"This is the second time he's done this to me. There will not be a third." (Review)

I love this movie.

I sat for several minutes trying to come up with a clever way to start this particular review. I pondered referencing some of Peter Weir’s other movies (Gallipoli, Witness, Dead Poet’s Society) and using them as examples of his genius. I considered discussing Russell Crowe’s brilliance as an actor and referencing some of his other movies (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, L.A. Confidential). But in the end the only phrase that continued to repeat itself through my mind as I thought about Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was this: I love this movie.

At this point I usually attempt to give a brief description of the movie’s plot. In the case of Master and Commander, however, the things I love about the film have very little to do with the plot. It’s the realistic portrayal of life aboard a British frigate during the Napoleonic wars that makes the movie so intriguing for me. Like most men and boys, I have always been fascinated with tall ships. I love the way they look, with their numerous sails and masts and gallants. I’m astounded by their ability to remain at sea for months at a time. Even the command structure, the rank and roles of the men and officers on board intrigues me. Master and Commander is a movie I love because it understands my fascination with tall ships and it delivers an incredibly accurate and convincing world of life at sea.

The HMS Surprise, under the command of Captain “Lucky” Jack Aubrey, has orders to pursue the French privateer ‘Acheron’ and “sink, burn or take her a prize.” Both ships play a cunning game of cat-and-mouse, stalking each other off the coast of South America. The film is actually based on two of Patrick O’Brian’s many novels. I’ve tried reading the first one, Master and Commander, but found the pacing to be confusing and tiresome. I would like to give it another try sometime, but for now I’ll stick with the film. However, like the books, the film is not only about life at sea but focuses on the relationship between Captain Jack and his best friend, and ship’s surgeon, Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany). The two have an interesting friendship that plays itself out well during the voyage.

After seeing films like Master and Commander and The Lord of the Rings I’m convinced that the success of a film has a lot to do with the little things. What these films have in common is that the directors were concerned enough to ensure that every detail was looked after. All the props and costumes for these films were made completely from scratch. For Master and Commander, even the ropes on the ship were hand made to ensure that each line matched exactly the kind of rope that would have been used during that time period. The language that the sailors use is completely authentic as are the actions and commands of the officers on board. You could almost believe that Peter Weir simply went back in time and took a few cameras with him.

One of the main reasons I love this film as much as I do can be summed up with three little words – Digital. Theatre. Sound. The DTS 5.1 track on this DVD is simply amazing. You can hear every creak of wood, every footfall, every ruffling of the sails in the wind. During a particularly exciting scene in the gun cabin you’d be convinced that there were people actually running around upstairs in my house. The explosions and cannon fire are thunderous. The room is filled with the sounds of flying splinters, splashing water, tearing sails and musket fire. Winner of the 2004 Oscar for Best Sound Editing, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World just sounds awesome.

The picture quality is equally top notch. The 2.35:1 Anamorphic video transfer is perfect for displaying the vast openness of the sea as well as providing incredible detail during the chaotic and frenzied battle sequences. This is one of those films that really benefits from a large screen, especially considering that the film won the 2004 Oscar for Best Cinematography. It just looks awesome.

It’s worth mentioning that although Master and Commander did not win any other Oscars, it was nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Makeup, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Director and Best Picture. Including the two Oscars it did win, that’s 10 nominations in total. Despite all this, the movie never hit #1 a single week during its 26 week run. I still don’t understand why some brilliant movies fail do to very well in the theatre. I wonder if it’s because the majority of movie go-ers are teenagers who would rather see something like I Still Know That You Screamed Last Summer During That Scary American Pie Movie. But that’s a whole other rant.

The Collector’s Edition of Master and Commander comes with two discs, the second chock full of special features, which I have watched. The making-of featurette is very informative and entertaining. After watching the special features for this film, Jaws and The Abyss, I’ve gained a tremendous amount of respect for any director who can successfully pull off a ‘water’ movie. Steven Spielberg summed it up best by simply stating that “filming on water is a logistical nightmare”. The special features for Master and Commander do a great job of showing exactly how Peter Weir managed to get the job done and keep his sanity. Also included are numerous deleted scenes, production featurettes, multi-angle studies of various scenes, art galleries and trailers. It’s a bonus disc that’s packed to the gills.

Three cheers for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World! If you have not seen this film, you should be keel hauled and then hung from the main mast until six bells. Unless boats and the sea are not your thing, in which case you can feel free to abandon ship.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World gets 10 fore topmast staysails (out of 10).

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