This watch was the first I've done since I began reading the books with the group. I got the DVD when it first came out, because I love wooden ships. I knew nothing about the book. I watched the beginning, got very tired of it, and didn't watch it again for a long time. I think this film could have been so much better done. The first third of it is basically "life at sea is rough." It should have been about character development, and really acquainting us with the Jack and Stephen characters. Paul Bettany did a good job acting, but anyone familiar with the book knows the character should have been played by someone like Wally Cox (were he still around). The film really gets going on the first trip to the Galapagos.
A lot in this film could have been alluded to, rather than having so much time spent on things that don't really move the story.
Incidentally, people who watch films with me usually do so only once. I'm rather a harsh judge.
I was rather disappointed. I didn't think this film did a great job of caputuring the flavor of the books. Russell Crowe was a rather splendid Aubrey, and it was nice when some character development did get underway. I think the people who did this film needed a clearer focus: the stories are really about the relationship between Jack and Stephen and the setting is Age of Sail. They seemed to be trying to do too many things at once. The film needed masterful editing, which it didn't get. I hope before they do the next one, and I think there will be a next one, they really sit down and figure out what the problems were in this one. This could have and should have been a big film!
A lot in this film could have been alluded to, rather than having so much time spent on things that don't really move the story. I think the people who did this film needed a clearer focus: the stories are really about the relationship between Jack and Stephen and the setting is Age of Sail. They seemed to be trying to do too many things at once.
There is always going to be a problem making characterisation evident without plot - this film has little enough in the way of plotting anyway, as the story is essentially "ship chases another ship and catches it". You couldn't strip The Far Side of the World down a lot more, really. I do think there's a bit of a problem with doing away with all the backstory along with all of Stephen's POV, spyverse etc, as newcomers are left genuinely bewildered about Jack and Stephen's relationship.
The film really gets going on the first trip to the Galapagos.
A lot in this film could have been alluded to, rather than having so much time spent on things that don't really move the story.
Incidentally, people who watch films with me usually do so only once. I'm rather a harsh judge.
I was rather disappointed. I didn't think this film did a great job of caputuring the flavor of the books. Russell Crowe was a rather splendid Aubrey, and it was nice when some character development did get underway. I think the people who did this film needed a clearer focus: the stories are really about the relationship between Jack and Stephen and the setting is Age of Sail. They seemed to be trying to do too many things at once. The film needed masterful editing, which it didn't get. I hope before they do the next one, and I think there will be a next one, they really sit down and figure out what the problems were in this one. This could have and should have been a big film!
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There is always going to be a problem making characterisation evident without plot - this film has little enough in the way of plotting anyway, as the story is essentially "ship chases another ship and catches it". You couldn't strip The Far Side of the World down a lot more, really. I do think there's a bit of a problem with doing away with all the backstory along with all of Stephen's POV, spyverse etc, as newcomers are left genuinely bewildered about Jack and Stephen's relationship.
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