"Master and Commander"..should have stayed on the far side of the world!!!
 

What is all the hype with this movie? (possible spoilers)

I just saw it and it was simply not a good movie. The pacing was way off and slow. The acting was just ok and was relegated to discerning looks and bewildered guiles by Crowe. The Dr., Bettany probaby had a more significant role but his character was not nearly fleshed out as it should have been so you could hardly feel for him when he couldn't get to collect and discover on the Galapagos.

As for the "intense battle sequences" I thought they were merly so so and way too short and the last being very anti-climatic after they had discovered the weakness. The young soldiers played a more active role in commanding than Aubrey and thus I felt more, especially when the other one perished. The scenes never engaged as they should have and I thought were better done on "Pirates of the Carribbean".

I really wanted to like this movie and was going to buy it after reading the discussions. I rented it so thankfully and am really disappointed. Did I miss something? I mean I like to think I know movies and pretty much read this. It was a simple story of cat and mouse, but the viewer is never enthralled by the chase and once they do catch up...pfft!

Anyway, if I missed something, someone please bring it to my attention, but all in all what a big disappoint.

<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_3_111.gif' alt='Sailing' border=0></a>

Well, it's not for all tastes. Do you like serious historical and/or military movies in general? (And no, Pirates of the Carribean does not count.) ;)

Amen! I couldn't agree more. I don't know why critics and the Academy found this film so great. I usually agree with them and I like Russell Crowe and historical movies. Me and my friend left the theater and were both shocked at how bored we were. I almost fell asleep.

Re: "Master and Commander"..should have stayed on the far side of the world!!!
 

Sure it was. The writing was terrific. The acting was great, from everyone including Crowe, Bettany, Max Pirkis, etc. The cinematography was excellent, fantastic use of special-effects, good musical score, the pacing was leisurely and enjoyable, the depiction of simple ship-board life was fascinating and well-done.

It's a Peter Weir movie. You seem to have been expecting a slightly more historical Pirates of the Caribbean.

I suggest you get a couple more hours of sleep at night. Even two can make all the difference.

Yes, very much actually! I am a History teacher and relish in them. "Glory", "All Quite on the Western Front", most realistic war movies, "Hidalgo" was even better, etc...

This movie just did not work on many cylinders. I very much like Russel Crowe as an actor too, I think he is one of the best around and was thoroughly captivated by "The Insider" which i felt was his best..but this was just sub-par and weak. Peter Weir as well I have liked, especially "The Truman Show" so I was expecting much much more.

I think the hype has created a tinted eye for this movie. But just my opinion.

The marketing department deliberatley scammed everybody into thinking this was Gladiator on water and used the many positive critical blurbs to enforce the idea before it got released.

After it was out, many people felt the same way you did because what they got was not what they were lead to expect. If one were to look at it knowing it was going to be high dialogue and story with low action, they might have been warmer to it. Problem is, most of the modern audience doesn't have the patience to wait for action nowadays.

maybe so on the action, but i like good dialogue too and this didn't even have that!

Good thing you're not an English teacher.

The word isn't relic, it's "relish" and the phrase is "did not fire on all cylinders" (although your mixed metaphor is fairly amusing and works, too).

I bought this as a blind buy and found it to be much better than I thought it would be. Great pacing and story. I'm glad it wasn't just a big dumb action movie (although the battle scenes were thrilling, in my estimation).

i leave my brain in school and therefore i do not check my grammar or spelling because i don't care. i get my point across and that is what matters..."didn't work on many cylinders" was exactly the phrase i was going for. but thanks for noticing.

What an inspiration you must be to your students.

I never understand the point of these "I didn't like this movie, tell me why I should" threads. You didn't like "Master and Commander." Fine. No movie, no matter how good it is, is going to be liked by everyone.

I never understand the point of these posts that get frustrated at these threads that simply post an opinion and ask for others opinions. If it bothers you..STAY OUT!

I thought this movie was crap as well. No point to the story and character development was non-existant. Just guys out on boats playing battleships.

Why do people have to resort to pointing out grammar/spelling mistakes to try and make themselves seem smarter than someone else who's opinion they don't like? It's a message board, not a term paper.

On that note, I liked Master & Commander and just bought the extra expensive 2 disc set. But, I know it's not for everyone and if someone didn't like it, great.

Guess nobody remembers David Lean huh? This is a flick Lean woulda made! Weir did a helluva job here!

Dang dude, I would hate to take one of your essay tests as I know there would be no way of it being graded objectively. Would you even consider using Master and Commander as a way to kill some class time towards the end of the year? Some teachers say if it puts the students to sleep, the it's worth it!

You obviously know nothing about teaching!

The fact that a history teacher doesn't like this film says more about the state of public education than it does about the state of popular entertainment.

This film is very well done and creates a fully immersive historical environment, acurate in nearly every detail of production design and costume. It's depiction of the daily routines of a fighting ship in the 19th century is fun and interesting. You guys who don't care for the cat and mouse between the ships are mostly right. The cat and mouse pursuit isn't what this film is about. It's about the the regimentation and routine of shipboard life, it's about the conflict between the captain and his doctor, and it's about a conflict between the promise of progresive scientific thought in the face of empire building and conquest.

It also has some of the singularly finnest cinematography I've ever seen.

WHERE THE HELL IS CAPTIAN JACK SPARROW!?!?!?!?

FYI: my High School World Civ teacher let me show Raiders of the Lost Ark on the last two days of school after we were through with our final. We had our class during the lunch period, so it couldn't be tampered with in anyway. We did our final the first day and had two to kill. Go figure.

Pants, you said it best. I am really having to eat many of the words I said defending teachers with this thread.

You know, I mostly lurk, although lately I have been doing a lot of posting in sports. Thats why my post level is low, but I have been here a while.

With that out of the way. I blind purchased M and C tonight, the 2 disc pack. And before I opened it, I am here to check it out.

This is the single worst review thread I ever had the pleasure of reading on this forum. The guy is or is not a teacher, whatever. He didn't like the movie. He gave his reasons, and I appreciate them. I also appreciate the rebuttals from people with some sense.

Why are we insulting someone who is earning an honest living doing something I wouldn't be caught dead doing over a movie?

pants and dvd you are so warped! no where in any of my posts did i remark on the historical accuracy or level of detail of this movie..to make such a gross mis-statement like "the state of public education" is so poorly conceived that you should be ashamed to even make such an accusation. it is people like you that degrades our society simply becuase of the narrow mindedness you possess.

i was simply commenting that i did not like this movie..i stated instances of character development, lack of action, anti-climax, and other..please quote me as to where i said anything regarding this movie being adapted to be historically inaccurate or quote me where i said that i didn't like this movie because i felt this movie was historically inaccurate...you can't because i didn't.

i was simply a movie viewer, commenting on a movie..not a history teacher commenting on a historical period or event! check yourself my friend because you have just been made to (if i may be historically in-accurate again) walk the plank!!!

closing due to the stupidity of Dr. DVD and Pants!...well i don't know how to do that, but maybe a mod will do it!

I agree with scott1598 on both counts. First the movie wasn't very good. Second, I agree it was historically accurate, but I don't care if I wasn't entertained.

Personally, I think that's the high brow version of "but it had awsome special effects", and we all know that alone doesn't make a good movie. Well, maybe not all of us know that.

Well, it seems like it's hard to tell you why you should like it, when the reasons most of us like it you didn't like. You didn't like the dialogue? I loved the dialogue. You didn't like the action, but I thought the battle sequences were well done and probably historically accurate.

The film isn't really about the cat and mouse. The film is about this crew, their trial by fire, how they become a family through their shared experiences, and still remain a naval unit.

It's a movie about people, in history. It's not about action. Action is the backdrop. It's the premise. It's the lever that lets us see how these people interact.

But you didn't like it. How are we meant to convince you otherwise? This is obviously a subjective issue.

One thing I thought was funny, you found The Insider to be a good movie, I found it to be dull and repetitive. I felt it was a lot of Crowe going, "Should I do this? Should I do this? I guess I'll do it. Okay, I did it, did I make the right choice? Gosh, I don't know if it was the right choice, gee..." over and over.