You get Russell Crowe so we are off to a good start in this movie that depicts life at sea most excellently. Real absorbing drama with a good story to tell awaits the viewer so look forward to this movie treat. In the movie Mutiny on the Bounty, it points out that while England and her Navy is run on laws its the Captain that gives it heart and justice. Captain Bly did not Master and command this but Captain Aubrey (Crowe) in this movie does a masterful job of encouraging, edifying and leading his crew making their hearts one and that is why the story works on the screen and in real life. It is better to get love and devotion willingly and with a gladness than to take it. There is a difference. The crew even sing songs about the Captain and nick-name him Lucky jack. That's stuff you have to earn. Ahoy then, starboard bow and ....

Some films are great because they uses the things they excel at to their advantage. Their greatness comes from the fact that they know exactly where their strength lies. By contrast, other films are great because they master every single aspect of filmmaking. It is proof of a vision come to life on the screen through cooperation of several talents. Peter Weir's adaptation of Patrick O'Brian's naval novel is a perfect example of the latter. Weir places the viewer in the middle of the roaring seas. It's a perfect depiction of the unpredictable nature of the ocean; delicately serene at times and ferociously violent at others. Russell Crowe displays an impressive portrayal of Captain Jack Aubrey, the dedicated and determined commander of his ship, but the rest of the cast should not go unnoted. The mission is to capture a French vessel Acheron. There is a mix of joviality and dire consequence in the air, which perfectly communicates the general atmosphere on the boat; carefree despite the inevitability of it all. This is helped, in part, by the score, which has a blend of thunderous cinematic compositions and beautiful classical pieces. It sets the adventure at full speed, sufficiently prepared for a journey at sea, topped off by an exciting finale. Watching Captain Jack go through much character development is quite the experience, and it manages to create much suspense in the film. There's something to be said about this movie's depiction of fear's influence on people. In the end, though, it's a movie about a captain and his ship that doesn't deserve to be as well-made as it is. Peter Weir is a fantastic director who never fails to impress.

Master and Commander is a sea tale set in the 1800s, in the Napoleonic Wars. In this almost two hours long movie we follow the commander of a British ship and he's crew in a journey that reminds me of those kinda old books that are so amazing to read and immerse you in such level that I can always come back to them a be as amazed as the first time I read those lines. The plot of this movie is epic, magical and touching.Wish I had more to say, but this movie is good at everything it does. Visuals are on point, acting is on point, no fillers and no unnecessary things. This is a movie you must see, period.

Numerous others discuss the plot in reviews of this film. So, my comments will focus on the source material and the movie production. "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" has some of the best sailing footage ever put on film. Although only 10 days were spent filming on board the ship at sea, the filmmakers put tremendous work into creating an authentic film. The background on the film is an interesting read. Director Peter Weir went to great lengths to give the film an aura of authenticity.The storm scenes around Cape Horn were actually shot on another ship. The battle sounds were researched, created and recorded to sound real. The ship designs, in refiguring existing ships, were precise for the time and place. The camera work was outstanding. The movie earned two Academy Awards out of 10 nominations. Had it not been for the biggest blockbuster film of 2003, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," it's likely that "Master and Commander" would have garnered half a dozen more Oscars that year. The source material for the movie is most interesting. The 20th Century Fox team writers used events from several novels of a 20-book series written by English novelist Patrick O'Brian (1914-2000). They are referred to as the Aubrey-Maturin series, after the names of the two heroes. In the film, Russell Crowe plays Captain Jack Aubrey, and Paul Bettany plays Dr. Stephen Maturin. Both men are fictional characters, and critics have tried to determine who, if anyone, Aubrey's character is based upon. Most conclude that his character and exploits closely resemble those of Lord Thomas Cochrane who was a real naval hero of England during the Napoleonic Wars. He also was a renowned naval commander who helped countries in South America and elsewhere. Another inspiration for Aubrey's character and exploits was Captain William Woolsey. The main source book for the movie was O'Brian's first novel of the series, "Master and Commander" of 1969. This was the first feature film shot on the Galapagos Islands. There's much more interesting to the background of this film. You'll find many tidbits under the Did You Know? section (trivia, et al) here on the IMDb Web page for the movie. This is a great movie to have for any film library. It's a fine film that the whole family should enjoy.