Viewed in
2008
Premise
Based on the novels about a British Navy ship fighting a daunting French opponent during the Napolean era.
Who should watch
Those who like naval epics. Russell Crowe fans.
Thoughts
A well done film with a cat-and-mouse fight between the two ships, but with a lot of care for the characters.
I was surprised with the excellent directing. Peter Weir had made some great, small-budget films, like 'Dead Poets Society' and 'Truman Show'. Here he showed he incorporate his human touch with top-notch action.
While the action was good, I mostly enjoyed the acting and the characters. Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany worked well together as best friends who happen to be captain and doctor. The dynamic between them while balancing duty and friendship was very interesting and well done. I enjoyed the Galapagos Island stuff a lot for the scenery and key plot points.
In addition, the minor characters were not cardboard cutouts and each had a chance to shine. Like any military film, I had trouble telling some of the minor character apart, because tend to look alike.
What I would change
Nothing.
