Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Russell Crowe in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

When a movie generates Oscar buzz even before it is released or reviewed, and quite possibly before it was even shot, I must admit that I go to watch that movie with some skepticism. As I did upon seeing Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, which is a movie generating just that kind of early buzz. By the time I had left the theater, my skepticism was still intact, for while the movie is well filmed and features some great naval battle scenes, I would hardly consider it Oscar worthy. But then, I never understood why Gladiator, Russell Crowe's other historical epic, was given so many Oscars either.

The film is based upon a highly successful series of books by Patrick O'Brian, which the New York Times has called "the best historical novels ever written." Not having read the books, I cannot compare the two or testify to the truthfulness of that statement, except that I am assuming the books contained a great deal more of the nitty-gritty details of life aboard an English Naval ship in 1805. Regardless of what or how the story was adapted from book to screen, the end result, at least to someone who never read the books, is an entertaining one.

Russell Crowe plays Lucky Jack Aubrey, captain of the HMS Surprise, an aging English Frigate. His orders are to intercept the French ship Acheron off the coast of Brazil, and to either sink, burn or take her as a prize. A task that he sets to with enthusiasm, and one that comprises most of the plot as the Surprise and the Acheron play a cat and mouse game of hide and seek from the Atlantic to the Galapagos islands.

Along the way the Surprise and her crew battle not only the French ship, but the weather and the clash of personalities that come from having 197 men living on top of each other in cramped quarters. It all adds up to some rip-roaring adventure upon the high seas.

Despite the colorful collection of crewmembers, including Paul Bettany as the ship's surgeon (a combination of Spock and McCoy to Crowe's Kirk), Crowe dominates the movie in the same way that Aubrey dominates the ship, using his boisterous charisma to good effect.

The battle scenes are violent and bloody, but not gratuitously. Cannons blast away as the two ships sail past each other, ripping holes in both ship and sailor alike. Although the man made destruction almost pales in comparison to the destruction nature throws at the ship as it passes around Cape Horn. Both types of action are filmed so well you can almost feel the ocean spray on your face.

By attempting to generate so much Oscar buzz, this movie may have done itself a disservice. Because of the advance buzz, I went into this movie expecting more drama, when really this is an old-fashioned adventure story told with today's modern special effects. The result is an entertaining one that should please audiences and critics alike. Why shoot any higher than that?

Russell Crowe in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

As Scott wrote, the drama is just not here. Sure, there are battles and death, but never do you have that moment where you truly see some passion come out of any character. Perhaps that is how the books are written? Perhaps it is a British thing, that they rarely show emotions? Sure, we see some sadness and some joy, but never is it displayed well enough for the audience to feel engaged.

Historically, this is a fun movie to look at. I watched it with my sons who were fascinated by how they slept in hammocks, and how the officer boys were in charge of the men of the crew.

The movie attempts some levity. The jokes are weak and even less affective than the drama. Aubrey tells a joke about a Weevil that is made to be hysterical. The officers all laugh at it, but it is truly not a funny joke. The punchline is "...chose the lesser of two weevils." My favorite joke in the movie is a toast given by Aubrey. "To wives and sweethearts. May they never meet."

Historically this movie is very fascinating. Adventure wise this movie is riveting. However, the characters are all distant and cold. Sure, I rooted for the HMS Surprise to defeat the Acheron, but never was I emotionally attached to anyone involved. Had the ship just turned around and gone back to England, I would not have felt any less for any one. Their motives for doing anything were moot.