MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD

Director: Peter Weir (Witness, Dead Poet's Society, The Truman Show)
Starring: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, crew of a ship

First off, these gargantuan titles - please stop making them. Beyond that however, this extraordinary film may be the most intelligent major production Hollywood has crafted in years. I'll even go out on a limb and claim that this is one of the best Hollywood movies ever made. I would rate it as one of the 100 best ever. It has extraordinary intelligence, rousing adventure, a thoroughly evoked historical world (life on a ship of the line in the 19th century). This was a great, exciting, wonderful movie.

I'm delighted to say that director Peter Weir and star Russell Crowe have refused to treat the viewer as ignorant cattle in this film, and it's a pleasant, pleasant surprise. The movie is based on the book by Patric O'Brian, an historical action drama if you will. Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars, a British frigate plays cat and mouse with a far more powerful French Dreadnaught. On this level the film is exciting and great. Much more accurately, though, this is the story of the trials of being a man in any age. The two main characters, Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe), a conservative, cultured, and yet aggresive man of action, and his close friend Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), scientific, intelligent and liberal, play off of each other showing the true conflicts a person must face in their decisions, in addition to the painful, absurd barbarisms that we all must face - like a war for instance.

Amazingly, the film worked on levels even other than this most contemplative study of man. It worked supremely as historical fiction - these characters and events were real and alive. It worked as a gripping action story - the battle between the ships was surprisingly engaging even though the action was never allowed to become excessive. A wonderful success of a film in all ways. Russell Crowe may very well receive another Oscar for his fantastic performance. Peter Weir may receive an Oscar for his splendid direction. Paul Bettany also deserves praise in addition to his possible Oscar nomination. I think this should be a classic, although I doubt it will get the attention immediately. One of the best films of the decade, if not of all time.

Standouts: Everything came together in this flick.
Blowouts: Nothing failed in any significant way.

Grade: A+