All these factors I mentioned above set the movie apart but that does not mean it had a substandard plot and mediocre acting. In reality, the actual ship passed through rough seas on its journey around the Horn and these real scenes were added to the movie. At no time, did I get the sense that I was watching a scale model in a tank. Finally, unlike every other sea movie that preceded it, the special effects were seamlessly integrated into the real footage of the ships at sea. 'MASTER AND COMMANDER' did that, and even if you play the DVD on a plain TV, you would still marvel at the realism of the sound. I have never been to a film where I actually felt that I was part of the environment. The sound editing alone was worth the price of admission. Every actor spoke the language as if they were born into it, and that element alone made the viewer feel as if they were viewing a window in time of a world rarely seen. 'MASTER AND COMMANDER' brought to life a language totally forgotten: the language of the sea, circa early 1800's. Another example is the 'Passion of the Christ' which used a mix of Aramaic and Hebrew to add its authentic feel, but it came across as highly artificial. Take for example, 'Gangs of New York.' The cinematography and sets were outstanding but the dialogue of everyone but Daniel Day-Lewis was severely lacking in historical authenticity. However, its greatness lies not in the story line but in those elements that typically ruin what would otherwise be great historical films, namely: dialogue, special effects, and sound track. It is, without question, the finest movie ever made about tall ships. All I can say to that reviewer is simply, 'I am really sorry that you were not able to see what I saw.' Movies like 'MASTER AND COMMANDER' only come around once in a generation. This is the case with 'MASTER AND COMMANDER'. Yet, once in awhile a movie transcends the boundaries that define it, and its true genius is not something that everyone is going to apprehend. Each person carries with them their own set of experiences and no amount of explanation or arguments will change their mind, either. Neither of these films, though, were hailed as classics like 'MASTER AND COMMANDER' Many people go into a theatre with a preconceived notion of what they think they will see, only to be disappointed when what they see is not what they expected. 'Fargo' comes to mind as does 'Moulin Rouge' and 'Mystic River.' However, unlike the reviewer, I watched these films several times over before reaching a final judgment in the event that I had been too hasty in my initial impressions. I have to admit that I, too, have disliked films that were highly rated by a large majority of film critics. That someone would loathe what others have lauded is not surprising, really. Further, she claimed that we, the other reviewers, only believe what we are told to believe. One disgruntled reviewer of this film stated that she cannot understand how anyone could like this movie, let alone love it. Normally, I do not begrudge someone their opinion about a movie, but when they cast aspersions about other reviewers here, I feel compelled to respond.
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