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A cousin recently sent a link to a novelty cap adorned with the text:

APRIL — 1805
NAPOLEON IS MASTER OF EUROPE
ONLY THE BRITISH FLEET STANDS BEFORE HIM
OCEANS ARE NOW BATTLEFIELDS

It took me a moment to recognize the text, but then its origin smacked me in the face. The realization left me dumbfounded at the amount of time that had passed since I last watched this titan of oceanic warfare. Those words are the chilling, haunting, and exhilarating opening to perhaps the greatest naval film of all time – Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World.

This masterpiece from 2003 was slinging some serious “yo ho” vibes and had the cast and cannons to create one of the more immersive cinematic experiences of my lifetime. My memories with this film run deep. From hearing its soundscape envelop me in thundering cannon fire and shattering timbers at the Bose store in the Mall of America, to perpetually pitying poor Mr. Hollum and his inescapable misfortune, Master and Commander is one of those timeless films made with great passion by individuals at the top of their craft.

The first and most prevalent quality that makes this film an experience is its minimalistic immersion. My most recent viewing was the first time watching Master and Commander with headphones, 3D headphones, designed for the ultimate personal sound experience. With this additional layer of isolation, the absence of typical movie sounds stood out more than usual. There is minimal scoring, and in fact, I have a hard time recollecting a moment where I noticed any actual score. This allows the ever present slosh of the ocean and all the creaks and goings on of the ship to emerge and create a true sense of being at sea with this crew. The aural ambiance was so effective, that I found myself looking off-screen toward a sound’s origin on multiple occasions. And if actual music was intended as a focal point, it was created by the film’s characters playing their instruments. Truly, I think this viewing helped me recognize how effective Master and Commander’s sound design was at creating the backbone of a unique cinematic experience. Even on my DVD copy, the Dolby sound was as crisp and visceral as if I was experiencing the seafaring first hand.

Beyond the uniquely powerful sound design, Master and Commander’s visuals look as authentic and gritty as any period piece. The HMS Surprise exists. The crewmen interact with the ship and live in its challenging conditions. The ocean beats against the hull while cannon fire inflicts more severe and immediate damage. It is easy to believe this open and mysterious world of 1805 when the only settings are the vast ocean and a few sparsely populated or uninhabited islands. Attention can instead be given to building British and French naval vessels of warfare and outfitting them with utmost authenticity. As a viewer, this is all we are given and, therefore, have no side-by-side comparison to challenge our awe. For the cast, who become crew members and officers with lives rooted in far off lands, there is only the water and no reprieve outside completing their commission. Again, the craftsmanship of set and costume design masterfully contributes to creating an all-consuming viewing experience.

Admittedly, Master and Commander may not ignite the same fervor for those viewers lacking any interest in seamanship and naval strategy. Based upon the novels of Patrick O’Brian that follow the career of captain Jack Aubrey, the film does not dwell on the finer details of sailing and combat, but introduces the concepts and terminology necessary to establish why “Lucky” Jack operates they way he does and how they Surprise’s crew will accomplish their objectives. The film will by no means make you an expert in the craft, but it may ever so slightly open the door to be curious. The closest I have come to getting the same level of nautical know-how is from the show Black Sails, and that only briefly sated my curiosity of the naval arts that was originally stoked by Master and Commander. Here, we see there are intricacies and consequences to the decisions made by the captains, officers, and crew members, and ultimately those are all at the mercy of the sea and her willingness to point the wind in the right direction.

Okay, I have talked about the film’s stout qualities, so now there are few personally interesting notes. First, this movie released amidst a generational run of movies for Russell Crowe. From the late nineties through the aughts, he seemingly could not miss. This run starts with L.A. Confidential to Mystery, Alaska to The Insider to Gladiator (possibly one of the greatest movies of all time) to Proof of Life to A Beautiful Mind to Master and Commander to Cinderella Man and it goes on. That list alone would be a stellar career, but it is only eight years – EIGHT YEARS! Crowe may not be putting out the same level of quality these days, but his presence in some of my favorite movies feels like being able to catch up with an old friend whenever I pop in a disc. Second, and something that I should probably research further just out of curiosity, these ship crews had an absurd number of children. Now, this is all based on what was on screen, so some validation is required, but there were numerous young boys serving in fairly important roles within the crew. And when it came to battle, hand-to-hand combat, they were right in the thick of things. This happens to be one of the focal storylines in the film, and it is fascinating. It is hard to imagine a boy of twelve sparring, sword-to-sword, with a grizzled 40-year-old when I am pretty sure at twelve I lamented waking up on summer days knowing I had to mow the yard. Our lives are not the same, or even in the same realm of acceptable possibilities.

If you could not tell, I love Master and Commander. It is simply one of those movies that feels good to go back to, and I had neglected watching it for far too long. Everything about how the film is crafted enriches the viewing experience to make it haunting, intense, sorrowful, and joyous. There is a range of emotions conveyed through the storytelling, scene construction, and performances that raises Master and Commander above the typical cinematic fare.