During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French War vessel around South America.
From the opening, “Master and Commander” dominates the screen as few movies ever do. The clarity of the narrative is impressive from beginning to end, with its meticulous approach to detail – from the sailor’s hammocks, to the livestock on board, to the worn shoes placed in readiness on the scarred wooden floor – all breathing life into this seafaring saga. Clearly, for director Peter Weir, this undertaking was not a casual effort.
Russell Crowe plays Captain Jack Aubrey, Captain of the HMS Surprise. He pairs up well with the ship’s surgeon, Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), both of whom prolifically populate the pages of the twenty “Master and Commander” novels written by Patrick O’Brian and first published in 1969.
With orders from the Admiralty to capture, sink, or take as a prize the French ship Acheron, Captain Jack searches the South American shores of the New World for its target, only to find it and be caught off guard in the early morning hours. As is the case with so much in life, long periods of boredom find themselves suddenly punctuated with unexpected chaos.
When a midshipman, Mr. Hollom (Lee Ingleby), thinks he might have seen something resembling a Napoleonic French Ship, he hesitates about calling the crew to quarters on his watch. Mr. Calamy (Max Benitz) does so instead, which marks the makings of something like a curse for Mr. Hollom. The drama ensues, with realistic shots of men scurrying to get to their posts after little warning, and as the good doctor prepares his instruments ahead of battle. Along the way, the audience learns of Maturin’s formidable medical expertise, earning him the uniform respect of deckhands.
One of Maturin’s patients, Lord Blakeney (Max Pirkus), is a very young midshipman suffering from an arm injury obtained in battle that requires amputation at the elbow. Blakeley bravely undergoes the procedure as Captain Jack, Mr. Calamy, and surgeon’s mate Mr. Higgins (Richard McCabe) look on squeamishly.
After two perilous encounters with the Acheron, Captain Aubrey finally achieves a tactical advantage, albeit short-lived, as the larger ship escapes around Cape Horn and into the Pacific. Unexpected developments intervene, both good and bad, as the Surprise makes its way to an enjoyable and satisfying conclusion.
As the days merge into evening, Aubrey and Maturin perform with bass and violin almost nightly aboard the vessel in the captain’s quarters, despite murmured complaints next door by Preserved Killick (David Threlfall), the ship’s steward. In their moments of solace together, the captain and surgeon reflect philosophically upon the events at hand, with Maturin providing a functional sounding board to Aubrey’s somewhat dogged devotion to duty. The two men speak candidly to one another, though sometimes the exchanges become painfully raw. The script by Patrick O’Brian, Peter Weir, and John Collee blends just the right amount of action, character development, and intrigue to keep viewers glued to the screen throughout the 138-minute runtime.
The tale is a parable about real leadership that doesn’t play to stereotype – which is to say it’s not about puffed-up bravado and bluster, but rather a more thoughtful, empathetic brand that doesn’t rely on cheap flattery or coercion to rally the troops. Russell Crowe serves up another standout performance as a hero with a heart.
Production design and aerial cinematography are first-rate, as are virtually all elements of the film. The movie captured the Oscar for Best Sound Editing and Best Cinematography, and was nominated for many more, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Now available in 4K Ultra HD Digital and Blu-ray™, “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” feels like what was intended to be the first of many iterations. Unfortunately, the film was overshadowed by the third “Lord of the Rings” installment at the 2004 Academy Awards, which likely quelled any opportunity for one or more sequels. Despite that, the movie depicts a fine story, well-paced, and well-told. Far too underappreciated upon its initial release, this epic nautical adventure deserves a special place in the pantheon of motion pictures.
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