Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

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Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

PG-13

2003

2h 19m

Adventure

Drama

War

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Popcornmeter

85%

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227 Reviews

80%

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100,000+ Ratings

In 1805, aboard the H.M.S. Surprise, the brash Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his trusted friend, the ship's scholarly surgeon, Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), are ordered to hunt down and capture a powerful French vessel off the South American coast. Though Napoleon is winning the war and the men and their crew face an onslaught of obstacles, including their own internal battles, "Lucky Jack" is determined that nothing will stop the Surprise from completing its mission.

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Critics Consensus

Russell Crowe's rough charm is put to good use in this masterful adaptation of Patrick O'Brian's novel.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

Sep 9

5/5

It’s the stuff in between the action, of course, that marks this movie as a masterpiece. Weir is one of the great thinking film-makers and a committed altruist, so the lion’s share of screen time is devoted to small acts of kindness on board.

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Kat Sachs

Chicago Reader

05/16/2024

Master and Commander is both quite good and a fun watch.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

05/08/2023

... As satisfying as an epic yarn as it is as an intimate study of male friendship and courage.

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Katie Hogan

FILMHOUNDS Magazine

Sep 10

4/5

Master & Commander could very well be considered a forgotten epic but with releases such as the new Steelbook, keeps the magic of the film alive.

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Douglas Davidson

Elements of Madness

Aug 29

It’s because of the film’s ability to balance so much that audiences connect with "The Far Side of the World," creating the burgeoning fan base that has kept the film in conversation well past its initial release.

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Allison Rose

FlickDirect

Aug 5

4.5/5

A thrilling high-seas adventure, Master and Commander delivers gripping naval warfare, strong performances, and breathtaking cinematography.

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Xi C

Jan 19

People said this movie is historically accurate about sailing and naval gun fight of Napoleonic war. I can't agree more. The rigging of the ship, the sailor handing the sails, boarding the enemy ship... all are so impressive and I ended up buying the original book series. And I love the book too!

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Forest

Jan 13

An excellent and very accurate period piece, perhaps one of the best historical fiction films. Peter Weir was able to balance both the loud battle scenes and the quiet interactions between characters.

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Samuel C

@RannyManny Dec 18

Anyone who is even remotely interested in the age of sail is going to lose their mind seeing this movie, its such an amazing film with great acting and a really well made musical score to back it up.

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Romas M

@Romas Dec 14

Greetings from Lithuania. "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" (2003) is the top tier of what Hollywood is capable to produce. The budget of this movie was astronomical for the time, and sadly this movie was a disappointment at the box office therefore there was never a sequel. Shame, because this film is amazing in every possible way. All of the scenes of "Master and Commander" are like a painting - if you pause a movie at any point of can take a picture of it and put in on a wall - it is that good looking film. Story was very interesting even when seeing this movie for many times - and script is way more then just a story about chasing a ship - this is a multilayered story with many things beyond the surface. The sound design, costumes, cinematography, set design - all done on highest level and helps to place a viewer in time and place.

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Aileen D

Nov 21

My husband and I read all of Patrick O’Brian seagoing novels, so we were delighted to see this movie. A classic. So authentic and engaging, especially the battle scenes. The photography is magnificent, earning an Oscar, but all elements were well done. You really felt you were on the ship Surprise along with the men, experiencing their hardships and triumphs.

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Cameron H.

@camthemovieman Nov 12

This is one of the best historical films ever made! With strong performances from the cast, especially Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany, a gripping story filled with tension and drama, beautiful cinematography, and surprisingly accurate naval war action, this is a film you need to see!

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Peter Weir

Director

Russell Crowe

Jack "Lucky" Aubrey

Paul Bettany

Dr. Stephen Maturin

Billy Boyd

Coxswain Barrett Bonden

James D'Arcy

Thomas Pullings

Lee Ingleby

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Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In 1805, aboard the H.M.S. Surprise, the brash Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and his trusted friend, the ship's scholarly surgeon, Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), are ordered to hunt down and capture a powerful French vessel off the South American coast. Though Napoleon is winning the war and the men and their crew face an onslaught of obstacles, including their own internal battles, "Lucky Jack" is determined that nothing will stop the Surprise from completing its mission.

Director: Peter Weir
Producer: Samuel Goldwyn Jr., Duncan Henderson, Peter Weir
Screenwriter: Peter Weir, John Collee, Patrick O'Brian
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Samuel Goldwyn Films, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, Miramax Films
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Drama, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 14, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $93.9M
Runtime: 2h 19m
Sound Mix: Surround, DTS, Dolby EX
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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