It would be really easy to knock Master and Commander for its sparsely touched plot, until you realize its actually thematic elements that keep the film sailing forward. The nature of these elements are exactly as the title suggests – they ask what it means to be a good leader. In fact, the film could almost work as one of those little cooperate leadership seminars, were it not for the fact that it fails to reach any substantial conclusions on the matter. On second thought though, that sounds exactly like a corporate leadership seminar.

What works best in Master and Commander is the historical reenactment. After the films 138 minute voyage, you really know life on a British battle ship during the Napoleonic wars. Though you certainly get the feel through the finely recreated sea vessel with its furnishings, authentic costumes and exotic landscapes, the reality really sets in with its depiction of humanity. The difficulties that come with casualties are captured as well as any war movie I’ve seen and I love the depiction of officers struggling to move up in rank while the crew members struggle to earn an extra ration of grub.

The impressiveness of the films authenticity is magnified through some fantastically realistic sequences. For example, Peter Weir’s beautifully filmed storm sequences blow the water out of his little storm in The Truman Show and an intensive battle between enemy ships makes Pirates of the Caribbean look like a Disneyland ride.

But even the most engrossing storm and battle scenes struggle to keep the film afloat. The primary storyline deals with Captain Jack Aubrey’s (Russell Crowe) British war ship, which is on the hunt to intercept and destroy a mischievous French ship. But the boats meet just a few times and only the final encounter is really eventful.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World certainly makes an attempt at a thematic progression. The captain gives us one of its underlying currents straight out, although in a comical tone, when he declares, “Always choose the lesser of two weevils.” This is then exemplified throughout the film in instances such as the cutting off of a boy’s injured arm, cutting an overboard man away from the ship and again in a major decision to lose track of the French ship to help heal his friend, Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), who also happens to be the ship’s surgeon.

Ideas about leadership are woven in throughout multiple scenes that include frequent discussions and arguments between Aubrey and Maturin on the matter, stories about Aubrey’s former captain, whom everyone respected for his leadership and a storyline about an aspiring young commander who struggles with being a leader. For all its discussion on the topic, though, I never felt like there was anything particularly enlightening that was unveiled.

Considering everything that I mentioned above, Master and Commander really had some fantastic potential. I think the same stories and same ideas could have been worked out to create a really powerful dramatic and thematic effect. The way it stands though, it’s really just a cruise through history.

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