|
|
|
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
|
 |
