Adventure on the high seas, plenty of fights, and a rambunctious Russell
Crowe were my expectations when I rather dubiously took my seat at the
Ozone multiplex for this film. For once I was glad I'd taken notice of
the excellent reviews, and found myself completely immersed in an extraordinary
film with ample plot, relatively realistic bloodshed, and very very realistic
waves. Based on the books by Patrick O'Brien and set in the oceans around
South America, the story is about friendship, leadership and naval strategy.
As Captain of the ship, Crowe's mission is to intercept the Acheron, a
deadly bounty-hunter sanctioned by Napoleon, the enemy of all England.
With surprising versatility and not a hint of the Gladiator about him,
Crowe portrays the Captain in all his moods, from jovial at the Captain's
Table to sombre when commiting the bodies of those lost in battle to the
deep, "in the sure and certain knowledge of the Resurrection to come".
To relax, he plays string duets with the Ship's Doctor, played by Paul
Bettany, who is not only a cellist but also an amateur naturalist, keen
to collect specimens from the Galapagos Islands where they must stop for
repairs. The Doctor's delight at being the first to record boobies and
sea-iguanas found nowhere else on earth permits abundant footage of the
bizarre fauna of the Galapagos, a memorable example of imaginative wildlife
cinematography. All too soon, duty calls and they must return to the chase.
Leaving the cinema reluctantly, as I would have been quite happy for
the rousing music to go on forever, I left with an enduring vision of
life on a naval ship during the Napoleonic wars. When the enemy ship looms
out of the mist, the opening scene illustrates just how hit-and-miss naval
combat was in the 18th century, not to mention medical science. This is
gruesomely illustrated during the surgical operations the doctor must
perform - on a rolling ship! An agile cast of old and young salts leap
around the rigging, numbering Billy Boyd (Pippin, Lord of the Rings) among
them. It is not surprising that sailors had a reputation for superstition,
given the terrible rigours of life below deck, the fickle winds and high
stakes played for when capturing an enemy ship. Superstition leads to
tragedy for one young officer in a poignant sub-plot, which gives Crowe
the chance to show the troubled soul of a leader of men when faced with
a terrible decision.
The storm scenes are tremendous, leaving you concerned for the actors'
safety, let alone the characters in the story. Indeed the only unrealistic
scene in the film is Crowe's violin playing. You would think that with
all these special effects they could make it look like he really was playing
and not just fiddling about!
Nancy Gladstone, 15.01.04
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