Master And Commander
Russell Crowe has been on a roll. Since catching the attention of Hollywood with his star-making turn as hothead Bud White in L.A. Confidential, Crowe has turned out one solid film after another. Of his last four films, three have been Best Picture nominees (The Insider, Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind), and the latter two captured the crown.
His latest, Master and Commander, sees Crowe teaming with legendary Australian director Peter Weir (Dead Poets' Society, The Truman Show) for a 19th century tale of adventure on the high seas. Crowe plays Capt. Jack Aubrey, the captain of the HMS Surprise. The Napoleonic Wars are raging, and Aubrey is in hot pursuit of the French privateer Acheron off the coast of Brazil. Aubrey's orders: "You will sink, burn or take her as a prize." Ouch.
It doesn't help matters that Acheron is a larger, faster and more durable ship than the Surprise. As we see in an exciting opening sequence in which the two ships face off for the first (but not last) time, Capt. Aubrey & crew have their hands full.
The film follows the crew as they try to formulate a strategy to overtake the Acheron. Aubrey's right-hand man is the ship's doctor and naturalist, Stephen Maturin (played by Crowe's A Beautiful Mind roommate, Paul Bettany). In between debating strategy and leadership decisions, the two joust back and forth musically on violin and cello.
Weir and co-screenwriter John Collee show a careful attention to detail and don't sacrifice character at the expense of action. The result is a film that moves a bit slowly -- borderline boring in spots -- for its first two-thirds, though the pace does pick up in its last act. Still, the sharp characterization results in a memorably funny and poignant relationship between the ship's captain and doctor, aided by the outstanding chemistry between Crowe and Bettany. Crowe is stellar as usual, and Bettany looks to be a star in the making. Don't miss their "operating scene," which is sure to fry your nerves.
Unfortunately, the movie also has its share of problems. As an adventure film, the story doesn't pack many surprises, the pacing is a little slow, and while the action sequences are solid, they don't break any new ground and didn't blow me away like, say, the classic German submarine thriller Das Boot. As drama, the movie is again competent, but it's not powerful or deep enough to warrant serious Oscar consideration.
Ultimately, Master and Commander may be a bit of a victim of its own hype, with expectations high considering the film's mammoth budget ($125 million) and the dream teaming of Crowe and Weir. It's a slowly paced action film with good acting, a handful of witty lines and a few memorable battle sequences. Whether that's enough to warrant a viewing is up to you.
Send any comments/ feedback to the author.
Boozing it up might result in bit o' seasickness during the film's battle sequences, but some choice references to rum and grog compensate.
The casting of Crowe will no doubt please many ladies, but there's no romantic plot to speak of in Master.
|
|
|
Buy this Poster at AllPosters.com |
|
|
|
Buy this Photo at AllPosters.com |
|
|
|
Buy this Photo at AllPosters.com |
Related Articles:
1) Romper Stomper
2) Pirates Of The Caribbean
3) The Truman Show
4) Top 10 Hottest Actors
5) Top 10 Modern-Day Directors
