(rated PG-13)
Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the movie opens with the unexpected attack by a French frigate on Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe’s) humble British ship. While the attacking French ship is ‘out of his class’, a determined Captain Aubrey sets a revenge course to track down the enemy, from Cape Horn to the Galapagos Islands. The crew objects, but Crowe knows his boat — he’s lost lots of blood on it. So much so, ‘he’s probably related to it’, says one of his right hand men. Captain Aubrey’s ship surgeon, Dr. Maturin (Paul Bettany) provides a softer balance to Crowe’s performance with his landlubber appeal and desire to understand the study of nature despite his weathered years at sea. Bettany previously worked opposite Crowe in “A Beautiful Mind” as his imaginary roommate. Here his role of loving rival to Crowe is anything but imaginary. This is a man’s movie (only a five second shot of the only woman in the film) and Russell Crowe is a guy’s guy. Besides, nobody else could have played this role with so much rugged charm. But it’s more than that. It’s a high sea adventure with a brain, a history lesson about honor, and seamanship. Director Peter Weir should be proud. It’s gritty and it’s real and makes one reflect back to seventh grade history class, American valor and James Lawrence who died a hero with his last words “Don’t Give Up The Ship!”
