Review of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) by Alice S — 09 May 2011

I dunno...maybe it's cuz for the last two years, I was conditioned to hate Russell Crowe, or maybe it's cuz the future of a relationship hinges upon my liking of the movie, and I subconsciously judged it on a higher caliber because Justin was lukewarm about The 400 Blows :~P...I just wasn't terribly into it.

Russell Crowe isn't bad necessarily; his character just isn't that compelling. Jack Aubrey is morally upright, albeit tempestuous at times, and his mood swings and rash decisions are somewhat predictable. He is overshadowed by the good doctor, brilliantly played by Paul Bettany, whom I like, even though the only other movie I remember him in is Wimbledon... The self-surgery scene is horrifically intense.

Nevertheless, props to the movie for eschewing the swashbuckling fun of the Pirates franchise and instead, portraying the gritty violence and danger of the high seas.