November 2003 saw the release of director/co-writer Peter Weir’s (The Truman Show; Dead Poets Society) nautical wartime tale Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, an indirect adaptation of the stories from the Patrick O’Brian Master and Commander novels. Perhaps as a means of tapping into the desire for maritime adventure that the then-Pirates of the Caribbean series embodied, Weir’s The Far Side of the World invited audiences on an epic tale of friendship, patriotism, and, of course, naval battles. Though the film did manage to recoup its budget, The Far Side of the World didn’t make the splash expected upon initial release, but it has garnered a dedicated fanbase for whom “Oceans are Battlefields,” the final line in the initial text scrawl, is a clarion call. Now, 20th Century Studios is re-releasing Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World in a first-time 4K UHD presentation, either in a limited edition 4K UHD Blu-ray steelbook combo or on digital, with a brand-new remaster of the visual and auditory elements and many of the legacy features.
Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey in MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Walt Disney Studios.
April 1805: The Napoleonic War is underway and Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) of British frigate HMS Surprise is tasked with apprehending the French privateer Acheron. Despite the crew of the Surprise being repeatedly out-matched, Aubrey remains undeterred, even if it means risking the entirety of the Surprise. As loses grow and frustrations mount, hope and the British Empire hang in the balance as Aubrey pulls his crew together to stop the more advanced ship and bring its crew to justice.
The following 4K UHD streaming release review is based on a digital edition provided by 20th Century Studios.
Let’s get a few things out of the way. Much like other recent 20th Century Studios re-releases, the physical edition offered in the U.S. is both steelbook-only and limited in number. Chances are, by the time you read this, your best bet to get ahold of a physical edition is to try your luck with scalpers, which is, honestly, the most frustrating aspect of these releases. One can be delighted to see physical media being supported while simultaneously frustrated by the rollout approach. So, if there’s a title you’re super interested in, keep a sharp eye on retailers like Wal-Mart and DiabolikDVD for pre-order opportunities. Sadly, because these are steelbooks, the cost is roughly $40 with tax to secure (at retail). This makes the purchase a premium that may not always justify itself. For those interested in and are lucky enough to get a copy, here’s what you can expect for it to look like:
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD steelbook packshot. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Walt Disney Studios.
Since the review copy is of the digital variety, no hands-on thoughts can be offered on the steelbook.
What can be confirmed is that, should this be a repurchase, the bonus features going back to the original DVD release are included either on-disc or through the digital edition via the code included with the physical edition. This means the near-70-minute The Hundred Days, the 19-minute In the Wake of O’Brian, 30-minute Cinematic Phasmids, 17-minute On Sound Design, 25-minute HBO First Look, six (6) deleted scenes, trailers, and other materials carry over to this edition. Reports from other sites do state that the included Blu-ray is the same as the past release with all of the materials only on that disc. No new materials are included with either the physical or digital edition, which may matter for individuals looking for more than an audio/video upgrade.
Viewing the film through a 4K Apple TV, the remaster does impress. The blacks are appropriately inky, the grain is minimal in close-ups freeing the image for greater detail, and there’s clarity of image even where the cinematography doesn’t allow necessarily for a beautiful one (the colors are quite muted save for the red coats some English fighters wear). During the second incursion between the Surprise and Acheron, when the scene shifts to night and the decoy successful, the screen is total darkness except for the explosions of white that grow murky with brown smoke in the bottom-right corner to show just how far the Acheron is from the Surprise. Likewise, in the period of superstition that overtakes the Surprise crew, the suicide of Midshipman Hollom (Ian Mercer) is startling not just due to Mercer’s performance in the scene that gives the sacrifice portent depth, but also due to the ghostly countenance the cinematography provides Mercer as he disappears into the depths. There’s no information on *how* the remaster was created, but there’s plenty of evidence of its success conveyed on-screen through moments like these.
L-R: James D’Arcy as 1st Lt. Tom Pullings and Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey in MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Walt Disney Studios.
In terms of the audio, the new remaster is Dolby Atmos compatible; however, EoM’s screening room is not. As such, we will not provide any reactions to that portion of the remaster. We can confirm, however, that scenes such as the opening incursion and final confrontation, as well as the storm sequence, are immersive in a 5.1 setup. Balance is maintained so that chaos is achieved visually while ensuring we know where the sounds are erupting from in the viewing space as they relate to the action on-screen. You’re not exactly going to be ducking cannonballs, but you may be considering some kind of ear canal protection after a while.
As for the film itself, what an adventure. Weir and co-writer John Collee (Monkey Man; Happy Feet) trust the audience to understand what’s happening, eschewing expected exposition by using context clues for much of the maritime lingo that may lose those less-knowledgeable, as well as to set up relationships between characters. Often, when expositional dialogue is used, Weir and Collee structure it to serve a greater purpose, such as when Aubrey informs another that Midshipman Lord William Blakeney’s (Max Pirkis) father will understand the loss of his right arm (elbow down) but his mother will have a big problem, suggesting that Blakeney comes from a line of sailors and that Aubrey understands both his custodial responsibilities and leadership ones. It sometimes gets clunky in the initial interactions between Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bethany), but the context does help to inform audiences less familiar with the books of their dynamic which provides the anchoring of the narrative as the book explores the various shades of duty. While the film also focuses on the pair, Weir manages to widen the narrative to allow the audience to get a sense of the large ensemble so that their successes and failures carry weight. We don’t just worry about Blakeney because he’s a young boy, but also because he’s a naval lieutenant with responsibilities. We may not spend much time with any one character outside of a select few, yet we grow an attachment all the same. One immediately thinks of the supportive ensemble in Twister (1996) which has their own fan base as the characters are entirely understood due to characterization and performance despite not deeply explored. We may not know the names of the seamen, we feel the injury of them all the same and celebrate the victories when they arrive. It’s because of the film’s ability to balance so much that audiences connect with The Far Side of the World, creating the burgeoning fan base that has kept the film in conversation well past its initial release.
Center: Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey in MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Walt Disney Studios.
Speaking as someone who tracked down the U.K. non-steelbook 4K UHD edition of Tombstone (1993) and has pre-ordered the 50th anniversary 4K UHD steelbook edition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), the desire to physically own good remasters of films I enjoy matters a great deal. Time will tell if RHPS will meet the bar that Tombstone and The Far Side of the World create, but, for now, one will have hope until otherwise confirmed. As this will be the only way to get RHPS physically, this is a risk I’m willing to take as a long-standing member of the fan club. Having now seen, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, I understand why its fans are as passionate as they are and why they might, also, have snagged this sight-unseen, powered by a good tail wind and strong belief in doing the right thing. While the digital edition is not as ideal as the physical due to the compression issues that will always prevent digital from offering a presentation equal to physical in the same format, the digital edition should provide some sense of solace if you’re not able to get a steelbook. At the very least, you’ll be able to return to this sooner and with greater ease than Maturin’s attempts to get to Galápagos Islands. A small comfort, I’m sure.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Legacy Special Features:
- The Hundred Days (1:08:41)
- In the Wake of O’Brian (19:23)
- Cinematic Phasmids (30:02)
- On Sound Design (17:47)
- HBO First Look (25:02)
- Six (6) Deleted Scenes (24:20)
- Two (2) Multi-Angle Studies
- Split-Screen Vignette (4:31)
- Still Galleries
- Trailers
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray Steelbook Combo and digital August 5th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official 20th Century Studios Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World webpage.
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Categories: Home Video, Reviews, streaming
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