Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

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Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

PG-13

Released Nov 14, 2003

2h 19m

Adventure

Drama

War

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85%

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224 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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Kat Sachs

Chicago Reader

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

May 16, 2024

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

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

May 8, 2023

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Anthony Lane

The New Yorker

We feel ourselves to be in good company with these men, and strangely jealous of their packed and salted lives.

Jan 18, 2022

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Stephen Silver

The SS Ben Hecht

Above all else, it’s a portrait of a complex but ultimately healthy male friendship. The kind where the captain and ship surgeon take breaks from their adventures to play classical music duets. (20th anniversary)

Rated: 4.5/5

Nov 17, 2023

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Collin Garbarino

WORLD

The film depicts the indignities of a 19th-century life at sea, along with the horrors of the Napoleonic Wars. But the narrative rests on the bedrock of Aubrey and Maturin’s friendship.

Rated: 4/4

Nov 3, 2023

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Loren King

Newport This Week (RI)

Weir wisely grounds the intense but wearying high seas adventure in the friendship between Aubrey and Paul Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin, the ship’s surgeon who tends to the many wounded.

Aug 3, 2023

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Audience Member

Always a joy to watch over and over again. Great visuals give audiences that feeling that they are on board an early 19th century British ship! Fantastic performances throughout and a pretty good story about friendship and duty.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/25

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Rosie S

Aside from the spectacular cinematography, and the ebb and flow of the movie’s energy from kinetic and chaotic to calm and almost peaceful, the effort that went into developing the characters and their interactions with one another made the sub story about relationships and feelings believable in the context of the overarching war story . Where so many “masculine” movies skip the effort to build emotion through moments of quiet and dialogue, this one takes the time to show how young and old can interact with love and respect , how different classes can act with love and respect, and how everyone”s existence can be essential to the success of the mission and to survival of the greater whole. Unlike many movies today, the characters here could disagree and have different belief systems, and yet respect each other deeply—working as a team for the greater good.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/25

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Sam R

What an amazing movie. One I will watch again for sure.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/04/25

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Allen C

As an avid fan of the books this movie does a great job of keeping true to the original story line. All in all a must see one of my favorites.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/24

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Sanford S

This was an amazing experience of being lifted out of your a seat and immediately made a part Of the crew on a dashing Royal Navy man’o-war perhaps 150 years ago. It effectively depicts the challenges of everyday life on a warship with never ending gripping action. This is a nautical classic with great acting and photography.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/08/24

Full Review

Audience Member

A timeless classic, epic from beginning to end! You will laugh and cry and fee exasperated as if you are right there in the movie. Brutal, human, funny, resilient, a great depiction of life at sea in the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic wars! Guaranteed that you will be so enamoured that you will do some private research on interesting aspects presented!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/14/24

Full Review

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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

Hollom

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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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