Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World

Deleted Scenes * Historical & Geographical Trivia Track * Search Content *

Personal Scene Selections * Pop-Up Map * Theatrical Trailer * D-Box

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THE FLICK: It took the might of the entire British Navy to defeat Napleon. By comparison, it only took the efforts of three studios (Fox, Universal & Miramax) to get Master and Commander to the screen. But that sort of three-way partnership was almost unheard of in Hollywood, opening the door to bigger budgets on grander epics with less individual risk than going it alone. And make no mistake, director Peter Weir’s massive undertaking of this small-scale story was quite a risk indeed. Although it stars Russell Crowe and features at least three exciting sea battles, this tale of high-seas adventure takes a far more literate approach than, say, Pirates of the Caribbean. With an emphasis on historical accuracy over action, Weir allows the politics of the ship and the grueling lives of its men (officers, mate and able seaman all) to set the tone.

Adapted from the series of novels by Patrick O’Brian featuring Captain Jack Aubrey (Crowe), a cultured but confident man of the sea, Master and Commander begins with the attack on Aubrey’s ship by a faster, stronger French vessel named the Archeron. Damaged and adrift, the crew escapes to fight another day but are then pushed by Captain Aubrey to find their enemy and complete their mission despite being outmanned and outgunned. It’s from this simplistic set-up that the movie spins several tales of shipboard life and death, including amputations, scientific exploration, supernatural curses and the physical and emotional value of a healthy supply of rum.

As good as Crowe is, he’s matched quite ably by Paul Bettany as the ship’s doctor. There’s a pleasant Kirk / McCoy (as in Star Trek) dynamic that pits the Captain’s loyalty to the crown against the surgeon’s more liberal priorities. And the sequence that forces Aubrey to choose between friendship and duty strikes at the very heart of the film. This despite the bombastic force of the battle scenes, which illustrate very well the damage that cannonballs can inflict on wood, metal and flesh. Master and Commander isn’t interested in empty spectacle; it takes time to grieve for the loss of every man and cheer at every victory.

Combining practical sets with digital enhancements, there’s never a single moment where one questions the authenticity of the proceedings. Weir takes great pains to make his film feel lived in, focusing on the minuetia of Navy policy and procedures, educating his audience on the challenges of something as simple as sailing into the wind. It’s atypical of summer movie fare. But it’s also what makes Master and Commander atypically memorable when measure against other nautical competition.

THE FEATURES: It’s sure been a long time coming! Master and Commander took a roundabout way of arriving on Blu-ray, but now it finally drifts into port with a number hi-def exclusive special features. Yet most of the extras from the two-disc collectors set have been curiously tossed overboard. A Pop Up Map allows one to track the whereabouts of both ships as they play hide-n-seek and a Historical and Geographical Trivia Track can also be turned on to educate the viewer on facts and locales featured in the film. You can also search the for words and phrases that will point to a spot in the film via the Search Content function. These are paired with around a half-hour of Deleted Scenes and the Theatrical Trailer.

How does the movie itself look? Nice…and not so nice. There’s no doubt Peter Weir’s shooting style is far from the typical Hollywood glamour and gloss, so a good bit of grain and softness is to be expected. By and large, the transfer is in keeping with other library titles, but foggy scenes and night shots tend to look flat and very standard-def.