Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding films of adventure!
Review: Nothing like great naval adventures at sea featuring the English Navy of old! The Horatio Hornblower series are so well filmed! The acting is great, the stories are excellent and the photography is always perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed these movies featuring mutiny, battles, facinating characters and the rough life of being at sea for the English Navy. The series follows Ioan Gruffudd on his naval military career as Horatio Hornblower and each movie is an adventure all by itself! This set completes the series and is put together very well. I can't wait for more movies to come out!
Rating: 
Summary: Rousing High-Seas Adventures!
Review: Others have already commented on why these films are so entertaining. I merely wanted to add my voice to the chorus. To those who might be a bit skeptical of purchasing this set, it's true that the films are a bit uneven, yet they range from merely good (The Fire Ships) to superb (the final two films featuring David Warner in a chilling performance as a sadistic, paranoid captain). The films also depart from the books, for instance by rearranging material from Mr. Midshipman Hornblower across the first four films. Don't worry, though: the movies stay true to the spirit, if not always the letter, of the novels. When the novels and films differ, the films often improve on the original, adding more drama and character development with intelligence and flair.Overall, these are really exciting, interesting tales of high-seas adventures (and some thrilling drama on land, too). The production values are unusually high for TV movies, and the main actors, particularly Lindsay and Warner, deliver wonderful performances. Some really interesting extra features are included (though a more in-depth making-of documentary would have been nice), and if you're not already intrigued by the golden age of sail, the documentaries may well whet your appetite to learn more. Overall, this is smart, exciting stuff filled with the romance of the high seas and the great sailing ships of yore, the thrill of battle, and the drama of a young man thrust into incredible circumstances and dramatically rising to the occasion.
Rating:
Summary: I give 3 cheers and 3 cheers more for Horatio!
Review: These movies are just so good that I've even gotten my teenage sister enjoying them! Hornblower is the quintessential hero and here he is brought to life with the amazing achievements of the cast and crew. Everything from the acting, costume designs, and sets, to the music is extraordinary. I would give it more stars if I could. Buy it for yourself!
Rating:
Summary: Horatio!
Review: These movies are so compelling and finely made that I love watching them over and over again. I've watched them with friends--with varying interests in history--who also instantly loved them. Ioan Gruffudd had no small part in effecting our admiration for the series, as he is not only terribly handsome but a *very* good actor. As Horatio, he carefully evolves from a seasick, self-conscious boy to a commanding figure of maritime skill. Horatio is a very complex character and his exploits are a pleasure and an adventure to watch. If you haven't seen Horatio Hornblower, you really ought to!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Stories of the Royal Navy
Review: These, of course, are adaptations of C.S. Forrester's wonderful book series on the adventures of Horatio Hornblower. (The first four movies are based on the book "Mr. Midshipman Hornblower" and the last two on "Lieutenant Hornblower"). And while they obviously cannot be faithful to the books in every repsect, they still prove to be excellent films. The stories are wonderful, tracing the heroic exploits of a young midshipman in the Royal Navy as he matures into a very competent officer. These movies are not only in great in terms of story, but also production. We are told during one the DVD extras that the films were made using a combination of full-size vessels as well as scale models. Only once (out of countless shots) could I tell a shot employed a model. The casting is also outstanding. From Hornblower to Captain Pellew and to Hornblower's men, everyone gives a great performance, making you believe that they are indeed the characters they are portraying. Ioan Gruffudd is particularly good in that he has expertly captured the complexity of the Hornblower character. (And incidently, some other reviewer mentioned something about him as the next James Bond - check out some of his publicity pics on online, and I think they might be right...!). Of course, despite the persistent arguing of others, we know that these are NOT based on the life events of any one person. While, he interacts with a few historic figures (e.g. Captain Pellew), the Horatio Hornblower character is fictional. (Yes, I am aware of the Hornblower biography written by C. N. Parkinson, but it is supposed to be all in fun!). If you like Napoleonic battles, or are into Naval films, or perhaps would like to see some films about the growth and maturing of an honorable man, these films are for you!
Rating:
Summary: Superb on all counts!
Review: This captivating mini-series has everything you would want in an adventure series: gallantry, intelligence, plots that engage your imagination, characters that you care about and actors that are at the top of their form.
The historic and naval details are just enough to make you appreciate the authenticity of the series, but does not bog down the plot with too much minutiae.
The script is witty, and compelling and not a word is wasted or meaningless. Every word out of Pellew's mouth is a gem and every look on Horatio's, Archie's or Bush's face speaks volumes.
The cast will soon become favorites whom you will look for in other films, but their work in HH may just be their best ever.
I suggest that you buy the series, because one viewing of this magnificent series, is not enough.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic...!
Review: This is a great production... It's a gift to society. Great story and loveable characters, and great acting...! The music score is lovely... (keep forgetting the composers name) but it's lovely! Must say that next to "Band of Brothers" this is the best TV show ever made...!
Rating:
Summary: It was for the good of the service
Review: This new complete set of the adventure of Horatio Hornblower is great. It is about a boy trying to become a man, a man struggling to become a leader. The first four movies are individuals, but the other two are not. The distinguished in the fifth part-"Mutiny" -that it makes you angry, whereas the sixth part- "Retribution"- makes you confuses. And when the captain James Sawyer was locked up and provokes his first lieutenant Bukland, he reminds me with Dr. Hannibal in the Silence of the lambs. And I did not like the way the four lieutenants wears theirs military hats, I think if they wear it in the normal way it would be better. And what is the point of Horatio Hornblower nudity scene? It is an Action/Adventure movie, not an erotic movie!
Rating:
Summary: Great action
Review: This series is fantastic..it is filled with action from beginning to end. The actors are great.
Rating: 
Summary: Dire and very poor!!!!!!!!
Review: This series is made for the ITV network in the UK, and regrettably that network tends NOT to produce TV series with the quality that is normal for the BBC. Hornblower, regrettably, is poor. Worse, it's utterly dire. Perhaps I am prejudiced - I spent many years serving with the Royal Navy. Further, I was entranced by the Hornblower novels as I was growing up. There is something very 'artificial' about this series. It lacks verisimilitude. The writers have taken liberties with how the Royal Navy (then and now) work. Whilst much of the filming can take advantage of real locations, the overall feeling is one of slightly flimsy canvas backdrops that flutter with every breath of wind. The ships are clearly of the wrong scale; officers shout nonsensical orders; Hornblower stand immediately behing cannon shouting 'Fire!!!' without regard to recoil. I'm afraid that there were too many 'unreal' moments for me to be able to take this series seriously. If you want to get a picture of the napoleonic wars, you're better by far to read the novels (and include Alexander Kent and Patrick White), and to let your imagination fill in the rest.
| 
