Have you heard the news? Oceans are now battlefields! Or so the opening text of Peter Weir's 2003 epic "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" tells us. It's the type of phrase that has made many a moviegoer (this writer included) mutter "hell yeah" under their breath. Weir's film, adapted from the book series by Patrick O'Brian, is beloved by cinephiles. It even racked up an impressive 10 Academy Award nominations. But ... it was a box office failure. As such, those who hold "Master and Commander"
dear to their hearts have spent decades clamoring for a sequel that adapts more of O'Brian's books. In 2021, word broke that a prequel was in the works — but other than a brief update on the project last year, it seems unlikely that this potential film will ever set sail. We might have to be content with just one film.
And maybe that's okay, because the one film we have is near-perfect. Now, it's finally available on 4K for the first time. As the press release states, "Newly restored and remastered from the original elements, this stunning 4K release is presented with Dolby Vision HDR and Atmos audio, delivering breathtaking picture and immersive sound offering fans the definitive home viewing experience of the acclaimed epic."
This was great news for me, as for all these years, I've only had a DVD copy of "Master and Commander." Sure, it was a DVD copy loaded with special features, but to finally be able to have the film in glorious 4K is a blessing.
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Master And Commander Is A Masterpiece
"Master and Commander" adapts the 10th entry in O'Brian's "Aubrey–Maturin series," sea adventures that comprise 20 completed books and one the author did not finish before his death. I'll confess I've never read any of these books. Maybe I will someday, when I'm a little older and have a comfy arm chair to sit in. For now, I'll make due with the film, which while technically a historical war epic is more akin to a hang-out movie about guys being dudes.
Sure, there is action and intrigue on the high seas in "Master and Commander," but that's not really what excites fans of the film. No, what makes the movie special is the comradery between the two lead characters: Russell Crowe's Captain Jack Aubrey and Paul Bettany's surgeon and man of science, Stephen Maturin. These two men are quite different in temperament, and yet their bond is the type that inspires fanfiction 'ships. We love spending time with these guys, and they love spending time with each other.
While action does happen here, Weir's film is in no hurry to get to big adventure. Instead, it carefully moves through its 138 runtime and gives us a real sense of what it must've been like to live day after day on a ship at sea. The characters here all feel authentic and genuine in an almost disarming ways. "Master and Commander" is the type of film that feels like it could just stretch on forever, never boring you in the process. I'm disappointed we never got another film, but I'm happy we finally have this one on 4K.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.
