Rating: 
Summary: Star Trek on the High Seas...
Review: ....SERIOIUSLY. Take a few minutes and think about this before rejecting it as a silly intepretation. Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) is extremely similar to Captain Kirk in both appearance and temperment...you know the beloved-by-the-crew even though he's tough guy, who tends to act impulsively but manages to triumph over seemingly impossible odds, over and over. Dr. Maturin (Paul Bettany) is a sort of combo of Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy -- the brilliant humanitarian and almost miraculously gifted physician PLUS natural scientist and curious-seeker whose personality is constantly being contrasted against the Captains. Add a "salty" crew of unremarkable sailors -- seemingly there for the sole duty of being bumped off and then quickly forgotten. Oh and let's not forget a stalwart ship with plenty of personality...It may sound near to impossible, but keep in mind that the Aubrey-Maturin series BEGAN in 1970, after Star Trek had finished it's three year run as a TV show. There was plenty of Horatio Hornblower adapted into Star Trek, so it's probably "turnabout as fair play" to see a historical writer -- otherwise consumed with accurate historical detail -- who was so heavily influenced by popular culture! While watching this film, I couldn't get this concept out of my head as the dialogue and situations just kept reminding me of Star Trek over and over again. However, I want to be perfectly fair to the movie -- it's highly enjoyable with superb special effects that make the ship and it's isolation out in the ocean very convincing. The depiction of the really tough, dirty, cramped conditions that the sailors live in is also done in an outstanding manner. Battle scenes, etc. are all superbly staged and photographed. The weaknesses largely come from the problem of combining TWO of Patrick O'Brien's excellent seafaring books into one film. Why? Wasn't ONE enough? And then changing the historical details, such as having the enemy vessel be FRENCH (yeah, I guess we are still busy getting even with France) instead of American. I guess the filmmakers couldn't concieve of an US audience accepting an American ship being defeated by a British one! even with the historical reality that Britain ruled the seas at this time. Crowe and Bettany turn in fine performances, even if channeling old Star Trek characters, and young actor Max Pirkis does a outstanding job as a adolescent sailor who loses and arm and becomes an important addition to the crew. Although the presence of so many very tender looking young boys brings up the ugly question of sexual abuse under this kind of isolated circumstance -- something that was a reality in the British Navy at the time -- and it's completely glossed over here. The boys are treated with real fatherliness by Captain Aubrey, which is very charming but probably totally unrealistic. If you enjoyed the PBS series Horatio Hornblower, or really any old movie that dealt with period sailing ships and the seafaring life, this movie will appeal to you. It was by far one of the most memorable films of 2003, and I think only missed winning awards because of heavy competition from LOTR.
Rating: 
Summary: Much More Than the Lesser of Two Weevils!
Review: Who can describe this movie as "boring"? Perhaps someone whose lips move when they read, which would certainly preclude reading O'Brien's first class novels (or most anything meaningful, for that matter). I have the same reaction to a "boring" rating as I had in the theater when people covered their eyes during some of the more graphic scenes. You didn't read the books, did you? If you did, you would know what to expect and appreciate the quality of this depiction. While it is possible to "get it" if you don't read these books, you do have to have some appreciation for better literature, or at least better films. I am, obviously, a huge O'Brien fan, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the depiction of Aubrey and Maturin by Russell Crowe and Paul Brittany. I initially thought Brittany was too young, but he really nailed the Maturin spirit. Whether he will pull it off as not just the ship's surgeon and a dedicated naturalist, but also a British spy, in the (hoped for) sequels, we'll see. (And Jennifer Connolly as Maturin's Diana, hmmm). The remainder of the crew is outstanding, particularly Killick and the young Mr. Blakeney, who, despite losing his arm early on, completely embodies the fighting spirit of Aubrey, and, of course, Nelson himself.
Boring? Damn your eyes! Beautifully played and scrupulously detailed? A glass of wine with you, sir! There is a spot reserved on my shelf next to 22 O'Brien novels (including 2 prequels) for this excellent DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good movie
Review: This is another great movie from Russell Crowe after such gems like "Gladiator" and "A Beautiful Mind". Unlike many pirate ship movies that portray pirate life as sunshine adventures of fun and happiness fighting bad guys, M&C showcases the true side of what it's like being a pirate or a member of a ship crew during the early 1800s: Bleak, depressing, and uncertain. To me, this is very good. Some scenes in some areas of the movie were a bit hard to stomach in my opinion but overall, this is a really good movie. This is a DVD worth having.
Rating:
Summary: Great Adaptation
Review: I'd just like to say that the reviewer who said most of O'Brian's books were about battles between America and Nelson's Navy is about as wrong as one can be, although it is true that the confrontation in "Far Side of the World" is about this. Unlike that reviewer perhaps I HAVE actually read the series, and most battles are against the French, with occasional excursions, as in "The Ionian Mission" against the Turks (after a long blockade of the French incidentally). At first I was annoyed that they had changed the foe in this one from US to France, but then I realised that in some ways this book is an adaptation of elements of the entire series rather than one book. The skull operation occurs in one book, the doctor operating on himself in another, and so on. Whoever adapted this script clearly HAS read all 20 books. Marvellous fim, and in its apparent nonlinear plot, every like O'Brien's books. Few long-time fans of the series will be disappointed, althouigh they may have some quibbles with the castng and be a little upset that the redoubtable Diana did not appear (but then who would have played her?).
Rating:
Summary: The Return of a Master
Review: If ever there were prizes for the best directorial comebacks, then surely Peter Weir should have one. The Aussie director of classics such as Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli,Year of Living Dangerously,Dead Poet's Society and the underrated Truman Show returns with force after five years absence (Truman being his last in '98) with a powerful film that will engage you in its clever dialog and dazzle you with its well edited action, Master and Commander: the Far Side of The World.
Based on a novel by Patrick O'Brien and a screenplay by Weir himself, it is the cat and mouse chase in the Pacific ocean during Napoleonic times, between a British ship commanded by Captain Jack Aubrey and a much stronger French vessel.
The success of the film in my opinion lies firmly with the screenplay, and the well written characters that perfectly reflect their time and environment. In a short time, the viewer will find him/herself totally immersed in their individual stories, and will sympathize with their condition, be saddened by their losses and cheer their successes..
I found myself transfixed by the anecdotes at the captain's dinner table about Lord Nelson, touched by the heroism of the little boy, amused by the grumpiness of the steward Killick, and bemused by the sailors superstitions.
And this is not easily achieved but shows that Weir indeed possesses a great talent for writing that equals his visual sensitivities.
The action scenes, safe to say are very well directed and (equally important edited as well). I liked the fact the French vessel remains up until the end,elusive and 'ghost like', as the whole film is seen exclusively through the 'eyes' and point of view of the British ship.
The scenery is quite beautiful, especially the part filmed in the Galapagos islands.
Now the acting,
I don't know if anyone could have played Aubrey's part better than Russell Crowe, if so it would be a very stiff competition.He simply plays the part to perfection, and you can clearly tell that he was very much at ease in this role, while all the other actors (mainly British) give brilliant performances that complement Crowe's lead and Weir's masterful direction, especially Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy and David Threlfall.
The world of cinema is full of good directors as well as mediocre and bad ones, but only a handful can be considered artists in the truest sense of this word, (especially these days) and Peter Weir is certainly one. You have to see Master and Commander..to know what I mean and to applaud one helluva comeback!
Rating:
Summary: Rousing adventure
Review: Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and the crew of the HMS Surprise are detailed to capture a much larger and more powerful French warship without benefit of support in the South Atlantic during the early 19th century. Director Peter Weir gives us a terrific adventure film with painstaking attention to detail that made me feel as if I were really on a ship at sea. The impressive special effects and spectacular battles do not overshadow the characters and human drama. Various crew members are presented efficiently and well acted so that we feel that they are not merely fodder to be blown up for our entertainment but living, breathing people that we hope will survive the violence-though not all of them do. The centerpiece of the film is the friendship between the captain and ship's surgeon Maturin (Paul Bettany). They present opposing sides of human nature and their conversations provide a fascinating commentary on the ethics and stakes of the events in the film.
Rating:
Summary: Floating cities
Review: An absolutely stunning movie based on an absolutely stunning series of books. I'm about half way through the Aubrey Maturin series right now and notice that the movie takes elements from more than one or two of them. In fact the "weevil" joke is in about book 6. Russell Crowe is a perfect Jack Aubrey. Paul Bettany a bit too tall and good looking for Stephen. And shouldn't Bonden have been bigger and burlier? Pity Jack and Stephen's wives weren't here. I'd like to have seen a good screen incarnation of Diana. Peter Weir does a brilliant job of showing us a ship as a floating community. And the things we learn about ship surgery are daunting. The story, like the books, meanders a bit, but it's one of those instances where the journey is more important than the destination.
Rating:
Summary: Not for the MTV generation...
Review: The negative reviews for "Master and Commander" that I've read sound like they were written by those of the MTV generation, or younger still. Anyone who is just looking for action, graphic violence and nudity will be sadly disappointed in this movie. Believe it or not, this movie actually has a Plot. I know many of you remember the days when movies still had a good plot at their core, but they have become very few and far between these days. Once in a while we get some great movies, like The English Patient, Dances with Wolves, or Schindler's List. "Master and Commander" ranks among those few films worthy of the term "masterpiece".
Rating: 
Summary: Is it possible to rate it 0 stars??
Review: This has got to be one of the most overrated and boring films of all time. I went in expecting a movie that would deliver a good story about a naval battle and the such. I left the theater feeling ripped off. The movie spends a painfully long amount of time on useless and irrelevant little stories about so called "Life on the sea". This film shouldn't even be described as a Full length movie. It should be described as a very long documentary (read dull and slow) about naval life paired with a mini action short. The only thing that kept us from falling asleep during the film was the nicely done cinematography. IMO, don't waste your time and money.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging Entertainment
Review: When I saw Master and Commander my expectations were that is was going to be a simple action movie. To my surprise I felt like I was on the journey of my life to the Far Side of the World. From the East Coast of South America, to the Antarctic, to the islands and beyond, this movie is as exciting as any high seas drama there has been. The close quarters of the film when on board make you feel a little heavy. There was not much room below decks or even above when all the men were aboard. The interesting scenes between the commander and his men, the interplay of crew and officers and the battle scenes will draw you in if you let them. Having toured empty tall ships, this was enlightening to see how cramped quarters they had. The movie will take you on a journey with the crew, making decisions that seem at times to contradict what was promised just before. But for duty and honour.... I cannot wait to get the DVD to see the other features about the movie that was one of my favorites in '03.
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