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Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Image
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Metascore
81 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 42 Critics What's this?

User Score
5.7 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 418 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: James D'Arcy, Paul Bettany, Russell Crowe
  • Summary: Based on author Patrick O'Brian's series of Aubrey/Maturin novels, the film is set during the Napoleonic Wars. Crowe is Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey, renowned as a fighting captain in the British Navy, and Bettany is ship's doctor Stephen Maturin. Their ship, the H.M.S. Surprise, is suddenly attacked by a superior enemy. With the Surprise badly damaged and much of his crew injured, Aubrey is torn between duty and friendship as he pursues a high-stakes chase across two oceans, to intercept and capture his foe. It's a mission that can make his reputation – or destroy Lucky Jack and his crew. (20th Century Fox)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 42
  3. Negative: 1 out of 42
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    100
    Like the work of David Lean, it achieves the epic without losing sight of the human, and to see it is to be reminded of the way great action movies can rouse and exhilarate us, can affirm life instead of simply dramatizing its destruction.
  2. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Maitland McDonagh
    60
    With the exception of a brief sequence on the Galapagos Islands, where Maturin briefly indulges in some pre-Darwinian study of its unique ecosystem, the entire film takes place aboard the ship, and Weir's greatest accomplishment may be that it never feels claustrophobic.
  3. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Phil Hall
    20
    It seems as if every possible cliche and story twist from any seafaring picture of the past 80 years made its way into this flick.

See all 42 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 185 out of 302
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 302
  3. Negative: 103 out of 302
  1. Dobber684
    10
    For all those who gave this film a negative review and for those people wondering about watching it I say this: If you think that more explosions = more fun and you think that Transformers (Good film) and Transformers 2 (Horrible film) are the height of movie making then DO NOT watch this film. It is NOT a traditional action movie. It is for people who appreciate the art of storytelling and of watching a wonderful script from a classic book series woven into an artfully built crescendo. A story where the characters are not simply 1 dimensional but are given time on screen to build depth so that you truly feel for them when both wonderful and tragic things occur. Some people call this boring. THEY ARE WRONG. They simply have the attention span of a moth. This is a rich & rewarding movie experience for those with patience and a true appreciation for the craft of epic moviemaking.… Expand
    • 2 of 3 users said yes
  2. JeremyE.
    4
    wow! History, Sailing, Pointless Fights, and, best of all Boredom! this film has it all. enough to make me fall asleep.
    • 0 of 2 users said yes
  3. TerryB.
    0
    This was as about as exciting as watching the splinters explode in the flick. The screenplay was terrible, the acting was disappointing, and there was no feeling for any of the characters. If you must see this sh.t take NoDose before you enter to see this NONaction boring film. Complete unadulterated crap.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 302 User Reviews

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