Since \Braveheart"" and ""Saving Private Ryan,"" people have been waiting for the next great blood-and-guts war movie. Many viewers will be disappointed to learn ""Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"" is not it. This is not to say, however, that this same crowd will not be pleased.
""Master and Commander,"" based on the novels of Patrick O'Brian, casts Oscar-winning star Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey, a captain of His Majesty's Royal Navy in charge of the HMS Surprise. In 1805, at the height of Napoleon's power, Aubrey is given the task of destroying the top-of-the-line French warship Acheron before it enters the Pacific theater to wreak havoc on British forces there.
Though fans are expecting a two-hour duel between classical warships, they will not find much of this. Director Peter Weir (""The Truman Show"") focuses less on the main plot of the battle between the Surprise and Acheron, and more on a plethora of subplots, ranging from quarrels among shipmates to hunts for exotic species. In this way the movie is more about life on a Napoleonic-era frigate than a battle between nations. It captures a wider audience by relying more on the experience and wonder of traveling the globe then gratuitous violence and gore.
Weir satisfies the battle-focused viewership, though. The armed conflicts of this movie are not just for special effects, but exist solely to resolve and further the story, with action limited to only what is necessary. When the ships exchange volleys, historical accuracy is maintained in that the cannonballs crash into the ships and send splinters of wood flying into the air with no advanced pyrotechnics needed. This route makes the movie more believable without sparing impressive visual effects.
The situation on the ship itself is also straight out of real life. The crew of the Surprise is a motley collection of elderly seamen, crass, middle-aged sailors and prim officers who are barely old enough for middle school. Through this Weir portrays a unique and captivating display of life in the early-19th century British navy.
Fans of Crowe will be treated to another terrific performance, but will not see anything different as he plays the same cocky-but-competent man of action he has played many times before. The film lacks in that the eclectic cast surrounding Crowe is not developed enough. Aside from Paul Bettany (""A Beautiful Mind""), who plays the ship's surgeon, few of the characters are given enough face time to make an impression on the viewer, making their successes and failures less moving.
""Master and Commander"" may not satiate the hunger of the battle-starved, but it will please this crowd in its own way. The movie blends action, exploration and the tragedy and joys of life away from home under the umbrella of one central plot, while enthralling the audience from the opening scene right up until the final credits roll. Most viewers will not get what they expect from this film, but will like what they get.
