Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (PG-13, 2003)

In MASTER AND COMMANDER, Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) is captain the H.M.S. Surprise, a tall ship in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars. His orders are to "sink, burn, or take as a prize" a French ship called the Acheron. When the Acheron attacks, Many of Aubrey's crew are injured or killed and his ship is badly damaged. Aubrey must chart a new course on many levels. The Acheron is more powerful and he must lead his crew into battle against a daunting enemy, knowing that many will be wounded or killed. Aubrey is a good captain. He treats the men with dignity, kindness, and respect. But he understands that they need him to be a leader, not a friend, and that sometimes requires discipline and distance. Aubrey's nickname is "Lucky Jack." He knows that when he is in command of a group of boys and men a long way from home, it helps if they believe that he is lucky as well as wise. But that means he has to stay lucky.

Co-screenwriter/director Peter Weir has delivered a respectful but exciting film based on two of Patrick O'Brien's hugely popular books. He's clearly aiming for a thoughtful and intelligent action film for grown-ups, and comes pretty close. The action scenes are exceptionally well-staged and detailed, putting the audience in the middle of the battles. The action is balanced with a strong, classically structured story of the friendship between Aubrey and the ship's doctor, Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany).

Aubrey is a man of action who gives and follows orders while Maturin is a man of science who believes that battles are tragic distractions from the pursuit of knowledge to make the world a better place. Their two perspectives provide balance as they struggle with their duties. All of the performances are exceptionally strong and Crowe is splendid as Aubrey. Weir has succeeded in making a film that is true to O'Brien's books, utterly respectful of the history but all about the story.

Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Director: Peter Weir
Cast: James D'Arcy, Paul Bettany, Russell Crowe
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run time: 138 minutes
Theatrical release: November 14, 2003
DVD release: April 20, 2004
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: intense battle sequences, related images and brief language