Master and Commander

“Master and Commander” is a lively and straightforward film.

I read the book the film is based on ages ago and vaguely remember enjoying it, though that story had a lot more to it than the bare bones plot of the film. The movie is like a lean “Jaws,” but instead of a shark there’s a fast and deadly frigate hunting the protagonists.

History doesn’t hold up well: There’s one woman in “Master and Commander” and she’s on screen for five seconds. The Black folks who are sometimes around the crew are clearly not part of the crew, but the movie doesn’t spend any time on that problematic dynamic.