Master and Commander Is Paul Bettany’s True Masterpiece

VisionQuest stands out on Marvel Television’s roster by closing out a trilogy that began with WandaVision and continued with Agatha All Along. Another major draw is the dynamic between Paul Bettany, who plays a reborn version of the android Avenger Vision, and James Spader, who returns as Vision’s creator Ultron. Bettany stated that playing Vision reignited his acting career, but before VisionQuest, he starred in a historical war drama that has become a cult classic.

That film is Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Co-written and directed by Peter Weir, Master and Commander follows Jack Aubrey, played by Russell Crowe, as captain of the HMS Surprise. Aubrey sails the high seas during the Napoleonic Wars and encounters an enemy vessel that outmatches the Surprise in firepower and is commanded by an equal tactician. A tense conflict ensues, but Paul Bettany proves to be the biggest draw.

Paul Bettany steals the show in ‘Master and Commander’

Paul Bettany plays Stephen Maturin, the Surprise‘s doctor and Aubrey’s best friend. Maturin is a genuine genius who performs brain surgery on a sailor and even operates on himself during a gunfight. He also serves as a great foil to Aubrey, focusing on studying local life around the Galápagos while Aubrey hunts the enemy vessel. That dynamic matches the Patrick O’Brien books that inspired the movie, bolstered by the fact that Crowe and Bettany previously worked together on A Beautiful Mind.

VisionQuest fans will also spot James D’Arcy as the Surprise‘s first lieutenant, Thomas Pullings. D’Arcy previously played Edwin Jarvis in Agent Carter, the character who inspired the J.A.R.V.I.S. computer program voiced by Bettany. D’Arcy briefly reprised his role in VisionQuest when Jarvis sacrificed himself to save Vision from Adamantium bullets. Pullings enjoys a much better fate in the film, earning a promotion to captain of his own ship.

‘Master and Commander’ has aged like fine wine

Master and Commander was positioned to launch a film series, ending with the enemy captain faking his death to continue sailing. A rematch never happened because the movie achieved only mild box-office success instead of becoming a blockbuster hit. The film commands attention years later, with a GQ article highlighting its massive popularity on streaming services. Russell Crowe even campaigned for a sequel by urging fans on Twitter to email Tom Rothman, the CEO of Fox at the time. Ironically, Rothman greenlit Master and Commander specifically because he loved the Aubrey-Maturin novels.

With VisionQuest wrapping up in two weeks, fans should check out Master and Commander for its positive portrayal of male friendship, epic sea battles, and one of Paul Bettany’s finest performances.

Source: Polygon