Surprise is an apt name for the vessel that carries Captain Jackand his crew on a high seas adventure full of camaraderie andglory. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, which takesplace off the coast of South America and ends in the GalapagosIslands, deserves every word of praise it receives.
Set in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars, Master recounts a battlebetween the British ship, H.M.S. Surprise, and the French shipAcheron, which is bigger, faster and more solidly built. When”Lucky” Jack gets his ego bruised in battle, he setsoff to seek revenge on the superior frigate, leaving his crew tofight the dangers of the sea and the close living quarters.
While based on the historical books by Patrick O’Brian,you don’t need to have read the books to understand themovie, nor do you need to be a history buff to enjoy it. ThoughMaster doesn’t have as wide a following as other book-basedmovies, such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Harry Potter, ithas little hype to live up to. And it surpasses any it hasgotten.
Russell Crow delivers a commanding performance as”Lucky” Jack Aubrey, the pride-driven captain of theH.M.S. Surprise.
With a character not nearly as brooding as Gladiator’sMaximus and more lovable than A Beautiful Mind’s John Nash,Crowe strikes a harmonious chord with his cast mates.
Making a believable captain, he feels for his crew and mournswith them just as well as he celebrates their comradeship. Amongthe cast is Paul Bettany, Crowe’s friend in A BeautifulMind.
The friendship of their characters is an enviable one thatsurpasses any arrogance and drive that either character may or maynot possess.
The cast of characters aboard the Surprise is well developed.You feel as if you’ve known them forever and you feel fortheir misfortune. Along the watery path this action adventuretakes, you find yourself pulling for the crew and cheering out loudwhen things go its way.
Two intense battle scenes rival some of the better land battlesin recent films. Leaving the audience on the edge of its seats andgripping its arm rests, all hope lies on the undermatched crew andits ambitious captain.
In much the same way, you begin to thirst for land like a sailorfor rum. But with few precious minutes on dry ground, this morethan two-hour long movie leaves you water logged and searching foryour seasickness patch. You ride the ups and downs of the crew withthe swells of the sea. With surgery on the high sea, the audienceis made to endure some gut—wrenching and wince-inducingimages. You don’t have to be a guy to enjoy this movie,however, you have to have the stomach for it. And while you need touse a telescope to look out for the humor, it’s sparse butfunny.
The short glimpse of a female character makes it reek of beingthrown in to break up the testosterone. Still it does very littleto keep you from realizing there are no women in this film.
There is a buzz about an Oscar nomination, and while the castcould pick up best actor or best supporting actor, with so manyother contenders, Master’s chances of reeling in Oscar goldfor best picture are slim.
The movie leaves you with a feeling of triumph and lookingforward to future conquests. The ending leaves it open for possiblesequels or perhaps just the hope for one. In short, Master andCommander leaves the audience wanting more, without feeling asthough anything was left out.
