Cheap Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World (Widescreen Edition) (DVD) (Peter Weir) Price

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Customer Reviews of Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World (Widescreen Edition)

Great movie!
This was a great purchase. This is a very good movie and would recommend it to anyone. It was shipped quickly and arrived in great condition.

Fabulous View from the Crowe's Nest
Master and Commander <
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>Fabulous View from the Crowe's Nest <
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>I avoided "Master and Commander" for awhile, unwilling to face disappointment. The movie looked cool, and with the ever-admirable Russell Crowe at the helm, seemingly a sure winner. But what if it was terrible? <
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>I finally faced my fear and found to my delight that "Master and Commander" is a wonderfully rich and varied experience that was well worth the wait. The film's action is fairly straightforward. An English man-o-war, the "Surprise," must intercept the much swifter and stronger French "Acheron" before it reaches the Pacific and spreads Napoleon's empire into that hemisphere. But to this basic period chase story is added a fast-paced plot, a wonderful cast, superb effects, excellent performances and more twists than a cat-o-nine. Crowe plays Capt. Jack Aubrey, a brave and audacious pilot who has spent much of his life aboard the Surprise. The boat is well past its prime, but Audrey knows how to squeeze every ounce of speed out of her. Paul Bettany shines, or rather glowers as Dr. Stephen Maturin. He is a cynic, an old friend of Aubrey's and the ship's talented surgeon, whose land-bound habits and moral code make him a perfect foil for Crowe. When the two aren't fighting each other, they are playing classical strings pieces in the Captain's cabin. <
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>"Master and Commander" masterfully mixes disparate are elements - the sailors' superstitions and their Christian piety when burying at sea; their fighting prowess alongside their tenderness toward their sick comrades; their love of grog along their dogged will to work. The film includes a number of scenes and characters that could easily have descended into cliché: the amputation; the noble-yet-caring captain; the encounter with native women. But smart writing and a focus on the mission keep both the Surprise's crew and the film's plot focused. Special applause goes to Max Pirkis as a doughty young midshipman. Sharp-eyed viewers will also note Billy Boyd (filmed in the midst of his role as Pippin in "The Lord of the Rings") as a rambunctious coxswain. <
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>M&C is quick-footed and thrilling, with battle scenes that are breathtakingly brutal. The effects of cannon shot on a ship's hull have never been so convincingly rendered. The camaraderie among the crew is heartwarming and sincere. The plot line is far from predictable. And finally, a movie that does not insult a viewer's intelligence! The film's final shot tells us, without needing to show us, what happens as the credits are rolling. Terrific, terrific, terrific! <
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>(There are no DVD extras to speak of apart from a few previews. Alas! But so much the more to preserve the story's magic!)