In Master and Commander, Russell Crowe sets a course for adventure filled with action and intelligence in one of 2003's best films.
By STEVE PERSALL
Published November 13, 2003
[Photo: Twentieth Century Fox/Universal Studios/Miramax Films]
Russell Crowe stars in Master and Commander. He plays the British navy’s brilliant and flawed Capt. “Lucky” Jack Aubrey who pursues a superiorly armed foe across two oceans.
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Every action movie these days begins with a bang, some cacophonous hook to inform viewers of the thrill ride ahead. They all look and sound the same, except for the battle that gets Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World under way.
Set in the early 19th century, when gunpowder was the combustible of limited choice, Master and Commander - that elongated title is the most unwieldy thing about Peter Weir's movie - gets going with the muffled boom of cannons fired by a French warship at the HMS Surprise, led by dauntless Capt. "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe).
No fire except the flash of ignition from a distance, muted further by dense fog. No explosion upon impact but the stunning concussion of a bowling ball-sized hunk of lead first ripping through theSurprise's wooden hull then through the flesh and bone of several crew members. Damn the torpedoes or depth charges or missiles Hollywood typically unleashes at sea. Weir goes full speed ahead with the most powerful dramatic weapon of all: veracity.
It's a stunning introduction to one of the best films of 2003, establishing Weir's mandate of authenticity. He has always been a filmmaker credited with establishing perfect worlds within his films, from the Turkish battlefields of Gallipoli and Indonesian intrigue of The Year of Living Dangerously, to the fabricated-for-TV existence of The Truman Show. Weir does it again with Master and Commander, creating a constantly engrossing tale of seafaring strategy, spot-on personalities for the era and those gloriously staged bouts of warfare. This is a rare action flick that makes viewers feel smarter for watching it.
When the smoke clears, Master and Commander carefully depicts the consequences of the assault: repairing the Surprise's extensive damage, doing the same for its injured crew and possibly for Aubrey's confidence. Rebuilding a mast proves less difficult than amputating the mangled arm of a sailor who appears to be about 10 years old. Brain surgery becomes a public display in a time when internal organs were mysterious things.
Pride calls for a refurbished ship's cannon-blasted figurehead. Pride also urges Aubrey to never let his French foe create such havoc again, setting off a sea chase and severe doubts about what the Surprise can accomplish when the enemy's superior ship is located again.
Aubrey knows the French privateer vessel Acheron's stern is vulnerable to cannon fire but getting behind this swifter, brawnier target requires superb strategy. Master and Commander is at its best when detailing how that feat might be accomplished, with floating decoys, smart maneuvers and concealing fog banks. The tension isn't steeped in speed - thanks to the reality of 19th century weaponry, the enemy can be within sight for hours before getting close enough to engage - yet Weir makes every move count. We see warfare appearing fresh simply because it's so outdated, in a film so detail-oriented that it feels like a breakthrough.
But this isn't all about battle, at least not the military kind. It's also a drama of a changing world, intersecting the superstitious past with a scientific future. Aubrey is old school, piloting an aging ship against the Acheron's pioneering design. His obsessed chase extends that dynamic even further when Aubrey's friend and surgeon, Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), sees an opportunity to be the first scientist to examine the exotic Galapagos Islands and its wildlife. Duty vs. science, one friend's self-interest pitted against the other, create deeper drama in these meticulously realized surroundings.
Crowe cuts a dashing figure, a born leader whose eyes gleam with the prospect of battle. The screenplay by Weir and John Collee, based on two novels by Patrick O'Brian, doesn't focus on how to make Aubrey seem heroic but what that intrepid spirit may cost. Crowe isn't here to be showcased as a movie star; as with his Oscar-winning turn in Gladiator, playing a flawed, somewhat self-doubting hero results in a showcase role.
His chemistry with Bettany's Maturin is the film's anchor, inspiring one of the few quiet scenes. The men play a duet on violin and cello, creating some sense of calm in an escalating storm. Their differing opinions on the Galapagos expedition reveal some pettiness in both characters and its resolution develops an inspiring blend of loyalty and discovery. Just one more reason why this is the most intelligent action flick in recent memory.
Weir is master and commander of a terrific movie, full of wit and a perspective of wonder enlightening viewers to the 19th century mind-set. Rarely does any film impact the mind as well as the gut with as much consistency as this. Keeping one eye on the creative horizon and a steady hand on the wheel, Weir creates exciting popcorn-and-caviar entertainment. Two great tastes that aren't allowed often enough to taste great together in movies today.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Grade: A
Director: Peter Weir
Cast: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy, Edward Woodall, Billy Boyd
Screenplay: Peter Weir, John Collee, based on novels by Patrick O'Brian
