"Master and Commander: The Far Side of The World" is based on the novels by Patrick O'Brian. Though the title takes from the first two in his series, the movie is based primarily on The Far Side of The World.
This story revolves around Capt. "Lucky" Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin. Aubrey played by Crowe and Stephen Maturin played by Paul Bettany (Crowe's imaginary roomate from A Beautifual Mind".
The main plot is that this smallish British ship, the HMS Surprise, is ordered to follow and engage the larger, faster, and stronger French Ship Acheron, a ship that if it reaches Napoleon's lines could enable him to conquor the seas. It is vital that the Surprise takes this ship, a ghost ship called by some on the ship, to help enable victory for England.
Life on a tall ship is elegantly displayed. Cramped quarters, and extreme conditions are a sailor's lot, and this movie shows it well.
This movie is far better than any recent sailing movies, ie Pirates of the Carribean. As older movies before them, this movie relies heavily on plot, acting, and good movie making. The seagoing scenes were shot some on an actual ship at sea as well as the ocean tank used in the movie Titanic.
I really enjoyed this movie. Russel Crowe, though sometimes a thug, proves that he is one of todays classiest action heros on par with old time greats like Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.
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