Barnes & Noble

Fans of seafaring sagas along the lines of Horatio Hornblower will be duly enchanted by Master and Commander, a rousing adventure in the grand tradition of Hollywood's Golden Age. Australian filmmaker Peter Weir wrote and directed this magnificent adaptation of two of Patrick O'Brian's bestselling novels, set during the Napoleonic period, when Britain still ruled the seas. Charismatic Russell Crowe is perfectly cast as O'Brian's larger-than-life hero, "Lucky Jack" Aubrey, one of Her Majesty's most able sea captains. Spotting the French warship Acheron in the waters near South America, he decides -- against the urging of his close friend, the ship's doctor, Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany) -- to pursue the phantom raider that has been laying waste to British vessels, calculating that the element of surprise will help him offset the Acheron's superior speed and armament. While Weir's adaptation offers its share of thrillingly staged open-seas combat scenes, he unfolds the yarn at a leisurely pace and lavishes a great deal of screen time on the supporting characters, particularly delineating Aubrey's relationship to his loyal crew. O'Brian's characters aren't mythic archetypes -- they're believable, flesh-and-blood entities driven only by their duty to Queen and country. Loyalty, honor, and patriotism aren't often celebrated in contemporary movies, but Master and Commander reminds us that these qualities still fuel entertaining tales. It's a gripping film with just about everything you could want: action, suspense, drama, and even a bit of humor. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Director Peter Weir's first turn behind the camera since 1998's critically acclaimed The Truman Show, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is based on two Napoleanic War-era adventure novels in author Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series, Master and Commander and The Far Side of the World. Russell Crowe stars as Captain Jack Aubrey, a high-seas adventurer who maintains a strong bond with ship-surgeon Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany). After conquering much of Europe already, Napoleon's forces have set their sights on taking Britain, so Aubrey and the crew of his ship, the HMS Surprise, take to the Pacific to intercept any attacking ships from the French fleet. When Aubrey eyes a renegade French super-frigate, the Surprise pursues, leading to an adrenaline-charged chase through the distant reaches of the sea. Edward Woodall, James D'Arcy, and Lee Ingleby also star as members of the Surprise's crew. Matthew Tobey

Product Details

• UPC: 024543435501
• Source: 20TH CENTURY FOX
• Language: English, Español, Français
• Subtitles: English, Español, Cantonese, Korean
• Time: 2:18:00
• Sales Rank: 3,652

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Day After Tomorrow / Master & Commander: the Far Side of the World

Features: