The last time theediscerning was watching Russell Crowe in a big~screen, historical cinema epic, he was mostly muttering "Well, this is all well and good, but it was bleddy obvious from the first frame he will be dying at the end". With a series of twenty Patrick O'Brian novels to be adapted for this series, we are at least guaranteed the ending will be more satisfactory. Or are we? The beginning of the clumsily-named Master and Commander ~ The Far Side of the World (it is a dash, not a colon, according to the BBFC certificate) is equally awkward, as it seems to be the lull before the storm that goes on for far too long. The storm that ...  Read the complete review

2003 marked a welcome return to the silver screen for the seafaring epic. The Australian director, Peter Weir veteran of such films as 'Gallipoli', Dead Poets Society' and 'The Truman Show' delivered his take on the seafaring adventures of Jack Aubrey as penned by Patrick O'Brian. Totalling 21 books in all and based upon the relationship between Jack Aubrey and his trusted friend and surgeon Stephen Maturin, the delve into the trials of the Royal Navy during the Napolenic Wars of the early 19th Century. The film stars Russel Crowe as the brave, patriotic Aubrey and Paul Bettany as the trusted surgeon Maturin. The film begins with a short onscreen backstory in ...  Read the complete review

As The Crowe Flies ============ In the times of the Napoleonic war, a the HMS Surprise captained by maritime living legend Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey is assigned to intercept a french ship, the Acheron. After their first encounter it's clear that the Acheron is vastly superior to the Surprise and Aubrey will have his work cut out to defeat the enemy as his soon to become nemesis is no push over. Conclusion ======= I was keen to see this as soon as I heard about it, I am a fan of these kinds of historical films, I especially liked "The Bounty" and this sounded like a similar style. It is based on one of a ...  Read the complete review

(film only review) What’s it about? ---------------------- English sea captain Jack Aubrey is charged with hunting down a fierce French fighting ship, the Acheron, during the Napoleonic Wars. Who’s in it? --------------- The bulk of the film concentrates on the relationship between two main characters: Captain Jack Aubrey, played by Russell Crowe and his friend Dr Stephen Maturin, the ship’s surgeon (played by Paul Bettany). By far the biggest disappointment is Russell Crowe. This is the man who chewed up the scenery in Gladiator and proved he could “act” in The Insider. Here, he seems hopelessly mis-cast. For a start ...  Read the complete review

It took me far longer than I wanted to get round to seeing Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World, but it was more than worth the wait. In fact, I have no hesitation in saying it’s the best film of 2003. The initial plot is pretty simple – an English naval ship is attacked out of the blue by a French frigate. The French protagonist can out-man, out-gun, and out-sail the English vessel, but they manage to escape. The Captain, however, refuses to simply sail home and refit – the enemy must be caught and destroyed… somehow… and not all the crew think that going after such an enemy is a brilliant The lead roles (the English ship’s Captain – ...  Read the complete review