| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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| Direction: |
A+ |
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| Visuals: |
A+ |
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For the dullards who don't "get it"
by pindizzy (movies profile)
Jun 25, 2007
82
of
125 people found this review helpful
The difficulties of translating a written medium (O'Brian's 20 volume tour de force) into an entirely different visual form is something that most intelligent viewers can understand and make allowances for without a lot of useless nitpicking. Before he died 3 years ago, the enigmatic O'Brian was the finest living craftsman in the English language, and perhaps in any language. His dense plots were interwoven with graceful prose and a splendid eye for period details and often puckish humor. A seemingly unimportant throwaway incident could sometimes be the pivot for a shocking plot turn many pages or volumes later. Those unable to grasp O'Brian might be better off reading lighter fare like Kent or Lambdin, or even The Cat in the Hat if you're really pressed. I'm surprised that anyone even tried to make a movie out of the books, but gratified. Allowing for the limitations of film, this is a great movie. The things movies do well are done in spades. The visuals of everyday life aboard a Napoleonic Wars frigate, the bloody business of war in the days of fighting sail, the untainted beauty of the Isles, and most of all nature in rage around the Horn are nailed to a "T". The actors do as good a job developing their characters as possible under the strictures of cinema, and the directing is fine. At first I thought the boarding scenes were cut somewhat too quickly, but after reconsidering them, I realized the directer was simply trying to show the bloody chaos of hand-to-hand melee combat from the point of view of a participant rather than an uninvolved observer.
It seems the above reviewers can be separated into several loose categories.
1)Those who read the books and "got it". Patience is its own reward.
2)Those who read the books and didn't "get it". I suggest you step down to Bolitho or Hornblower. Still good reading and much easier for the lubber to digest.
3)Those who "got it", liked the movie, but have not read the books. I envy you a wonderful experience, that of reading O'Brian for the first time. Go to your local library or bookstore and get a copy of "Master and Commander". Read all 20 in chronological order. Oh, how I envy you. If you are not grateful to me after that, see number two above.
4)Those who didn't "get it", but are willing to read. Give the books a chance, they can make you a better person.
5)Those who didn't "get it" and are unable or unwilling to read (basicly the same thing, as one who can read and doesn't has no advantage over one who cannot). If you want to learn, ask the person who is reading this to you to see "7" below. Otherwise I can only suggest you go to the nearest video store, rent "Dumb and Dumberer" and watch it 20 or so times. That's something you can "get".
6)For the poor souls who liked the swishbuckler "Pirates of the Carribean" better, a ticket to Disneyland should make you happy.
7)For those who wondered why the Brits were fighting the French--go for your GED with a major in world history. It's never too late. |
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