Crowe sails through sea epic

THE swashbuckling high-seas adventure Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is set during the Napoleonic wars where England is struggling to contain the power of the all-conquering Bonaparte.

Far from the shores of either England or France, off the coast of Brazil to be exact, a battle is shaping between the HMS Surprise and the French Privateer Acheron that could decide the course of the war.

The Surprise, captained by Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe), had been ordered to intercept the Acheron, but the French ship launched a merciless attack of it own.

With the cannonballs flying around like rice at a wedding, Aubrey bravely inspires his crew to fight on.

When the Surprise finally escapes from the Acheron, the ship has sustained heavy damage and should head home, but Aubrey decides to launch one last attack to try and save the day.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a good old-fashioned swashbuckler with lots of peg legs and hooks for hands, action, blood and bravado.

Action, 12. 3/5