In a fair world, Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany would have already had three or four adventures on the high seas, but unfortunately Master & Commander didn’t make enough money in 2003. So we are left with “only” that in terms of authenticity best seafaring film ever and an outstanding adventure. This offers battles that make the much more successful competition Pirates of the Caribbean look old.
You can stream the film on Disney+.
Master and Commander is a war film that feels like an adventure film
Truman Show director Peter Weir adapted Master and Commander, an extremely successful book series by Patrick O’Brian. In 20 novels, the British writer told the story of Captain Jack Aubrey and ship’s surgeon Stephen Maturin, an unlikely duo who went to sea in the Napoleonic Wars at the beginning of the 19th century.
Disney
Master and Commander
Weir foregoes an origin story of this friendship for his film. Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and Maturin (Paul Bettany) are a well-rehearsed team, which is something you can take from the two stars who already played together in A Beautiful Mind. The crew of the HMS Surprise is also well-rehearsed. The British warship is supposed to pursue the French frigate Acheron, which seems to be superior to her in all respects. What the surprise feels right at the beginning of the film. But Aubrey doesn’t give up.
So basically Master and Commander is a war film, only on the high seas and with bullet-spewing monsters made of wood and canvas. Peter Weir, who wrote the script together with John Collee, also attaches great importance to the The spirit of discovery of doctor and naturalist Maturinso that the curiosity and momentum of an adventure film squeeze in between the hard everyday life on deck.
At Disney+: The battles beat even the expensive competition from Pirates of the Caribbean
At the latest when the Surprise has to go into action, Master and Commander turns into one harsh war film. Then the cannonballs whistle across the deck like invisible death. It splinters and bangs until you no longer know which way is up and which is down.
O’Brian’s books are characterized by their captivating nature Narration of sea battles whose strategy is understandable even for laypeople. This applies to the film as well. Thanks to Weir’s direction, the giants, which weigh several tons, appear agile and dynamic. This means he can do without extreme action exaggerations, such as those found in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. And that doesn’t mean octopuses.
Better and more realistic sea battles than in Master and Commander rarely or never exists in the cinema. Their effectiveness is due, among other things, to the fact that they are used so sparingly. As with Das Boot – just not to the same extent – what is of interest here is everyday life on the ship, the power dynamics, bullying attacks and pure boredom. This interest in humanity within the war machine turns Master and Commander into a great film that should serve as a model for literary adaptations.
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