 Movie
Reviews
with Evelyn Gough
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (M)
Directed by Peter Weir
 Nice puffy shirt there, Russ - now go for the biffo!
There's only one man I know who can make a puffy shirt look sexy and that man is hunky Coffs Harbour farmer Russell Crowe. Don't believe me? Check him out as Captain Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, an absorbing adventure story set on the high seas during the Napoleonic war.
The year is 1805 and Napoleon is kicking ass all around Europe. England is under threat and the oceans have become battlegrounds but unfortunately for the British the French have far superior ships as 'lucky' Captain Jack and his faithful crew aboard HMS Surprise discover when they are nearly blown to pieces by the French frigate Acheron. Retreating to lick their wounds, bury the dead and repair their broken ship, the men think they are to return to England, however Captain Jack has other plans. Against the advice of his best friend and confidante, ships surgeon, Dr Stephen Maturin (Paul Betany), the captain decides to chase the Acheron around the perilous Cape Horn in an attempt to either capture her or destroy her.
His crew will follow him anywhere, but even they begin to lose faith after a run of bad luck and matters aren't helped when old-timer, seaman Joe Plaice (George Innes) warns "she's a devil ship leading us into a trap". Yikes!
Aussie director Peter Weir and his talented team have done a superlative job at recreating a bygone era. In this adaption of the swashbuckling novel by Patrick O'Brian, the filmmakers have been careful not to romanticise life at sea. Life on board the surprise is claustrophobic, filthy and at times terrifying. The realistic battle scenes had me biting my nails and several primitive surgical procedures had me wincing.
Russell Crowe gives a fine performance as per usual and is ably supported by a great cast with standout performances from Betany and young Max Pirkins as midshipman Lord Blackeney.
For movie trivia buffs: It's the first time anybody has been allowed to film a movie on the ecological treasure known as the Galapagos Islands.
If you enjoy quality filmmaking and can appreciate a cinematic experience that transports you into a different world then I highly recommended Master and Commander.
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