Master and Commander: The far Side of The World, 2003

Master and Commander: The far side of the world
Director: Peter Weir
Cast: Russel Crowe, Paul Bettany, Billy Boyd

Stage: Home TV selection


Master and Commander in short: In April 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars, the H.M.S. Surprise, a British frigate, is under the command of Captain Jack Aubrey. Aubrey and the Surprise's current orders are to track and capture or destroy a French privateer named Acheron. The Acheron is currently in the Atlantic off South America headed toward the Pacific in order to extend Napoleon's reach of the wars. This task will be a difficult one as Aubrey quickly learns in an initial battle with the Acheron that it is a bigger and faster ship than the Surprise, which puts the Surprise at a disadvantage. Aubrey's single-mindedness in this seemingly impossible pursuit puts him at odds with the Surprise's doctor and naturalist, Stephen Maturin, who is also Aubrey's most trusted advisor on board and closest friend. Facing other internal obstacles which have resulted in what they consider a string of bad luck,.


Preps: I have also seen this several times. Russel Crowe is one of my favourites. Plus, this is a two times oscar winner. With eight nominations in that year. A must see every now and then.


Reality: Crowe rocks in the movies where he has a giant role, like a protagonist of faith, or someone at the front of an army (as in this case). A strong figure, whose role is to lead towards better life or to win a battle. To have a vengeance, like in Gladiator.
Master and Commander is not an exception. Crow is in one of his strongest roles. The dialogue is brilliant, the action scenes also. The faith in the main protagonist remains until the end of the story. One of the best parts is the continous rivalry between the captain and his scientist, if I may dare to say so. Dr. Maturin, surgeon, is at the same time, his best friend and his worst enemy. He quarrels with him practically the whole time. It is as the doctor is his bad conscious and predicts the dark scenarios (or at least the opposite / being somehow always against what captain thinks, at least in verbal sense.)

I believe the director made a fine thin line between what's too much and what's enough. In sense that the dialogues aren't too long, the battles are not too long. And the story is believable, the music takes you to enter adrenalin and on the other hand calms you down. I believe that a lot of people enjoy watching movies that will take you to the history and show you how some things that are practically extinct, like working on ships, took their role in the food chain. To me, I love to watch good costumography and good made scenes. With items from the past, with music fro the past, with superstition and everything that revolves itself around it. And with Russel Crowe, what a treat.

An extra plus: The scenes from Galapagos Islands. I would really love to go there.


My personal rating 8,0 (a brilliant pirate movie. The Brits do their charm and magic on the ocean and win the war. In the main role, Russel Crowe, the pirate of the sea. Loved it):


Master and commander on IMDB

Firewall, 2006

Firewall, 2006
Director:Richard Loncraine
Cast: Harrison Ford, Virginia Madsen, Paul Bettany


Stage: Home TV Selection after a long day


Firewall in short: With his family held for ransom, the head security executive for a global bank is commanded to loot his own business for millions in order to ensure his wife and children's safety. He then faces the demanding task of thwarting the kidnapper's grand scheme, which makes him look guilty of embezzlement.


Preps: I have seen this piece several times and I am aware it's a fairy good action.


Reality: The movie exposes a big problem one can face when someone kidnaps his/her personality, family, life, and how easily everything gets turned upside down. A lot of presumptions in the movie are fairly childish and make think that the director underestimated the intelligence of the spectator. Nevertheless, a solid action and a thinkthrough, how much the data on the internet is worth, who is your persona and what to do, if you have your identity stolen.

Ford here shows no difference to his other similar action movies ( The Fugitive, Patriot Games, etc). As the main protagonist, once he's in the role of the main defender of the country, other time in the role of defender of the family and he will do anything to protect them. Similar as Willis in his sagas Die Hard or copies of this one. Ford's role is unrivaled, first acts, then thinks, first feels, then acts. With a fair judgement, this is the unique role he feels at home the most.

The piece is nothing really special. Predictable, thrilling at times, and fun to see on a lovely evening. You won't get your veins filtered, but as said, a solid piece.


My personal rate: 5,5 (a good repeat to see, nothing really special, but also a fairly safe choice to go along with on a rainy day)

Firewall on IMDB

Turist, 2010

Turist, 2010
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Cast: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany


Stage: Local theatre


Turist in short: Elise (Angelina Jolie) sits next to an American tourist, Frank (Johnny Depp), on a train going to Venice. She has chosen him as a decoy, making believe that he is her lover who is wanted for police. Not only will they need to evade the police, but also the mobster whose money her lover stole.



Preps: None whatsoever. Just want to see Depp and Jolie again. How bad could it be?


Reality: Well, never say how bad can it be.. this is one of the major no-no's in this year to start with. How low can you go with picking a script, cast and the movie as you are one of the leading stars, as Depp, Jolie and Bethany definitely are? You can not just place wonder kids (cast) on the stage and locate it in Venice. Reality just doesn't work this way. It's definitely one of the worst movies lately and I don't want even to hear about it again. The storyline (plot), the cast itself, lack of energy between Depp and Jolie.. arrrrr. It just goes on and on.

On the first half you will barely see it to its end, I can assure you that. Truly sorry it ever came under my hands. I don't dare to say anything really positive about this piece, as there isn't anything positive to say. Besides the placement and cast. Content is awful, scenes, music, everything lacks. A hut never became a castle just because a king parked outside for a while. Neither did this movie. It remained in its stone age. Total waste of time. And I am sorry for the main cast. A big minus to their respectful line of great movies.


My personal rate: 2,0 (bljak. Do something else. The 2,0 is only because the cast and Venice, which is breathtaking. All the other.. not worth even mentioning).


Turist on IMDB

Official page

Legion, 2010

Legion, 2010
Director: Scott Stewart
Cast: Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Dennis Quaid




Legion in short: An out-of-the-way diner becomes the unlikely battleground for the survival of the human race. When God loses faith in humankind, he sends his legion of angels to bring on the Apocalypse. Humanity's only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner with the Archangel Michael (Bettany).

Stage: home theatre

Preps: None in perticular. I saw it as one of the options in the local cinema. However I was told it was a disaster. I do give a deal about recommendations, however sometimes some movies can impress anyway. I was soooooo wrong :(


Reality: This is one of the worst things I tried to see in the latest movie attempts. I can fairly say that even standing on a cold rainy night out, freezing, would be a better choice than seeing this one. I have been very critical about a movie some time ago, with Wesley Snipes - The book of Eli, however, I claim that the book is far better than this piece. It took me 20 minutes to erase it. Without real story, without body, cast that could even for a second convince, nothing. In my opinion, a true NO NO. So .. don't bother. It's not worth it!!!



My personal rate: 0 (I haven't erased a movie this fast in a long time. What a pile of sh.. Do yourself a favour and don't watch it. Don't even think of going to the cinema or download, argh!)



Legion on IMDB