Twenty years ago today, on November 14, 2003, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World The film arrived in theaters as an outsider in a sea of Hollywood franchises, sequels and over-the-top action films. Looking back, it’s no surprise that moviegoers didn’t know what to make of a maritime adventure set two centuries earlier during the Napoleonic Wars. Or maybe after this the audience got a lot of thrill Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Reached theaters just a few months ago. The Curse of the Black Pearl While, it was a hit domestically with $305 million master and Commander It grossed a relatively modest $118 million against a $150 million budget. When the rest of the world was taken into account, master and Commander It closed with $212 million and did not receive any sequels.
Pirates of the Caribbean You may have got a franchise worth billions of dollars, but master and Commander It is now considered a modern classic whose popularity has only increased through repeated airings on cable and the streaming era where it consistently appears on major providers. This went unnoticed, because GQ ran a feature story master and CommanderStanding appeal earlier this year. The fans who have embraced this film really love it, and if you’ve never had the pleasure of watching it master and CommanderSo we’re going to tell you why it should be on deck for your next movie night.
It features one of Russell Crowe’s best performances
Given that Russell Crowe was coming off a run that included his Oscar-winning turn the Gladiatorand his star-making role LA Confidential, it’s really impressive that his performance as Captain Jack Aubrey stands up to his previous parts. Aubrey is far from perfection, but he is a heroic man who strives to keep the crew of his ship, HMS Surprise, safe and united against a common threat. Aubrey genuinely cares about the people under his command, as seen when he gives up pursuing an enemy ship in order to rescue Stephen Maturin (as played by pre-MCU Paul Bettany) ashore. So that he can perform life saving surgery. Treat yourself and your gunshot wound.
Aubrey’s creation master and Commander Novelist Patrick O’Brien, who has described the captain’s maritime career in several books. While some aspects of Aubrey’s personality are larger than life, Crowe’s portrayal is refreshingly human and down to earth.
it celebrates friendship
This is also one of the reasons why fans appreciate it master and Commander Aubrey and Maturin have a strong bond of friendship. Their relationship was also an important part of O’Brian’s novels. In the film, Maturin often does not get what he wants from Aubrey in terms of time to pursue his scientific studies. But the captain has sympathy and respect for him. They even spend time playing music together in the captain’s quarters, although the rest of the crew does not share their interest in music.
Appropriately, the film ends with Surprise once again pursuing his enemy while Aubrey and Maturin have another jam session. This, pardon the pun, was the perfect note to release the film on.
life on the high seas
Make no mistake about it, master and Commander A beautifully shot film by director and co-writer Peter Weir. The creative team behind this film strived for historical accuracy whenever possible, which is why it feels so timeless.
Cinematographer Russell Boyd and sound editor Richard King both won Oscars for their work on this film. His efforts, and the efforts of the rest of the team behind the film, paid off in breathtaking fashion. Very few films in the last two decades have been as good as this one.
Master and Commander has an epic soundtrack
master and Commander Three composers – Iva Davis, Christopher Gordon and Richard Tognetti – were required to collaborate on the score. Their joint work gives the soundtrack an old-school cinematic feel, and they also set the tone for the film by incorporating classical music into the mix.
The result is a mesmerizing score that would have been a fantastic album, even if it wasn’t attached to the film. It’s everything you could expect to hear on a soundtrack and more.
Did someone say…battleship?
There aren’t many action sequences master and Commander, as the story focuses largely on Surprise’s crew. But Weir brings his A-game every time the crew faces off against their enemy, the French privateer, Acheron. These are the scenes when the film reaches another level of thrill.
Keep in mind that this film was made before CGI special effects dominated the field. For the most part, Weir used practical special effects and old-school filmmaking tricks to depict the battle between the two ships and the intense conflict between the two crews. Very few films in the current age of film are afforded the same luxury. This is another reason master and Commander Has made its place among the greatest films of the 21st century.
Watch Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World On Prime Video.