Russell Crowe Is Right, If You Think ‘Master And Commander’ Is Boring, You Need To Grow Up – The Federalist

Peter Weirs 2003 masterpiece, Master and Commander, is a film about manhood, fatherhood, service, and sacrifice. Adapted from three novels in Patrick OBrians epic Aubrey-Maturin series and starring Russell Crowe, the film is set at sea during the Napoleonic Wars and tells the story of British Captain Jack Aubreys mission to find and sink a French privateer thats been harassing the British whaling fleet off the coast of Brazil.

In other words, its not a comic-book film for woke zoomers and millennials trapped in adolescence. Its a film for adults who want to see a nuanced portrayal of masculine virtue set amid breathtaking cinematography and awesome naval battle scenes.

Crowe himself explained as much over the weekend when someone on Twitter snarked that Master and Commander was so boring it might help as a sleep aid during the pandemic. Ive never made it past the ten minute mark, wrote Ian McNabb, to which Crowe replied, Thats the problem with kids these days. No focus.

Peter Weirs film is brilliant. An exacting, detail oriented, epic tale of fidelity to Empire & service, regardless of the cost. Incredible cinematography by Russell Boyd & a majestic soundtrack. Definitely an adults movie.

Crowes critique of the Twitter troll McNabb strikes at the heart of why a film like Master and Commander might seem boring to young people in todays culture, especially young men.

Yes, the film is a slow burn essentially a drawn-out chase scene as Aubreys ship first eludes and then hunts the French privateer. But as the tension slowly mounts, the virtues of a bygone era are made manifest, not just in the friendship between Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin, the ships surgeon, but also in the paternal relationship Aubrey has toward his officers and crew.

In a time when close male friendship and fatherhood are increasingly rare for young men, Master and Commander is an even more important film to watch and contemplate, and then watch again. If you cant get through the first 10 minutes because youre bored, I assure you the problem isnt with the film, its with you. Grow up.

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Russell Crowe Is Right, If You Think 'Master And Commander' Is Boring, You Need To Grow Up - The Federalist