So I really like the books by Patrick O’Brian. I am on like number 13 out of twenty, trying to savor them for summers to come. The thing I like about the novels is both the universe of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars and the interplay between the two main characters Captain Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin. The movie comes up a bit short with the two characters, though in the book we have several volumes for them to develop. Where I thought the film did a real nice job was creating life on the British man of war. The boat was appropriately crowded, the battle scenes were terrifying and the sailors were sailorish. There were a couple things that annoyed me. But I definitely understand why they had the characters make pointless explanatory comments and I did not notice a wake from the prop that my father-in-law complained about. The only thing that I really took issue with was the casting of all around tough guy Barret Bonden with a hobbit, Pippen no less. That just didn’t fit my vision of the rough and ready, yet loyal coxswain.
i’ve never read any of the books, but i really liked this movie. a solid historical action movie, then wedged in the middle is a nice nature film. whenever it’s on tv i always watch at least a little of it.
Comment by Unfrozen Cavedan — January 23, 2007 @ 12:57 am
Yeah, it isn’t too ambitious. But basically sets out what it is trying to do. You might enjoy the novels, they have similar juxtapositions.
Comment by nate — January 24, 2007 @ 7:56 pm