Master and Commander: the very fine Russell Crowe dons the British Uniform to do battle with the French. It's early 1800 and Bonaparte is on the rampage. The only thing that stands between him and Britain is the British fleet. In this movie, the British fleet is just Russell Crowe and his ship, HMS Surprise.

        Crowe is lucky Captain Jack Aubrey, Lucky Jack to his crew. Throughout the film we begin to understand that Captain Jack isn't lucky, he's intelligent, arrogant, and determined. He's wily enough to decide that even though his ship is badly injured and his enemy is quicker, he can still win. The film begins with a voice over, where Crowe explains his mission; to find the French vessel Archeron and wipe it out.

        Quickly thereafter we found out just what a huge task this will be. The enemy is quicker, bigger, and has twice the guns. In the opening scuffle, Surprise is badly wounded, and the crew all vote to limp back home.

        This film is wonderful. It's not really about story so much as an experiential adventure on the high seas. Master and Commander is based on some nineteen novels by Patrick O'Brien. I'm told that O'Brien spreads much ink in describing the music played on the ship. Hence we must endure the ship's captain and doctor and their very poor finger-syncing at the violin and cello. It's almost worth it. The wonderful soundtrack accompanying the visual splendors of the high seas is cinema at its best. The use of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis is particularly masterful.

        Master and Commander is as big budget as it can be. Much of the film feels like an impressive gaggle of special effects. And they are impressive. Australian Director Peter Weir knows his stuff. My only reservation about this film is that it is more experiential than narrative driven. We get a lot of time with sweaty crew, in fact, we get all our time with them. Other than a visit to the Galapagos Islands, all the action takes place on the high seas.

        There's only one woman in the movie, who happens by in a boat when the ship visits a local island to take on supplies. She's obviously taken with the dashing Captain and the looks they exchange are surely meant to assure us that Jack's luck extends beyond the navy. Perhaps we have to wait for the sequel to find out more.

        Impressive is the best adjective to describe Master and Commander. I didn't find the film quite as entertaining as I had hoped, but that's not a criticism. The arrogant Mr. Crowe is perfectly cast as the Captain and he commands every aspect of this masterful film.

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