mraculeated
The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.
Darin
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
Isbel
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews
Horatio(Gruffudd, imbuing the role with a strong sense of honor and pride) begins his naval career at 17, in the year of 1793. In spite of various circumstances being against him, he does, in time, fare well with the other midshipmen(if you don't know a lot of Navy lingo, you will want to keep a dictionary on hand, and a finger on the pause-button). Then, Simpson(Healy, making for a truly reprehensible antagonist) returns, and his abusive behavior, thus far tolerated by the other low-level(none of the officers know about it) workers, leads to a feud with our titular protagonist.I haven't read the novels, but if this is anything to go by, it's no wonder they were deemed worthy of adapting. This is an excellent first chapter, and sets the scene for numerous more - I look forward to taking in the following seven. Thoroughly well-acted, filmed compellingly(though you can, at times, tell this was made for television), credible with a richness of detail(many subtle ones), all characters developed well - and with a pace that features many events and people, without rushing ahead to fit it all in. The realism is impressive - there are some elements that make it clear that this is fiction, a dramatization crafted around things that have happened, and with how gripping this is, you easily forgive that. It goes into universally human themes - respect, discipline, friendship, etc.There is a bit of brutal, bloody, disturbing and violent content in this - it is quite honest in its depiction of the many nasty, potential consequences of sea-faring, and ship-based warfare, of the time. I recommend this to any fan of drama and historical adventure. 8/10
fung0
As a huge fan of the Hornblower books, I looked forward to these lavish TV adaptations with great anticipation. Imagine my disappointment to find that none of the merits of the books had been captured, leaving only the cheesiest sort of American-style action-adventure.This first installment is the perfect example. In the original story, the key duel is a masterful play by the virtuoso whist player Hornblower: he takes a losing hand and at the risk of his life finesses it into "an even chance." This reveals the essence of his character: the ability to make coldly dispassionate decisions even when his personal safety is at stake. This revelation is not lost on characters in the book, becoming a key stepping stone in Hornblower's advancement in the navy.The TV movie throws all of this away. Instead of a brilliant tactician, Hornblower is now just another military bonehead, who solves his problems by a combination of physical prowess and ill-deserved good luck.Of course, if the film worked even on that level, it might still be entertaining: a latter-day Captain Blood swashbuckler, perhaps. Alas, that's not in the cards either. As appallingly portrayed by the talentless, charmless Ioan Gruffud, Hornblower is little more than an annoying boob, with neither the charisma of an Errol Flynn, nor the gawky believability of CS Forester's original hero.The historical backdrop might still be of some interest, but that too has been horribly botched. The severe realities of naval life, so vividly depicted in the books, are softened and distorted beyond all recognition. There's no challenge here, for characters to rise above; it's more like a tedious commercial cruise, with boring dinner-table conversation being the worst imaginable hazard.I suppose that had these films NOT included the name "Hornblower," they might seem like passable (if mindless and style-less) light entertainment. But only of the most marginal sort. By attempting to pass themselves off as Hornblower stories, though, they become openly offensive. My advice: avoid at all costs. Put on The Sea Hawk if you want escapist nautical hijinks, and read The Happy Return or Flying Colours if you want sparkling historical drama.
grahamsj3
I'm not planning to review each episode of this outstanding mini series separately, so this review is for all of them. I love this series. In my opinion, it is one of the most realistic series about sailing ships ever produced. There is a good bit of adventure, drama, war and even a bit of humor to be found. If anybody ever wanted to know what life was like for both Officers and "enlisted" men in the British Navy during the age of sail, this is the series to tell the story. The acting is superb throughout the entire series. The tale is entirely believable, based on the book(s) by C.S. Foster and beautifully adapted to film. I have just finished watching the first 6 episodes, which is what was sold as the original DVD set. I understand that there are two more DVDs available and I will endeavor to get my hands on them ASAP. Lest you worry that ladies might not like it, I think they will. These are not "war movies" at all, although there is war aplenty in them. But there is enough other intrigue to keep anyone's interest. Highly recommended!
TheNorthernMonkee
SPOILERS Based on the novels of C.S. Forester, the television adaptations of the life of Horatio Hornblower are well loved and well watched. With superb, albeit far from perfect, set designs, the series thrives due to it's excellent scripting, acting and realism. In this first encounter with the legendary Hornblower, we are given a perfect introduction to the lives of the man and his shipmates.As a young midshipman, Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd) is hardly the most likely of heroes. Serving under Captain Keene (Michael Byrne), he is constantly sea sick and bullied by the sadistic Jack Simpson (Dorian Healy). When war is declared against the French however, Horatio is transfered to the command of the inspirational Captain Pellew (Robert Lindsay). There, getting used to the sea and free from his tormentor, he begins to flourish into a man of strength and intelligence.The amazing thing about the series in general is the way that Gruffudd's Hornblower meta-morphs from a young boy into an amazing Gentleman. In this first episode, he is superb as an inept boy who, when given the chance to flourish, succeeds with ease.Gruffudd is also helped by some brilliant casting including Lindsay, Healy, Paul Copley, Sean Gilder and Jamie Bamber. All these actors become regulars in the series and they all perform admirably throughout.Realism is another crucial part in the beauty of the Hornblower series. For a series to be based almost completely on a ship, it requires large amounts of effort to deal with the water vibrations. This series knows this and manages to capture the experience perfectly. Whilst not possessing the funding of recent Hollywood blockbuster "Master And Commander" (2003), it might not benefit from the ability to show two ships side by side without even slightly having a green screen effect, but it does manage to capture events on the boat perfectly, and for that it deserves praise.Ultimately for the Hornblower series, all credit should go to Russell Lewis' superb scripting. Based on the books, Lewis brings to Hornblower to a new audience and manages to catch our interest with ease. Desperate to watch the next episode straight after it's predecessor, audiences fall in love with the nautical adventures and are hooked.As a first episode, the Hornblower series could not have had a better production than "The Even Chance". Introducing the young and quiet Hornblower, it manages to catch the audiences interest and by the end of the episode we're obsessed. Warning, watching this first episode will cause you to spend large quantities of time watching the entire series. Brilliant!
