Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Thanks to the engaging filmmaking and realistic setting, I can safely say: I was there with them. On the ship during the storm, during the battles and during the moments of relaxation, and I was not bored at all. In the opening battle I was thrown into the whirlwind of the action, with blood, sweat and tears at my fingertips, during the scene with the crashing my ship was being tossed from side to side, and on the Galapagos I relaxed with the Doctor to the strains of the double bass and it was enjoyable. If Weir wanted to show a detailed portrait of life on an English battleship, he succeeded. If he wanted to make an adventure story, he certainly didn't miss. And certainly not with this select ensemble of actors. I believed Crowe and Bettany and their captain and doctor, respectively, every second. And by the way, do you want to know how a scarecrow can help win a naval battle? Then don't hesitate with this film. (30/06/2004)

I can't remember the last time I found out before the movie climaxed that I had barely been breathing. It had to be a long time ago, and it had to be for a movie similar to Master and Commander. This is a wonderful callback to old times, robust filmmaking with a clear vision, precise leadership and superbly put together dramatic layers. Peter Weir has commanding skills and the steadfastness of captain Jack, but he also remains an analytical observer like Dr. Stephen. The way individual characters are built, and the way chemistry is maintained by the crew, should be in a cinematic tactics textbook. In a few minutes, a person is on board and participates in a cruise that is both informative, exciting and emotional. Moreover, Weir's typical dualities of small and large universes are reflected here, when war, politics, and science are all reflected in the relationships and conversations of the characters, without the film sliding into any exaggerated philosophizing. Everything's just right, and the dust won't get wet despite the thunderous runtime. This blew off my main mast. Huzzah! (and the second part, from what Peter Weir told us, is not utopia). (02/04/2011)

A perfect combination of artsy chamber piece focused on characters and “how things worked on those beautiful vessels with sails" with a simple adventure for boys about friendship and duties like out of a dime novel you read secretly during lessons. Despite having nothing whatsoever to do with the equally marvelous book the movie is based on (this is more a mixture of the first and third book with a bit from the tenth book in the Aubrey and Maturin series), this is a simply wonderful movie in its sense for historical precision, characterization of characters or nods for readers (Jack’s missing earlobe, letters to Sophia, Maturin’s “floral" waistcoat etc.) And technical aspects keep step with the content - they are the highest possible standard. The only thing that disappoints me is the non-existence of a director’s cut. As a whole twenty-four minutes of cut scenes demonstrates, not just ballast, but much high quality material was left out of the final cut. (28/01/2007)

For a large part of its runtime, Master and Commander maintains an excellent five-star level of unconventional drama, which does without typical genre clichés and is characterized by a decent atmosphere. The director is not as interested in the war action as in depicting the life of a sailboat crew at the beginning of the 19th century, and through minor incidents and dialogues, the viewer learns a lot not only about a sailor's life but also about the whole society of that time. Among other things, it is a film about friendship and responsibility and a hierarchy of values. The final third of the film, which portrays the clash of two warships, is predictable, clichéd, and above all poorly shot, as well as fragmented, chaotic, and poorly edited. Peter Weir simply doesn't know how to do this, it's not his area of expertise. The culmination of the film for me was not the battle frenzy, but several dialogues between the captain and his ship's doctor. Overall impression: 80%. The film has an excellent cast, with Russell Crowe excelling in his role. In addition to the cast, the film's strengths include the authenticity of the setting and the cinematography, which utilizes all the possibilities that the ocean environment provides. (26/08/2008)

Master and Commander is a picture not so much about great sea battles, but more a study on Captain “happy Jack" Aubrey. Peter Weir’s ingenious direction is aided by the great Russell Crowe and the no less excellent Paul Bettany. Wonderful shots of the sea alternate with the amazing wildlife of the Galapagos. I found the music very powerful. (02/09/2007)