Peter Weir is one of those directors whose films are well-known, yet the man behind them doesn't seem to garner the recognition he deserves. Over the last thirty years, he has made some of the very best films of their respective years, traversing different categoric genres, but always focussing on the human story behind each story - no matter how big or small. Picnic at Hanging Rock. Witness. Fearless. The Truman Show. And now, his largest film by far, yet also a deeply personal one, arguably his greatest achievement in a career filled with triumphs of popular cinema.
As the scope of his films gets bigger, the characters become more defined and human, a rare accomplishment indeed. For me, although I love The Truman Show deeply, and feel it is at least in part responsible for a growth in more intelligent, popular movies in recent years, Master and Commander is his best film, a close-to-perfect film for its kind. The story is very simple. "Lucky" Jack Aubrey's ship and crew are hit by a surprise attack from Napoleon's battle ship, the Acheron - the nemesis of the tale. Having weighed up the damage and taken care of the casualties, they retaliate with a seemingly impossible counter-attack by pursuing the stronger, faster ship that outmans and outguns them. They tail them across the vast ocean, through freezing cold, sweltering heat and life-threatening storm.
It is the technique that is astonishing. The detail of the life, the crew and the protocol of war at sea two hundred years ago is all accounted for, without ever becoming tedious. This is a long film that feels long, but never less than gripping, crammed with events, but not necessarily overly complex story. The characters drive it. It is they who are the most interesting aspect of the film and by resting the dramatic weight of the film on the actors shoulders rather than the effects - which are seamless, by the way - the payoff to each individual dynamic is all the more satisfying when it comes. Tempers fray, loyalties are questioned, motives and pride and duty are put under the microscope, making for a tense atmosphere, far more dramatic in classical terms than anything the Wachowskis' fx wizkids can cook up. It is the attention to detail that makes this film.
Every screw and splint of wood of the HMS Surprise is on display, making the ship as much of a character - the omnipresent sidekick to each individual - as any of the crew. With judicious, unshowy yet acute use of both cinematography and sound design, the viewer is put aboard the Surprise. When it leaks, you feel it. When it is damaged, you are scared. And when the crew hurt, you are saddened. This is the best sounding film you will see (or hear) in a cinema all year. Other films bombard you more, sure, but this one immerses you into its world. There is a real feel for what life on board must have been like, but Weir never takes the easy way out by shoving something front and centre, as if to say, "Look how hard life was back then". Rather, it becomes an integral part of the story and the lives of the characters. Crew members get sick and their treatment must be swift and sometimes crude if they are to survive for months away from dry land. The opponents' ship and crew, the French Achelon, is rarely seen any closer than through a telescope, never offering the God's eye view of an alternative experience to that of the Surprise. We know as much or as little about the enemy as Lucky Jack does.
To top all of Weir's technical acheivements, there are two or three outstanding and spectacular battle scenes. The opening twenty minutes are as good as anything in Laurence of Arabia or Pirates of the Caribbean, combining classic set-piece orientation with state of the art model and effects work. You are never taken out of the scene by a "money shot", rather the drama and danger are heightened by a genuinely invisible use of action technique. And when the final skirmish takes place, all of the character building both of the filmmaker and of the crew's Captain, comes into play, making for a terrifying, tense and exciting climax. Along the way, there are exceptional performances from the sometimes overly showy Crowe, here as good as he has ever been, displaying a real control of his craft (no pun intended), a leader trying to balance what is best for his men with his sense of duty, whilst living up to his impeccable military record. Paul Bettany is the yang to Crowe's yin. You feel the history and the brewing difference in priority between a Captain and his Physician, two old friends trying to keep their career and their relationship in check, brought together by their love of and skill in music. The scenes these two share are the most touching, as their loyalty to each other, the ship and the crew are well intentioned, but coming from different standpoints, simultaneously trying to remain honest to one another and do what is right. Billy Boyd makes an impression (even if his accent wavers slightly from time to time) as the helmsman who has the respect of the officers and the friendship of the crew. And the two young officers (I do not know their names, but they are both very young) are superb in roles that are usually carried off appallingly in films like these. As little more than boys, their sense of awe and respect for the older officers and their need to prove their bravery and worth to them comes across beautifully, and their scenes with Bettany and Crowe and incredibly touching, without being sentimental.
That is the skill of the film. It fulfills all the requirements of entertainment - drama, performance, action, spectacle, beauty and humour - without ever overdoing it and spoiling any given moment by going too far. It is also wittily and intelligently written, one of the strongest scripts of its size to be seen this year. The "Weevil" scene is a truly wonderful scene, because it enhances the relationships of all the characters involved, makes a point about life and duty, is very natural and human and is surprisingly funny. The film is filled with such moments and while the ending may not be as long an action scene as some may have come to expect, it carries true weight by rounding off nicely. A completely satisfying film, almost impossible to fault as long as you dont expect a huge action extravaganza. If you have ever watched Mutiny on the Bounty or The Sea Hawk or any such sea-faring, swashbuckling adventure and wanted a glimpse of life in those circumstances, given an historical background and exciting story, then this is mana from Heaven. And when it is over, you wouldn't mind a sequel continuing the story where it left off, not an implausibility given the wealth of source material in Patrick O' Brien's many Jack Aubrey novels. That is a rare feeling, but make sure Peter Weir is at the helm...
"Pull for Lucky Jack"
As the scope of his films gets bigger, the characters become more defined and human, a rare accomplishment indeed. For me, although I love The Truman Show deeply, and feel it is at least in part responsible for a growth in more intelligent, popular movies in recent years, Master and Commander is his best film, a close-to-perfect film for its kind. The story is very simple. "Lucky" Jack Aubrey's ship and crew are hit by a surprise attack from Napoleon's battle ship, the Acheron - the nemesis of the tale. Having weighed up the damage and taken care of the casualties, they retaliate with a seemingly impossible counter-attack by pursuing the stronger, faster ship that outmans and outguns them. They tail them across the vast ocean, through freezing cold, sweltering heat and life-threatening storm.
It is the technique that is astonishing. The detail of the life, the crew and the protocol of war at sea two hundred years ago is all accounted for, without ever becoming tedious. This is a long film that feels long, but never less than gripping, crammed with events, but not necessarily overly complex story. The characters drive it. It is they who are the most interesting aspect of the film and by resting the dramatic weight of the film on the actors shoulders rather than the effects - which are seamless, by the way - the payoff to each individual dynamic is all the more satisfying when it comes. Tempers fray, loyalties are questioned, motives and pride and duty are put under the microscope, making for a tense atmosphere, far more dramatic in classical terms than anything the Wachowskis' fx wizkids can cook up. It is the attention to detail that makes this film.
Every screw and splint of wood of the HMS Surprise is on display, making the ship as much of a character - the omnipresent sidekick to each individual - as any of the crew. With judicious, unshowy yet acute use of both cinematography and sound design, the viewer is put aboard the Surprise. When it leaks, you feel it. When it is damaged, you are scared. And when the crew hurt, you are saddened. This is the best sounding film you will see (or hear) in a cinema all year. Other films bombard you more, sure, but this one immerses you into its world. There is a real feel for what life on board must have been like, but Weir never takes the easy way out by shoving something front and centre, as if to say, "Look how hard life was back then". Rather, it becomes an integral part of the story and the lives of the characters. Crew members get sick and their treatment must be swift and sometimes crude if they are to survive for months away from dry land. The opponents' ship and crew, the French Achelon, is rarely seen any closer than through a telescope, never offering the God's eye view of an alternative experience to that of the Surprise. We know as much or as little about the enemy as Lucky Jack does.
To top all of Weir's technical acheivements, there are two or three outstanding and spectacular battle scenes. The opening twenty minutes are as good as anything in Laurence of Arabia or Pirates of the Caribbean, combining classic set-piece orientation with state of the art model and effects work. You are never taken out of the scene by a "money shot", rather the drama and danger are heightened by a genuinely invisible use of action technique. And when the final skirmish takes place, all of the character building both of the filmmaker and of the crew's Captain, comes into play, making for a terrifying, tense and exciting climax. Along the way, there are exceptional performances from the sometimes overly showy Crowe, here as good as he has ever been, displaying a real control of his craft (no pun intended), a leader trying to balance what is best for his men with his sense of duty, whilst living up to his impeccable military record. Paul Bettany is the yang to Crowe's yin. You feel the history and the brewing difference in priority between a Captain and his Physician, two old friends trying to keep their career and their relationship in check, brought together by their love of and skill in music. The scenes these two share are the most touching, as their loyalty to each other, the ship and the crew are well intentioned, but coming from different standpoints, simultaneously trying to remain honest to one another and do what is right. Billy Boyd makes an impression (even if his accent wavers slightly from time to time) as the helmsman who has the respect of the officers and the friendship of the crew. And the two young officers (I do not know their names, but they are both very young) are superb in roles that are usually carried off appallingly in films like these. As little more than boys, their sense of awe and respect for the older officers and their need to prove their bravery and worth to them comes across beautifully, and their scenes with Bettany and Crowe and incredibly touching, without being sentimental.
That is the skill of the film. It fulfills all the requirements of entertainment - drama, performance, action, spectacle, beauty and humour - without ever overdoing it and spoiling any given moment by going too far. It is also wittily and intelligently written, one of the strongest scripts of its size to be seen this year. The "Weevil" scene is a truly wonderful scene, because it enhances the relationships of all the characters involved, makes a point about life and duty, is very natural and human and is surprisingly funny. The film is filled with such moments and while the ending may not be as long an action scene as some may have come to expect, it carries true weight by rounding off nicely. A completely satisfying film, almost impossible to fault as long as you dont expect a huge action extravaganza. If you have ever watched Mutiny on the Bounty or The Sea Hawk or any such sea-faring, swashbuckling adventure and wanted a glimpse of life in those circumstances, given an historical background and exciting story, then this is mana from Heaven. And when it is over, you wouldn't mind a sequel continuing the story where it left off, not an implausibility given the wealth of source material in Patrick O' Brien's many Jack Aubrey novels. That is a rare feeling, but make sure Peter Weir is at the helm...
"Pull for Lucky Jack"