Master and Commander
Thumbs up. Go see it.
Random thoughts:
- I keep reading this isn't a movie for women. Don't believe it. Along with all the blood, guts and male bonding, this movie has some of the very best character studies I've seen on screen this year. It's exciting, moving, suspenseful. I'd go see it again.
- Russell Crowe's Captain Aubrey and Paul Bettany's Dr. Maturin are the most interesting on-screen friendship I've seen this year. I don't usually care for Russell Crowe, but both actors are terrific in this movie and deserve any acting nominations they may get. I read a review last week that commented that fans of Star Trek would quickly recognize the dynamic between the Captain and the doctor here as a clear inspiration for the relationship between a certain 23rd century Captain, doctor and science officer a few centuries hence. Crowe's flashy leader of his crew, man of action plays off against Bettany's more thoughtful man of medicine and science wonderfully.
- This movie is extremely visceral. It's a cliche to say, but you will feel the wind and the water. The storms and battles are very close and intense. My kudos to the special effects team.
- The most poignant thing about this movie is the impossibly young sailors that populate the ship. The characters are a heart-breaking mix of innocence, idealism, empathy, set off against the weather-worn edge of the veterans. I really loved Maturin's mentor relationship with the blond kid, Lord Blakeney, and, of course, it was fun seeing Billy Boyd as at home at the wheel of a 19th-century naval ship as he is in the gardens of The Shire. You will pick your favorite crew members and then you will live in terror during every battle in the movie that they will not survive.
- The use of music in this movie is great. The score makes tremendous use of the crew singing sea shanties on deck, hymns and violin/cello duets by Aubrey and Maturin.
- I came away from the final frames of the movie thinking the cast deserves a sequel. I rarely feel that way, as I think most movies that have sequels would have been best to leave well enough alone (Recent example? "Pirates of The Caribbean", which while being beyond fun, really doesn't need a sequel.) I know "Master and Commander" is based on a 20- book series by Patrick O'Brian, so I'd bet there's lots of material left for further adventures. I'm curious now to read one of the novels.
"Master and Commander" is easily in my top five movies of the year.
Random thoughts:
- I keep reading this isn't a movie for women. Don't believe it. Along with all the blood, guts and male bonding, this movie has some of the very best character studies I've seen on screen this year. It's exciting, moving, suspenseful. I'd go see it again.
- Russell Crowe's Captain Aubrey and Paul Bettany's Dr. Maturin are the most interesting on-screen friendship I've seen this year. I don't usually care for Russell Crowe, but both actors are terrific in this movie and deserve any acting nominations they may get. I read a review last week that commented that fans of Star Trek would quickly recognize the dynamic between the Captain and the doctor here as a clear inspiration for the relationship between a certain 23rd century Captain, doctor and science officer a few centuries hence. Crowe's flashy leader of his crew, man of action plays off against Bettany's more thoughtful man of medicine and science wonderfully.
- This movie is extremely visceral. It's a cliche to say, but you will feel the wind and the water. The storms and battles are very close and intense. My kudos to the special effects team.
- The most poignant thing about this movie is the impossibly young sailors that populate the ship. The characters are a heart-breaking mix of innocence, idealism, empathy, set off against the weather-worn edge of the veterans. I really loved Maturin's mentor relationship with the blond kid, Lord Blakeney, and, of course, it was fun seeing Billy Boyd as at home at the wheel of a 19th-century naval ship as he is in the gardens of The Shire. You will pick your favorite crew members and then you will live in terror during every battle in the movie that they will not survive.
- The use of music in this movie is great. The score makes tremendous use of the crew singing sea shanties on deck, hymns and violin/cello duets by Aubrey and Maturin.
- I came away from the final frames of the movie thinking the cast deserves a sequel. I rarely feel that way, as I think most movies that have sequels would have been best to leave well enough alone (Recent example? "Pirates of The Caribbean", which while being beyond fun, really doesn't need a sequel.) I know "Master and Commander" is based on a 20- book series by Patrick O'Brian, so I'd bet there's lots of material left for further adventures. I'm curious now to read one of the novels.
"Master and Commander" is easily in my top five movies of the year.