One must always choose the lesser of two weevils...

HMS Surprise
28 Guns 197 Souls

Such is the opening text in the movie Master and Commander. What a film. It is a wonder to me that Peter Weir was able to take an all-male cast, throw them on a cramped boat, and create two-plus-hours of pure genius. But what makes this film so fantastic?

The Authenticity Because no one ever really believed that Orlando Bloom was a pirate. Peter Weir understood what his goal was, and it was not to make all of the little tweens swoon over Hollywood hunks. It was to create a realistic depiction of life on a man-of-war in the early 19th Century. And so he took those men, those actors who just might be able to pull off "rugged," and he turned them into sailors. They were put through an intensive boot camp where every man (and boy) would learn exactly how to operate a ship. You've heard actors say that they like to "become their character" ... well you can't do it much better than this.

But it wasn't just the actors that were made to feel real, no. Peter Weir took every measure to ensure that the world that he created was exactly as it should be. From replicating real-life man-of-war boats (The HMS Rose was used as the model for the HMS Surprise) to using true-to-life sound effects by physically placing a microphone underneath a cannon and it's trajectory, everything in this movie is real.

The Score Now, if you know me, you know that I am a stickler for movie soundtracks. Honestly, it's the music that makes any movie. One of the most memorable moments in Master and Commander (in my opinion, of course) is the approach to the Galapogos Islands (which, I might note, is shot on location - it is extremely rare for feature-length films to be shot in the Galapogos). Bach's Prelude to Cello Suite #1 is played (by Yo-Yo Ma, of course), and it is completely breathtaking.

But it is not just the classical music that is phenomenal - the soundtrack is a conglomeration of Classical Music, music composed for the movie, and authentic sailing/drinking songs of the period. All-in-all, it is a soundtrack that should be owned by every soul on this planet.

The Characters Crowe and Bettany are the two "main" characters, according to credits, but you would never know, for your attention is drawn equally to every character in the film. The majority of the cast members are unknown British actors (some as young as twelve) and they supply a fantastic counter-balance to the widley known superstars. The scripting is beyond phenomenal - conversations between Crowe and Bettany create such a tangible bond that the movie-goer can feel the tensions and releases as if they were a part of the scene. But the true magic of the film is in the silences. Is in the wonderful body language that the deck hands use to intimidate Midshipman Hollom. Is in the gestures, the light touches, the understanding glances, that the young Midshipmen Blakeney gives to Dr. Maturin. It is in the silence.

And so, I leave you with this encouragement - watch this movie. Every moment bleeds of worth. Listen to the music, gasp in horror as the ship is tossed, and realize, at the end of it all, that you do not need random romance, awkward humor, or beautiful men, to make a sea-faring tale worthwhile. All that you need is authenticity.