Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

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2000's, Adventure, James D’Arcy, Lee Ingleby, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Max Pirkis, Paul Bettany, Peter Weir, Russell Crowe

A sensational adventure drama with a great attention to detail, fine direction and two sterling central performances, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is hugely entertaining while still holding inside a depth that you wouldn’t expect.

It’s 1805 and the Napoleonic Wars are in full swing. The experienced and charming Jack Aubrey( Russell Crowe)is captain of the HMS Surprise. At the orders of the British Admiralty he is taking his ship off the North coast of Brazil to intercept a French ship by the name of the Acheron. It’s feared that if the Acheron continues its journey , the wars will spread further and last longer . Aubrey and his crew are surprised when fog rolls in and the Acheron ambushes them, severely damaging the Surprise. It’s a much bigger ship that is more heavily armed and stronger than the Surprise. The crew have to fix the ship while at sea, which poses a challenge for them. For Aubrey, the mission becomes personal as he begins to push the crew harder and starts to display questionable tactics and a foolhardy attitude while in pursuit of the Acheron . He has the crew attempt to track the much bigger and elusive ship against the seemingly insurmountable odds. This puts him at sixes and sevens with everyone, most prominently the ship’s surgeon/ naturalist and confidante Stephen Maturin( Paul Bettany) who argues that his good friend is risking the lives of the crew and not following the code of conduct by which he usually governs by. The journey around South America and the Pacific Ocean to find the continues as much in the way of bad luck befalls those present aboard the and Aubrey’s single mindedness elevates. Once the Acheron comes into view again, but with the crew paranoid and the Captain’s ways beginning to challenge those in his care, it’s not going to be plain sailing for anyone involved

The talented Peter Weir is on fine fettle directing this adventure on the high seas thats both thrilling and engaging. He combines the epic scope of an adventure film with the sense of intimacy you think of with drama. While the whole exercise is beautifully mounted, it’s the little moments that really matter here. And we do bear witness to a compelling literal and figurative journey of morality and leadership, beautifully brought to life by Peter Weir. Master and Commander was filmed on two replica shops, one that was actually used on the sea while filming. Both add a further authenticity to events and truly place us at the heart of this journey. Plus, they truly convince as a living vessel of cramped conditions, doubts and thundering action. Once again, Weir and his exceptional crew of production designers really went for painstakingly true to the time period details that are sublimely realised . There’s a revealing side that displays the frictions, rivalries and bloodshed( though most of it is discreetly shot). As most of the film takes place in the ship, it becomes alive with all the emotions running through it from the characters. When one thinks of Master and Commander, there are two main action sequences in it, which might surprise many. But the sequences are stunningly orchestrated and full of danger, while not sugarcoating the often brutal reality of war and how damn unpredictable it can be. The opening out of the blue attack hits hard and unexpectedly while the ingenious final battle is a full on thrusting sequence of action and tactical one upmanship.A few parts in the middle sag but is largely a very involving movie, particularly pertaining to the characters and visuals . The sound editing which is thunderous and immersive and the cinematography that gets across the conditions aboard a ship and the natural beauty of the sea both received deserved Oscar wins. The sound design in particular is truly marvellous; every crack and shot of a canon rings with energy and fire The scenes in the are breathtakingly beautiful and a feast for the eyes so all lovers of stunning imagery should take note during these sequences, and the cinematography from Russell Boyd is gorgeous. The score from Iva Davies, Christopher Gordon and Richard Tognetti is an adventurous one that really suits the story and has the same amount of energy and drama that is depicted on screen.

Russel Crowe heads the cast of the seafaring adventure with an absolutely entertaining performance. The dashing leadership, cheeky grin and then the realisation and sense of shock that comes with making big, life threatening decisions are all there and embodied by Crowe. It’s a full blooded portrayal of a rash but dedicated man serving his country and running into a questionable quagmire of which some is his own making. A delightfully subdued, dependable and cynical performance from Paul Bettany as the surgeon/naturalist Stephen is also of note for how effectively he slips into the part. Maturin is the more practical, rational one of the two but also boasts a deep sense of questioning curiosity that can’t be harnessed. Bettany brilliantly conveys all of these parts and really makes the character his own. It helps that Crowe and Bettany work so well together and boast a great chalk and cheese chemistry that lends an extra string to its bow. The friendship between the characters is one of the best parts of Master and Commander it has to be said. James D’Arcy makes for a stalwart supporting character playing the loyal first lieutenant, while Lee Ingleby is sensational as the tragic Midshipman who is unliked by the rest for his lack of nerve and suffers deeply because of his treatment. Young and spirited Max Pirkis stands out as the pint sized midshipman who loses an arm early on, but has enough tenacity to overcome this obstacle. Pirkis has a maturity that belies his young years and he more than holds his own against most experienced costars. The overall cast of the film is of a good standard, but it’s Crowe and Bettany that you’ll remember the most.

A surprisingly human adventure with questions of morality and order in at as well as spectacle, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a fine achievement in filmmaking.

9 Year Blog Anniversary

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9 Year Blog Anniversary, Blog Anniversary

Today marks the 9th anniversary of my blog. I seriously can’t believe I’ve been doing it for this long. Along the way I’ve made such great friends from all over the globe. I love you all so much. I know over the last year things have been tough, but I have a feeling light is at end of the tunnel. So in the meantime, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported me along the way and during this journey of blogging. I couldn’t have done any of this without the continued love, appreciation and acceptance of this thriving community.

The Devil Rides Out

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1960's, Charles Gray, Christopher Lee, Horror, Leon Greene, Niké Arrighi, Patrick Mower, Paul Eddington, Sarah Lawson, Supernatural Horror, Terence Fisher, The Devil Rides Out

A thrilling and very creepy film from Hammer Horror, The Devil Rides Out stands as one of their finest films. It’s the whole atmosphere and compelling story, aided by a pacy running time, The Devil Rides Out is a must see. 

It’s the 1920’s in the English countryside and the cultured, well-respected Duc De Richleau(Christopher Lee) has become concerned about a friend. This friend is the young and often irresponsible Simon Aron(Patrick Mower) ; De Richleau knew his father and since that friend’s death he has looked out for Simon along with fellow chum Red Van Ryn(Leon Greene). The concern regarding comes from Simon seemingly cutting contact off with those closest and disappearing for long periods of time. Aided by loyal best friend Rex, the two men soon unearth that the reckless has fallen in with a secretive society of devil worshippers who wish to baptise him once more as a follower of darkness. The sect is headed by the powerful and dangerously charismatic Mocata (Charles Gray), who is known to be ruthless and extremely gifted in getting people . After knocking Simon out and whisking him away, De Richleau and Rex must contend with the knowledge that they are marked for something dark by the evil Mocata  . They also help rescue a female follower Tanith( Niké Arrighi )who hasn’t been initiated into the bit is struggling with the pull of it. He shelters both Simon and Tanith with his niece Marie( Sarah Lawson) and her husband Richard(Paul Eddington) , who live in a large house in the country. Protecting the potential victims isn’t going to be a cakewalk for as the wicked Mocata can use mind control and hypnosis to make unsuspecting victims do his bidding.  Now De Richleau must fight to save Simon and from the clutches of Mocata , who has set his sights on the rest of De Richleau’s family in a cruel blow that will require a lot of faith to overcome. Let battle between good and evil commence in entertainingly spooky fashion. 

Terence Fisher adopts a restrained, low key approach here that allows for the story to become front and centre, while moving it along at an acceptable pace of mounting chills and unnerving mystery. That doesn’t mean that is without set pieces, it simply means that they are done in a way that isn’t too razzmatazz and more slithering menace. The scene of Mocata intensely putting Marie under hypnosis is gloriously creepy and stands out as a piece of dark filmmaking as the psychology of the situation and overall ambience is cranked up higher in a battle of wills. The other big standout is the protection circle scene where the group have to face off against the dark forces that don’t let up. It knows how to up the ante excellently in the best possible way. Hammer was known for its villains in the guise of Dracula and Frankenstein’s Monster, but the fact that the main enemy in The Devil Rides Out is actually people who believe in a dark purpose makes a very unnerving prospect. Supernatural events occur throughout in the form of dark sorcery and satanism but the battle between good and evil feels more rooted in some semblance of reality while still retaining the magic of Hammer that you’d expect. The lack of bloodshed is also a stroke of genius; it allows us to focus more on the story than just parts that are possibly grisly. As mentioned earlier, the approach of a bit more subtlety adds immensely to the atmosphere of the piece as it unfolds deliberately but in a manner that is very fascinating. The film also has a dazzling colour scheme within in that highlights the richness of red and purple, plus there’s some great camerawork that employs intense close ups of eyes to startling by effect. A few special effects don’t measure up to modern eyes, but the main focus of the spooky story is the true crux of things that outweighs niggle. The score by James Bernard( himself a Hammer Horror regular) is one of great tension and action, which is exactly what you’d want in a film like this. 

Christopher Lee heads a very good cast in a role that is a change of pace for him; the hero. But Lee quickly displays how adept he is at surprising us with a passionate turn as a knowledgable man fighting to save a friend with a sense of great dignity to his core. Lee acquits himself well with force and gravity it must be said and provides the centre of this film. Charles Gray is his counterpart and he relishes being very evil throughout. For Gray, it’s all in the eyes as he uses them to such creepy effect as the character he plays manipulates those around him unsettling skill. Even before we’ve seen Mocata, we get an impression of the man and Charles Gray plays to that spectacularly. loyal friend who is supremely tested by the ordeal and along the way develops romantic feelings for the beautiful Tanith. And speaking of Tanith, she is played with the right amount of sex appeal by the enticing Niké Arrighi. There’s something a little otherworldly quality to her and it’s utilised nicely in The Devil Rides Out. Patrick Mower has the role of the reckless and foolhardy man caught in something he is starting to regret. The part isn’t the biggest stretch for the actor, but he puts in a very good performance nonetheless. Really standing out from the moment she’s introduced is the role of Marie, played by Sarah Lawson. She starts out as seemingly immensely vulnerable, but Lawson shows that the character is actually more switched on and important than people think. In fact, later becomes quite integral to the plot and a lot of this is down to Sarah Lawson. Paul Eddington rounds out the cast as the sceptic among everyone who soon comes to believe in the darkness about to surface.

A creepy and very enthralling Hammer Horror, The Devil Rides Out stands at least in my book as one of their finest. This owes much to a great cast, somewhat low key approach and feeling of elevating tension.