A classic. Beautiful, riveting, intellectually engaging. Astonishing direction, richly detailed, superbly acted. The best film of its year and the best Hollywood epic since Lawrence of Arabia.

People expecting Pirates of the Carribean will be disappointed. M&C is an enthralling, highly realistic depiction of the times and the people, the tactics, and the lives of sailors aboard an 1800s warship. The people saying the movie is "boring" need to come to grips with the fact that they will only ever like American action movies and leave more rewarding movies to people with the patience to appreciate genuine adventure and realism. I wonder if they also thought Das Boot was boring, as this was basically "Das Boot with sails" and I could hardly come up with a better compliment than that.… Expand

If you believe this is an action film then you are missing the point. this movie is the study of a man. a man who must balance duty and desire with humanity and relationships. Delve into Cap'n Jack ane you will see that this is almost a chick flick.

Whoever found this movie boring and/or bad seriously needs to reconsider their thoughts; If you believe this is an action film, it's really not. It's just nothing short of fantastic. And the soundtrack? Absolutely gorgeous.

Well crafted epic with excellent performances by Crowe and Bettany as the Captain and ship's physician . Beautiful cinematography and sound.

An okay movie, probably could have been a great movie, but it mysteriously lacks the pure force of most Russell Crowe movies.

Loved it.

Excellent film. Well acted and the art direction is top notch.

I have now seen this movie 3 times, and I still have not lost interest in it. The movie is on the corny side, however it maintained its dignity, and remained believable. Alot of action and good old fasioned maritime gore. Great sound track!!

Not only did I call it one of 2003's top 5 best, I'm calling one of the best movies that has ever been created.

Good movie, if you like sailing and history. There is not much happening for the city-dweller.

wow! History, Sailing, Pointless Fights, and, best of all Boredom! this film has it all. enough to make me fall asleep.

Very good and intelligent movie, but not for those with 21st century attention spans that need something new blowing up every scene. Its commendable that this movie did not feel the need to resort to senseless violence throughout in order to please its viewers. Its just as historically accurate as the books, and just as a note to all the people that seem to be complaining about how "theres no way they'd carry an extra mast," if you knew anything about history you'd know that they DID carry extra masts and timber, and that it was kept below deck so that it would not be damaged. Think people.… Expand

Excellent acting, cinematography, and superb atmosphere. Does an excellent job of putting you right on the ship and surrounding you with the sights and sounds of a sea battle. This is not an action movie for those with short attention spans, it is an adventure movie in the true meaning of the word.

Perfect Movie!

I have to agree with L.A. Weekly's and Jeremy E.'s comment about "Boredom". I have usually liked all the movies I've seen on at least one aspect, except for two movies, with this being one of them. This was one of the most boring movies I have ever seen. Unfortunately, I think the majority of the movie critics got it wrong this time. I'm confused as to why it was rated 100 so many times.… Expand

Solid costume actioner that may have resurrected the epic swashbuckler - can remakes of Captain Blood or The Sea Hawk be far behind? Far superior to Bruckheimer's latest explosion-laden disaster(Pirate of the Caribbean) enjoys good performances by all, great camera work, stunning visuals, and an interesting story set in a fascinating world. Should be the touchstone for several moore sequels to follow, hopefully all made with the same amount of care and craftwork. Too bad it comes out in the same year as "Return of the King"....… Expand

It seems the director did not know whether to make a movie (with a strong story line and good acting) or a documentary (with facts and anecdotes weaving a rich historical fabric). The result is a failure either way. The story reads like a dull history book, the action does not make much sense, the acting and the photography are lost in this mess.

MooCow if you thought that Pirates was a disaster all I can say is look at the receipts for Pirates vs. this crap? This may be one of the worst movies ever made. Perhaps, you are one of those pseudo intellectuals that enjoys watching paint dry? Please spare us the crap about this lethargic piece of garbage in that not one character had any soul. A waste of time and money.

I give one point for the photography. I only wish that this had been a non-talking documentary about the animals found on the island. As for the screenplay and character development the less said the better.

I would like to take one of those exploding splinters and place it up the rectum of whoever thought to make this trash. Simply awful and boring.

Did the critics who raved about this film actually see it? Are they on the studio payroll? The film was loaded with cliches from every pirate movie of the 1940's. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the any of the cheesy fun or energy of those pictures. Painfully predictable and boring.

Terribly slow depressing boring ACTION ADVENTURE film. That in itself is an oxymoron as I could not wait to leave. People were actually walking out of the theater as it was that bad. Not worthy of your time nor money. Avoid.

Incredible. Crowe proves once again that he is the quintessential actor of our time. Almost upstaging him, however, is Paul Bettany, creating a layered and strong supporting character. The music is phenomenal, the story even better. This is the movie to beat this fall.

I went into this movie with few expectations. I suggest that any moviegoers looking for an entertaining night out at the movies should do the same. While the movie definitely bogs down at certain points by striving to give the audience some obligatory character development, it makes up for the lag with some spectacular cinematography and epic battle sequences. At times, the director seems content to rub our noses in our collective ignorance of historical and nautical facts. After all, most of us might know the difference between starboard and port, but can anyone tell me the difference between a "First Lieutenant" and a "Left-tenant?" This movie tends to cater to the crowd that will buy this DVD for the behind-the-scenes commentary, but I'd be content to see it again with subtitles so that I can understand some of the actors' heavy British accents. The director has injected an air of drunken humor into the script at certain points, which alleviates the heaviness of the movie's content (even I wasn't too thick-skinned to appreciate the "Lesser of Two Weevils" joke). Add to that the fact that Paul Bettany's doctor character works as a good counter-balance to Russell Crowe's bombastic "Lucky Jack," and maybe most people will appreciate this fine seagoing spectacle. Is this film worthy of garnering several Oscars? Maybe not. But it's definitely the other side to the coin to Disney's recent "Pirates of the Caribbean," and that is a welcome reward for most mature moviegoers.… Expand

This movie is impecable! Not a thing I would change!

The Discovery Channel is more exciting than this piece of crap. I would like to stick an exploding splinter of whoever decided to make this garbage. Booooring.

The action was stupendous! I was totally taken by the 'reality' of it all. Wow! The images and the presentation were first rate. The story was strong and cohesive. The acting was supurb. It perhaps required a few more brain cells than the usual Hollywood output, for which I'm very greatful. A great film. Thanks!

The non-action put me to sleep. Couldn't care about any of the characters. Devoid of all feeling. An absolute waste of time.

Lame all the way around the Cape. Really was one of the most boring films I have ever seen. The acting was third rate with a screenplay that couldn't get me to care about a single character. I wish the ship had sunk five minutes into the film to spare me wasting two hours.

Well, I know the "experts" really like this film, but there is absolutely nothing special about it. The subplots throughout the story are all cliche and nothing special. Despite the efforts to make the audience care about the characters, I really didn't. There was surprisingly little action, and the action provided was only mediocre. Overall it was a disappointment. I was often bored.

A beautiful film -- the cinematography, costumes, acting were outstanding. I think many reviewers gave poor grades because they thought they were going to see a simple-minded action flick. This was a study in leadership and Russel Crowe is probably the only actor today who could pull this off so brilliantly.

God you people! you just dont know a good movie when you see one do you! ok so maybe it doesn't have that non stop action that you crave or any sex scenes, and of course you all hated the researching of the galapagos animals, but the movie was so expertly crafted......and the build up to the ending battle scene was so exciting, when the cannons finally let loose.....i mean come on, the whole movie was so good. yeah i know you people who gave it 0-6 probably all like the fast and the furious as your favorite movie. god.… Expand

In my opinion is was a great movie and many people probably disliked it because it wasn't as action packed or fast paced as most blockbuster movies we're used to like Pirates of the Caribbean (which i h8ted btw). Its very realistic and polished and when the action happens, its intense and very realistic. The movie may be boring because it stays true to what life was really like back during that time. Very well done. … Expand

BOOORING!!! Oh, yeah, and Crowe looks absolutely ridiculous. Even more so than when trying to pass for a college student in "A Beautiful Mind." Someone take the Doritos away from him, PRONTO!

A movie that builds to nothing. Really, it was a waste of money, energy, and TIME. Seriously stupid. What happened to the Gladiator character?

Fantastic, rousing stuff that mixes adventure, realism and character-based drama with superb effect.

The only way to describe this horse sh.t is to say it was one boring film without any character development. I only wish the ship had been sunk during the first fifteen minutes. The audience started walking out thirty minutes in and I stayed until the bitter end. What a boring waste of time. Is it any wonder it has bombed at the box office. For all you think it was wonderful I suggest that you go home and watch paint dry as it is more exciting. Avoid this dreck.… Expand

Most boring movie eva.

This is not a typical, mtv style Hollywood movie. If you expect a fight scene every 30 seconds or so, than yes...this movie is slow. But I loved it. Together with Kill Bill, it's one of the movies of the year for me. The director shows why he's such a brilliant movie maker, never making the movie dumn by explaining every little detail to the audience, but by assuming that the viewer can think for himself or herself. The acting of especially Crowe, but also of Bettany is of a very high standard. I wanted to see more scenes with these 2 actors together. This is a dick flick, not a chick flick? Sorry, but this chick does not need a romance in every movie to enjoy it. More movies like this please.… Expand

AWESOME, ENTERTAINING, SPELLBINDING - these are words that COULD be used to describe this film. Who are these ... who are giving this movie 0's and 1's? LOL, its probably one person who has a little too much time on their hands. This movie is a thing of beauty. I an easily see why this movie was praised all around. It is truly a great achievement in film-making.

AWESOME, ENTERTAINING, SPELLBINDING - these are words that could NOT be used to describe this film. Who cares about historical accuracy when you are bored to tears? And even if you could stay awake during the hour long filler in between, the battle scenes were not that great since there was little about the characters to make you care whether they died and zero tension to make you realize the danger. Pirates of the Carribbean may have been silly and annoying in parts but at least it kept me awake. … Expand

Phenomenal. Outstanding. One of the finest films ever made. This movie stands head and shoulders above anything else I've seen in years!

It was accurate (I should know) and always kept my attention. It greatly deserves a 10.

Hated every long drawn out lethargic scene in this sorry excuse for an action movie. I have never been so bored in my life. I would rather watch paint dry than see this epic disaster of a movie again.

I liked the cinematography but nothing else. Boring, no performances worth remembering, and I had absolutely no empathy for the crew or the time. Much ado about nothing.

Visually nice, but long and drawn out and oh so predictable..........

Although I never got a sense of Aubrey's character and internal conflict and I felt the surgeon wasn't particularly strong, too many characters, some long scenes and a poor ending, this film was the most beautifully shot seafaring adventure of all time. Battle scenes were amazing, chain of command on the ship was clear, historically sound but felt like a Disney movie at times. But the film's shortcomings are diminished by good acting, not great, a good screenplay, not great, and absolutely phenomenal sound and cinematography.… Expand

Simply stunning. Believe the hype. 10/10, 4 stars, A+

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.

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.

Beautiful film. Well worth the money!

Really wanted to like this movie, but was completely bored. This will not and should not receive a Best picture nomination.

Vivid, kinetic action, yet personality driven. The past made present.

So far, my favorite film of the year, and probably my favorite war film of all time. Succeeds on all levels: cinematography, sound design, soundtrack, flawed yet heroic characters brilliantly portrayed, gripping action, and a subtle, non-hollywood plot arc that a brain-dead generation raised on television may find boring.

Sucked big time. What a waste of time and money. Booooooring.

This movie was so painful to watch that I felt as if someone had placed one of those exploding splinters up my ass. Boring as hell as I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Yes it´s true. Peter Weir made a bad movie. Epic movies are annoying people. STOP IT its not nice.

Found it depressing and simply ridiculous. The crew had no personality, no purpose and were just drones following stupid orders. Both the movie and the ship sailed around and around and went absolutely nowhere. Couldn't wait to leave the theater.

What planet are these readers/users living on!! This is a thinking person's action flick. With so many mindless movies out there this one stands out even more. Compares favorably with my all-time favorite movie (also a Weir flick) "Witness".

While the impact of this film is severely let down by dramatising the deaths of characters who aren't fully fleshed out and characterised, this is otherwise a beautiful, thrilling sea epic with a fabulous lead performance from Russell Crowe, but the most memorable display of acting on this boat goes to Paul Bettany who exudes perfectly the dignity and intelligence of the ship's surgeon. Excellent, as good as I expected. With the Year Of Living Dangerously being the only other film of Peter Wier's that I have seen, it's good to see that he's gotten over his vendetta towards the English and no longer presents them as crude stereotypes in Master and Commander like he did in that film.… Expand

Weir consistently proves that he can take any kind of material and adeptly make it his own. A true masterpiece.

Beautifully crafted epic.

This movie is excellent. It's a shame that some stupid people find it boring. Russell is one GREAT actor and he should have been nominated at least for his role here instead of that pirate guy. And I highly doubt that Sean Penn could even do justice for the role of Captain Jack but I see Russell in the role of that grieving father in Mystic River. Paul Bettany provided an awesome performance too. This film is must-see for anyone who are tired of watching those crappy formulaic flicks Hollywood has been churning out since time immemorial. So watch it now and get ready to be teleported back in time where ships were made of wood and men were made of steel. And good, fair, benevolent leaders exist.… Expand

This movie sucked. It was so freakin boring. And Russell for God sakes man take the damn marbles out of your mouth. If I could have I would have torpedoed this dud to Davey Jones locker after thirty minutes. What a boring piece of crap.

I really thought I was going to like this movie. Unfortunately, the story never had me. I'm going to watch it again to see exactly why.

What a great movie!!! Max Pirkis was fantastic (fantastic looking too!) :) Loved it and anyone who is anyone MUST watch this movie!!!

This film is mind blowin and 1 off the best films ive eva seen its really fantacic its 1 off those fillms u start to watch and get stuck in 2 i love and and iff u avent seen it u shoud.

This movie was simply comatose. The acting was dreadful. The directing even worse. And the screenplay was simply laughable. This movie just dragged on and on. If the ship had been sunk in the first five minutes it would have saved many of us the water torture pain it inflicted. Avoid.

When i first saw the movie, like 10 minutes into it, i was completely bored. I was about to fall asleep. But i kept watching. I began to see the plot getting more and more suspensful every minute. Sure, there where quiet times, but the led to even more action. The movie shows courage, honor, and determination, things that we should all have in life but many dont. As if the movie wasn';t good enough they had a lot of HOT actors. Max Pirkis, the captains son and Max Benitz, Mr. Callaway. … Expand

A realistic and unpretentious rendition of life aboard a British man-of-war. What it achieves in straightforwardness it lacks in provocativeness. The adventure of the times is captured, but so is the tedium. When the crew was ready to head for home, so was I. It's best feature was its depiction of leadership-by-example within the confines of a vessel long at sea, and the capacity of the crew to respond positively. … Expand

Stunning on every level. In a year of non stop disappointments finally a film that delievers. Living proof that a hollywood blockbuster can be sweeping and exciting, while not appealing to the lowest common denominator that presuposses a certain degree intellegence from the audience. Perhaps an early pick for film of the year.

As intelligent and captivating as the books. Weir and Crowe nail this spot on and give us the seat right next to them. You are there every moment of the film - right on board ship with the other 197 souls.

Magnificient!!! Crowe is a shoe-in for his 4th Oscar nom...as well as Weir, and Best Picture. Truly a masterpiece. I'm amazed at those who cannot see the same thing I do about this classic film!!!

Don't be fooled, ladies. Deceptively wrapped up in this high seas adventure is a beautiful rendering of relationships that transcends gender. Cast away any doubts that this seafaring epic could not possibly move you, and let yourself be transported to a time and place that you never would have dreamed could be such an enjoyable journey.

Peter Weir, once again, creates the atmosphere of a very specific time and place that haunted me long after I left the theatre. Crowe and Bettany are perfection together, their conversations expertly played, revealing the characters' long-standing history. Crowe, always impressive, hasn't been this good since possibly "The Insider;" his eyes frequently conveying multiple, and sometimes contradictory meanings to his words. With the *possible* exception of "Mystic River," it is the best film I've seen this year. Very absorbing and very satisfying.… Expand

The Stephen Hunter review is dead-on. Everything seems to be so important that you start to wonder if anything really is. I eventually was bored to death. This is an Oscar-machine, that's it. And I wish it the worst of luck - well, this and Mystic River.

Master and Commander is to sagas of sailing vessels and naval battles what "Unforgiven" was to westerns. It strips away the glamour and hype of the swashbuckling life to the reality of existing and surviving on a sailing vessel in the early 1800's with all of the strife, danger and tedious existence one might expect but never seems to experience in films of this genre. Well written, acted and directed, it is a the opposite of a "Chick Flick"....it is, if you forgive the phrase... a "Dick Flick". Men will love this movie and ladies will most likely not. It is a movie that from the opening scene to almost the last, is filled with action, violence, heroics with smidgens of drama in between. Russell Crowe does what he does best, he plays a leader of men in a war scenario. It is Mr. Crowe, the ship and the scenery that are the stars of the movie with all else being digitally enhanced or put in the hands of many unknown but capable actors. The movie earns an 8 because it is a good movie, not a great one, and will keep your interest high as you sail the open seas with Captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey and his crew. Barry… Expand

Ideed, some of the most skilled filmmaking you'll see this year, but in the end it's rather redundant and ponderously trivial. I can see why this sort of film would appeal to frumpy, middle-aged critics, or fans of the books, but for the rest of us...well, suffice it to say that at parts it almost put me to sleep. Except when I was being grossed out by exact depictions of 19th century surgical procedures. Exactly how many crude operations must viewers be forced to watch? And the action ain't all that either...at least nothing we haven't already seen in the entertaining Pirates of the Caribean or the trully masterful Lord of the Rings series. Only the wonderful acting saves this pointless film from sinking to oblivion.… Expand

This was an excellent movie to watch, to listen, and to learn from. Both from the history and geography but also as to what makes a leader.....a do not miss.

One of the best films of this past decade and the best film of the year. Go see this movie!!

An excellent movie!!! What else is there to say?

A fantastic sea voyage epic, that is not all about action, but the experience of life at sea. It?s also the ultimate guy movie of the year. Smart, powerful, and flawless special effects.

Boring, boring, boring.

A great movie. The atmosphere is absorbing, the script allows us to bond to serveal of the characters, the action is superb, and Crowe dominates throughout.

Even better than the books!

The first half of the film is fairly mediocre, but the second half is glorious.

The film isn't hindered by the ship's confines, and yet a breath of relief escaped from my lips when they land on the Galapagos Islands. "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" never comes close to feeling like a filmed play, but cabin fever may still sneak up on you, when Weir, because he's not an overtly commercial filmmaker, doesn't cram the film with trumped up action during the sailor's down-time. Russell Crowe is predictably good, but Paul Bettany almost steals the movie from him. It's possible that the film demythologizes Captain Aubrey, since a young subordinate who's part-soldier, and part-scientist, seems more keen on drawing insects than practicing warfare. He'd rather be Maturin. This film should be called "The Far Side of the World" because "Master and Commander" suggests bombast. You have the obligatory action scenes, but Weir doesn't turn Aubrey into a deity. … Expand

A true epic adventure! If only more films could be this artfully crafted. Excellent cast with truly memorable characters.

Great setting, poor story. Lack of a solid plot and many dead spots ruin this movie

A historically accurate look at what life aboard a saling ship would be like. Ok its feels a little long, but the action is awesome when it happens. Its great to see a movie that isn't about one big fight scene after another. Great film!

Let me preface my remarks but saying I was very disappointed. I expected to be magically wisked away to the 19th century for a thrilling swashbuckling adventure. What I actually saw was a very violent lethargic tedious film without any real character development? I had difficulty listening to some of the dialogue, but it was drab and meaningless. I felt absolutely nothing for characters whatsoever. The most astonishing part of this film was the beautiful scenery which was masterfully photographed. Other than that despite the gore, I couldn't wait until the movie was over. Very disappointing film.… Expand

I am not really a big fan of cutter ships on the high seas but his movie makes me forget that. It is well-crafted and an enjoyable movie to see. The interactions of the crew are the best part of the movie and the action scenes are truly immersive. A little humor is peppered throughout to give the movie a well rounded feel. It may be a bit slow at times but a fine movie nonetheless.

Master and Commander is pitch-perfect in every way: rich in historical detail without flaunting it, powerful and grimly realistic in the battle scenes, beautifully acted and filmed from the serenity of the Galapagos Islands to the hellish quarterdeck of a warship under fire. The script is like a symphony in the way it captures the ebb and flow of life on a ship. The delay from the original June release date, which had Fox so worried, was worth it to get the animation exactly right. This is a very strong contender for best picture of 2003.… Expand

Stunningly beautiful. A true work of art.

Except for the gauche ending, I thought this movie was quite good, indeed.

With the exception of an ending which is a tad too light-hearted, this film never missed a beat.

I loved it Except the end where it leaves it open for a sequel.