Master and Commander: Far Side of the World, 8/10
Quite a spectacle. This was meant to be the start to a series, but despite a whopping 10 Oscar nominations and critical acclaim it never came to be. I think there's a parallel universe where this became the multi-million dollar franchise instead of the other naval setting adventure movie with a two-part title to be released in 2003 (that being Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl). I do understand why though: this is definitely a more adult-oriented, mature film with much slower pacing which don't tend to make for hit franchises.
The best part about this movie is the setting. It absolutely nails the atmosphere of an 18th century ship, and you feel like you're right there in the claustrophobia, the spraying water, the smoke and the sweat. The music, sound design and cinematography come together perfectly, including in the (admittedly few) battle scenes. The film has a plot, but it's more about the overall sense of adventure and life on the ship. There's lots of characters, none of which are given much time or an arc, but I think it works for this type of film. What does work against it though is Russell Crowe's character, who's basically a Mary Sue: he's a charismatic leader, a tactical genius, capable combatant, refined and educated, served with admiral Nelson, and he basically has no flaws or character arc. There are a few scenes that seem to exist solely to make the audience think he does, but his decisions always turn out justified and right. It does stick out like a sore thumb, because the rest of the film is fairly grounded and mature.
The film looks stunning. For a $150 million film from 2003 this could easily have gone wrong with overt CGI, but as far as I could tell there was next to none. The landscapes in the Galapagos are gorgeous, the period detail is pitch perfect and the look of the ship is impeccable. It doesn't shy away from the griminess of the time period either: there's some pretty gruesome and intense stuff here for a PG-13 film, especially the self-surgery scene.
The film's pacing can be a bit uneven. It has a more of an episodic structure than a three-act one, and some of the segments can feel a bit slow. I don't know what I'd take out though, all those elements serve a purpose to create and reinforce the setting. Still, the 2 hours and 15 minutes are well worth it, and I'm glad I rewatched it.
Quite a spectacle. This was meant to be the start to a series, but despite a whopping 10 Oscar nominations and critical acclaim it never came to be. I think there's a parallel universe where this became the multi-million dollar franchise instead of the other naval setting adventure movie with a two-part title to be released in 2003 (that being Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl). I do understand why though: this is definitely a more adult-oriented, mature film with much slower pacing which don't tend to make for hit franchises.
The best part about this movie is the setting. It absolutely nails the atmosphere of an 18th century ship, and you feel like you're right there in the claustrophobia, the spraying water, the smoke and the sweat. The music, sound design and cinematography come together perfectly, including in the (admittedly few) battle scenes. The film has a plot, but it's more about the overall sense of adventure and life on the ship. There's lots of characters, none of which are given much time or an arc, but I think it works for this type of film. What does work against it though is Russell Crowe's character, who's basically a Mary Sue: he's a charismatic leader, a tactical genius, capable combatant, refined and educated, served with admiral Nelson, and he basically has no flaws or character arc. There are a few scenes that seem to exist solely to make the audience think he does, but his decisions always turn out justified and right. It does stick out like a sore thumb, because the rest of the film is fairly grounded and mature.
The film looks stunning. For a $150 million film from 2003 this could easily have gone wrong with overt CGI, but as far as I could tell there was next to none. The landscapes in the Galapagos are gorgeous, the period detail is pitch perfect and the look of the ship is impeccable. It doesn't shy away from the griminess of the time period either: there's some pretty gruesome and intense stuff here for a PG-13 film, especially the self-surgery scene.
The film's pacing can be a bit uneven. It has a more of an episodic structure than a three-act one, and some of the segments can feel a bit slow. I don't know what I'd take out though, all those elements serve a purpose to create and reinforce the setting. Still, the 2 hours and 15 minutes are well worth it, and I'm glad I rewatched it.
Last edited:
