Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Master and Commander

I saw this in the past week. Let me assure you, it's a great movie. Besides the fine acting, special effects, and sets, it has a good (albeit simple) storyline. I loved the musical score, as well. If you dig swashbuckling stories, or yarns about life on the ocean, or just have a soft spot for historical dramas, this movie provides all the above. Very realistic and entertaining. And a movie about character and the leadership of men. Four Stars.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

posted by Wes @ 5:38 PM 2 comments

2 Comments:
At 12:46 AM, Anonymous said...
The Year is 1793, as England prepares to enter what history will label the “Napoleonic Wars”; a young man of seventeen enters service in his Britannic Majesty’s Royal Navy. “What is your name son?” asks an officer to a young man newly reporting on the bridge. “Hornblower, Horatio Hornblower, sir.” stammers the nervous youngster. “How unfortunate for you”, is the gruff reply. So begins the swashbuckling adventures of our young hero striving to earn a career as an officer in England’s Royal Navy. Hornblower is attentive in learning his responsibilities as a midshipman and contentious of his honor and status as a gentleman.

Master and Commander lacked the plot, detail and intrigue of the Horatio Hornblower series. To compare M&C to HH is almost a waste. M&C is a cheep knock off, of a great series. Big budgets and special effects can’t make up for poor story telling.

If you want great storytelling, centered on adventure, comradeship and integrity get all the movies in the Hornblower series. If you want some pasty Englishmen, whining about his bug collection, and how unfair it is to fight for King and country when there are butterflies to chase, get M&C. One note of praise for M&C, watching it gives one a good idea how long a sailboat takes to get from England to the south pacific and back again.


At 12:50 AM, Anonymous said...
The Master and Commander verse Horatio Hornblower post was Res. Sorry about that Wes.

Anonymous said...

While I am not overly afamiliar with Horatio Hornblower, I very much enjoyed M&C... except as you stated Res, for the bug collecting vs. fighting for God and country.

I really enjoyed watching the young boys as officers, develop and take charge when needed (or not as the case may be). I'll never forget as one of the main young officers (can not recall his name) led the charge onto the French ship, having lost his arm in a previous battle (or accident), weilding his pistol like a pro.
While I agree that the storyline was simple, it was an enjoyable movie.

Nate said...

Master and Commander ruled. Resispa just has his panties in a wad because it didn't meet his his mandatory love story in the plotline.

Wes said...

Res,

Glad to have ya.

I liked M&C, but you do have some good points. The whiny bug-collecting scenes were a bit much. I hadn't thought of that. As for Hornblower, I saw the one w/ Gregory Peck, from the '50s (I believe). It was pretty good. I haven't seen the newer ones. I believe the Brits made them, right? (fitting) My local library has 'em, so maybe I'll check 'em out, in the future.

Wes said...

lol at Nate. Good to see ya, buddy.

Anonymous said...

A&E made the new Hornblower movies.

I never read the books but I understand that the moves try to stick to the original story. I recommend the movies as first rate family fare. Very little cursing (modern English) and the nuddie scene in one movie is brief.

Nate would like it, it’s a quick shot of a man’s butt.

I understand that A&E has one more movie to make to finish the series. I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Res

Wes said...

haha. Sounds good, Res. Thanks for the update.