a rich loyalty and constant admiration. Even when Jack displeases Stephen you can tell he is only displeased because he knows in his heart that Jack can do better. He believes in him that strongly. Both performances are utterly stunning and completely deserving of any and all praise.

The fact that both were snubbed of Oscar nominations is disgusting, especially when those hammy `Mystic River' men took home the gold.

Peter Weir is in top form here, creating such an authentic look at naval life. I love the way that the creaks from the wood on the boat can be heard in every frame. There is not a single false note here. It's remarkable to tell you the truth; totally and completely remarkable.

So, knowing what you are in for will surely heighten your appreciation for this modern masterpiece. It is the best of a genre and more than that, the best in the world that is cinema. It fleshes out not just the two men who form the focus of the film, but it fleshes out the world that is sea life; the ship itself becoming a major player in this film.

Captures Napoleonic Naval Warfare
2009-11-01 - I found this film to be extremely well-done. Naval combat during the Napoleonic Wars was an extremely unpleasant and bloody business and this movie addresses this aspect. There was a lot of drama form the interaction of the crew and the circumstances in which they are placed. And the acting is excellent. This is a war film which is certainly worth watching.

Excellent Seafaring Tale - Blu-Ray
2009-10-19 - Excellent Napoleonic seafaring tale recounting the lone pursuit by HMS Surprise of the French warship Acheron set in 1805 in the South Atlantic and Pacific. The acting performances are top level throughout whether we're talking about Russell Crowe's Captain Aubrey of the Surprise or any of the other shipboard mates and midshipmen. The movie provides close-up and brutal battle action featuring 18-inch guns and on-board swashbuckling scuffles that take the fight right into your 5.1 surround home theater room.

Highlights of this atmospheric film include the opening battle with the Acheron, sailing through a dangerous storm at Cape Horn with enormous waves thrusting at the ship, an all too brief visit by the ship's naturalist to the Galapagos to check out the animal life, musical duet by Crowe and ship's surgeon Paul Bettany, and the final encounter and victory over the Acheron.

In between we get a realistic look at daily shipboard life and the usual protocol and conflicts between midshipmen and the crew and the captain. While impatient viewers may lust for more intense action here, these scenes do everything to make the story all the more realistic. This is the kind of film that becomes even more appreciated on repeated viewings. There is one editing mistake: In the midshipmen's sextant training scene, Blakeney is momentarily shown with two hands; he lost his right arm earlier in the first encounter with the Acheron.

The Blu-ray production is mostly first-rate including ship detail, uniforms, facial features, and even the texture of paper on written letters and seacharts. It did seem like some initial terrain scenes in the Galapogos were far less than 1080 lines.

Special Features. Fox previews are here where they belong. The Map feature allows you to press Enter anytime to display a map in the lower corner which indicates the current position of the HMS Surprise.

Deleted scenes - Many of these should have been left in the release: A guy getting his tooth pulled the old-fashioned way is quite humorous as is that of the lad getting tattoed with the basic ink and needle method. Scenes of the Surprise cruising in the open ocean and especially those on the Galapagos where the scene with the tortoses is expanded and the blue-footed booby is examined. These scenes may have added another 15 minutes but would have been worthwhile (future Director's release of course). The deleted scenes are only DVD quality.