Parents' Guide to

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Intense battle scenes and a strong story of friendship.

Movie PG-13 2003 138 minutes
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 13+

Based on 15 parent reviews

Cali_Dad
Cali_Dad Parent of 11-year-old
December 30, 2015
age 10+

Dad of 11 year old...

The period English spoken and their "slang" for my lack of a better word may leave some kids with many questions. Main review seems to have missed a F***ing word when they meet the whalers at Galapagos. I was watching with subtitles so kids could better follow and there it was in its glory.
1 person found this helpful.
Alison J.
Alison J. Parent of 10-year-old
April 18, 2023
age 12+
It’s a fantastic film, my 10 year old watched and enjoyed but he’s mature for his age. There’s a lot of violence and medical procedures but not overly graphic. They use the F word once and say arse which isn’t mentioned in the film profile.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 15 parent reviews

What's the Story?

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.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (15):
Kids say (13):

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Dr. Maturin says that "the deaths in actual battle are the easiest to bear." Would Aubrey agree?

  • Talk about life at sea. What do you think it was like to live for weeks on end on a ship far away from home? How did people at sea find fresh water? Food other than fish? How did they get mail?

Movie Details

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