I saw the second part of this beautiful period piece set on a ship sometime in the 19th century. Golding's book must be responsible for some of the superb dialogue but everything else was good too! I especially liked the way they created the period and feeling of being on the ship so well. For me this had a feeling of completeness about it which I know I won't be able to convey in words... Perhaps it was the way they mixed in technical and historical details about sailing in the eighteen hundreds to the story without messing it up. Benedict Cumberbatch was excellent, as was the rest of the cast. It's not often a mini-series sends me to the "zone", but this one did.
18 Reviews
Won't regret watching. Won't remember too long either
przgzr15 August 2009
Reliable. This is the word that has probably been most related to BBC. Movies they make can be great, good, watchable, but never a waste of time, a disappointment, a complete disaster.
"To the Ends of the Earth" is a typical BBC work. Time, place and circumstances that most of productions would use for a romantic story BBC again turns into a cold reality, slapping us in face by facts that those were tough times, and in some moments we almost expect a narrator to tell us facts about the ship, the organization of the navy, the geographic data related to position of the ship. They show us that this is neither a "Love Boat" nor "Bounty", and that a good story doesn't need such extremes to be told.
And as the story develops we accept the fact that this is the same hard work and bad conditions as Dickens or Zola would describe us in factories or mines in novels taking place in same years. This was their world, their reality. In these circumstances some traditional rules of well behaving change, some traditional interpersonal relations change as well. This isolated world with its past abandoned, present threatening and future obscure looks like Antarctica base in "The Thing", spaceship in "2001", desert island in "The Blue Lagoon" or post-apocalyptic enclave in "Testament". They all know that most likely they won't see civilization ever more, and even seeing next day is questionable.
The captain is strict and seems cruel in some scenes, but can't be compared to Bligh. Early years of 19th century are not remembered as blossoming democracy, and ship almost sentenced to sinking is impossible to save without a firm hand. And seeing wild crowd of drunk, heartless sailors (that is for sure closer to reality than crew in "Treasure Island" or Errol Flynn movies where almost all pirates follow their code of honor) you may get a feeling that the ship needs a real dictatorship to get any chance of reaching so distant destination.
This harsh reality is melting in the second, weakest part of the mini-series. Watching it we are not sure if we see what is happening, or some imagination or hallucination of the main character. Too big deflection from the style of opening and closing parts.
In the last part we are finally witnessing changes in characters, they become more human and not only figures that the ship must contain for realism in semi-documentary movie. Here we start feeling them, understanding their motives and behaving, expecting what will happen to them. The cruel and dangerous nature, the lack of humanity and the ship itself are still there almost palpable as characters, but not dominating any more - now we have alive persons to see and hear.
Unfortunately, the ending is too sugared. We, certainly, did expect that the ship will successfully reach Australia, but last few minutes are a typical 19th century too romantic final chapter, with a list of characters, good and bad, and their destiny, that was more or less obvious and expected before they saw the coast. Just saving their lives would be a very happy ending (almost a miracle), but that wasn't enough... I know that the director had to follow the old story and that brought in my mind the illogical and forced happy-end of "Great Expectations", still... any modern slimy American romantic comedy could beat this ending.
"To the Ends..." might be a bit too long (middle part!), but in spite of its end it is worth watching both for the story and for understanding how people really sailed, conquered and settled the last wild pieces of the Earth. At least it will be less boring than just reading history and technical articles about it.
"To the Ends of the Earth" is a typical BBC work. Time, place and circumstances that most of productions would use for a romantic story BBC again turns into a cold reality, slapping us in face by facts that those were tough times, and in some moments we almost expect a narrator to tell us facts about the ship, the organization of the navy, the geographic data related to position of the ship. They show us that this is neither a "Love Boat" nor "Bounty", and that a good story doesn't need such extremes to be told.
And as the story develops we accept the fact that this is the same hard work and bad conditions as Dickens or Zola would describe us in factories or mines in novels taking place in same years. This was their world, their reality. In these circumstances some traditional rules of well behaving change, some traditional interpersonal relations change as well. This isolated world with its past abandoned, present threatening and future obscure looks like Antarctica base in "The Thing", spaceship in "2001", desert island in "The Blue Lagoon" or post-apocalyptic enclave in "Testament". They all know that most likely they won't see civilization ever more, and even seeing next day is questionable.
The captain is strict and seems cruel in some scenes, but can't be compared to Bligh. Early years of 19th century are not remembered as blossoming democracy, and ship almost sentenced to sinking is impossible to save without a firm hand. And seeing wild crowd of drunk, heartless sailors (that is for sure closer to reality than crew in "Treasure Island" or Errol Flynn movies where almost all pirates follow their code of honor) you may get a feeling that the ship needs a real dictatorship to get any chance of reaching so distant destination.
This harsh reality is melting in the second, weakest part of the mini-series. Watching it we are not sure if we see what is happening, or some imagination or hallucination of the main character. Too big deflection from the style of opening and closing parts.
In the last part we are finally witnessing changes in characters, they become more human and not only figures that the ship must contain for realism in semi-documentary movie. Here we start feeling them, understanding their motives and behaving, expecting what will happen to them. The cruel and dangerous nature, the lack of humanity and the ship itself are still there almost palpable as characters, but not dominating any more - now we have alive persons to see and hear.
Unfortunately, the ending is too sugared. We, certainly, did expect that the ship will successfully reach Australia, but last few minutes are a typical 19th century too romantic final chapter, with a list of characters, good and bad, and their destiny, that was more or less obvious and expected before they saw the coast. Just saving their lives would be a very happy ending (almost a miracle), but that wasn't enough... I know that the director had to follow the old story and that brought in my mind the illogical and forced happy-end of "Great Expectations", still... any modern slimy American romantic comedy could beat this ending.
"To the Ends..." might be a bit too long (middle part!), but in spite of its end it is worth watching both for the story and for understanding how people really sailed, conquered and settled the last wild pieces of the Earth. At least it will be less boring than just reading history and technical articles about it.
Well done drama, with a few holes
N_animator20 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
First off, I randomly found this show on Netflix and decided to watch it when I saw the casting had Benedict Cumberbatch and Sam Neil. I had never heard of this, so I went into this completely blind and unbiased.
Second, I've never read the books that this mini-series is based on, so I can't tell if it's faithful to the source material.
Benedict Cumberbatch does a very good job playing as the snobby aristocrat, Edmund Talbot, who only thinks about himself and his own ambitions, and he does a very good job of portraying a man who is having difficulties keeping his aristocratic posture on board a ship that is full of lies, deceit and danger. There are some performances I find off- putting, like when Edmund meets Marion and for no real good reason goes absolutely insanely in love with her, to the extent that he tries to abandon ship to follow her. Maybe it's better explained in the books, but I just found it cringing.
Sam Neil is among the actors who are prominently placed next to Benedict on the casting list, but it seems it was more to just draw people in with celebrity power since he is only really prominent in the last half of the third episode. Charles Dance does a brief appearance in the second episode as Sir Henry Somerset, but he too is given very little to do. Overall is just feel like wasted actors who could have been casted in more impacting roles.
The story and drama itself is well done. I felt myself glued to the screen to follow what was going to happen. Who was holding big secrets and who was stabbing who in the back. Added to that is the claustrophobia of being on a single ship in the middle of the vast ocean with nowhere to go, forcing characters to confront each other. The story is well told and the actors does a very good of showing the desperation and drama that would happen in the close quarters of this ship.
Lastly, the effects are pretty weak, but I don't blame them entirely since the cameras are mostly aimed at the actors, budget was probably very low, and there aren't that many scenes that requires VFX.
I would recommend this movie to those who generally just like historical dramas, or maybe just like to watch Benedict Cumberbatch's earlier roles.
Second, I've never read the books that this mini-series is based on, so I can't tell if it's faithful to the source material.
Benedict Cumberbatch does a very good job playing as the snobby aristocrat, Edmund Talbot, who only thinks about himself and his own ambitions, and he does a very good job of portraying a man who is having difficulties keeping his aristocratic posture on board a ship that is full of lies, deceit and danger. There are some performances I find off- putting, like when Edmund meets Marion and for no real good reason goes absolutely insanely in love with her, to the extent that he tries to abandon ship to follow her. Maybe it's better explained in the books, but I just found it cringing.
Sam Neil is among the actors who are prominently placed next to Benedict on the casting list, but it seems it was more to just draw people in with celebrity power since he is only really prominent in the last half of the third episode. Charles Dance does a brief appearance in the second episode as Sir Henry Somerset, but he too is given very little to do. Overall is just feel like wasted actors who could have been casted in more impacting roles.
The story and drama itself is well done. I felt myself glued to the screen to follow what was going to happen. Who was holding big secrets and who was stabbing who in the back. Added to that is the claustrophobia of being on a single ship in the middle of the vast ocean with nowhere to go, forcing characters to confront each other. The story is well told and the actors does a very good of showing the desperation and drama that would happen in the close quarters of this ship.
Lastly, the effects are pretty weak, but I don't blame them entirely since the cameras are mostly aimed at the actors, budget was probably very low, and there aren't that many scenes that requires VFX.
I would recommend this movie to those who generally just like historical dramas, or maybe just like to watch Benedict Cumberbatch's earlier roles.
A window on another world
paulnewman200111 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Meticulously constructed and perfectly played, To The Ends Of The Earth is a simply astonishing voyage out of our reality and into another age.
Based on William Golding's trilogy, these three 90-minute films chronicle the journey towards both Australia and experience of youthful aristocrat Edmund Talbot (Benedict Cumberbatch) aboard an aging man o' war in the early 19th century as he heads for a Government position Down Under.
Among the crew and hopeful emigrants sharing his passage are a tempestuous, bullying captain (Jared Harris), a politically radical philosopher (Sam Neill), a canny 1st lieutenant who's worked his way up from the bottom (Jamie Sives) and, fleetingly, the first brush of love in the form of a beautiful young woman (Joanne Page) whose ship literally passes in the night.
Quite aside from the astonishing degree of physical historic accuracy, director David Attwood and screenwriters Tony Basgallop and Leigh Jackson have a canny eye and ear for the manners and stiff etiquette of an earlier time, crafting a totally convincing microcosm of the Napoleonic era.
Shipboard life is one brutal, monotonous round of seasickness, squalor and danger after another and as Edmund becomes entangled in the loves, hopes and miseries of his fellow passengers he experiences a delirious whirl of life's hardships, Man's inhumanities and his noblest sentiments.
Those who enjoyed Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World or Patrick O'Brian's series of novels on which it was based will love this for everyone else, it's a whole new world to discover.
Based on William Golding's trilogy, these three 90-minute films chronicle the journey towards both Australia and experience of youthful aristocrat Edmund Talbot (Benedict Cumberbatch) aboard an aging man o' war in the early 19th century as he heads for a Government position Down Under.
Among the crew and hopeful emigrants sharing his passage are a tempestuous, bullying captain (Jared Harris), a politically radical philosopher (Sam Neill), a canny 1st lieutenant who's worked his way up from the bottom (Jamie Sives) and, fleetingly, the first brush of love in the form of a beautiful young woman (Joanne Page) whose ship literally passes in the night.
Quite aside from the astonishing degree of physical historic accuracy, director David Attwood and screenwriters Tony Basgallop and Leigh Jackson have a canny eye and ear for the manners and stiff etiquette of an earlier time, crafting a totally convincing microcosm of the Napoleonic era.
Shipboard life is one brutal, monotonous round of seasickness, squalor and danger after another and as Edmund becomes entangled in the loves, hopes and miseries of his fellow passengers he experiences a delirious whirl of life's hardships, Man's inhumanities and his noblest sentiments.
Those who enjoyed Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World or Patrick O'Brian's series of novels on which it was based will love this for everyone else, it's a whole new world to discover.
Horatio Hornblower by Leo Tolstoy
B246 November 2006
The three-part series ended last night on PBS, which I believe was its first wide exposure to an American audience. The richness of its text and the unique quality of its filming are high points. It seems very novel to view and hear an action play employing the vernacular of Georgian England, Jane Austen's filmed drawing rooms being the primary example of that form of speech. Yet it is the scope of drama overwhelming the senses that makes quaint language fit perfectly into each and every scene. Such bold exposure to an old reality is evocative of literary giants like Tolstoy or Shakespeare while at the same time entertaining in the manner of a C. S. Forester or Patrick O'Brian sea saga. The universality of basic human condition lies at its center.
Narrator Talbot as played by an actor with the almost perfectly appropriate name of Benedict Cumberbatch (surely not even Dickens could beat that one!) alternates between stodgy jingoism and extreme vulnerability, an acting tour de force. Indeed, I cannot recall among this very fine cast any misstep of interpretation. That is a tribute not only to the actors themselves, but to the director as well.
The most impressive element, however, is how perfectly life aboard a man-of-war en route to Australia in the early 1800's is presented. That is especially true of how the motion of the ship becomes almost a character itself, something sea stories rarely take into account except as backdrop. Anyone who has ever experienced mal de mer in person will recognize it instantly, and appreciate all the more how difficult it must have been to recreate within the context of filming.
This is no fanciful Pirates of the Caribbean. Some effort must be expended in attaining an understanding of its nuances.
Narrator Talbot as played by an actor with the almost perfectly appropriate name of Benedict Cumberbatch (surely not even Dickens could beat that one!) alternates between stodgy jingoism and extreme vulnerability, an acting tour de force. Indeed, I cannot recall among this very fine cast any misstep of interpretation. That is a tribute not only to the actors themselves, but to the director as well.
The most impressive element, however, is how perfectly life aboard a man-of-war en route to Australia in the early 1800's is presented. That is especially true of how the motion of the ship becomes almost a character itself, something sea stories rarely take into account except as backdrop. Anyone who has ever experienced mal de mer in person will recognize it instantly, and appreciate all the more how difficult it must have been to recreate within the context of filming.
This is no fanciful Pirates of the Caribbean. Some effort must be expended in attaining an understanding of its nuances.
Wonderful and varied "Bildungsroman"; and Benedict Cumberbatch's finest performance
angelofvic24 September 2010
This miniseries is a delightfully absorbing story that takes you out of your familiar time and place into a world of strange events and unique situations. Don't think of it as a sea-going adventure, though, for it doesn't seem that way, despite the occasionally lurching furniture and ocean views.
It is, in fact, a lovely "Bildungsroman" (journey of self-discovery), set in the early 19th century, and centered very clearly around the somewhat naively self-centered and very privileged Edward Talbot, who, despite his having reached maturity, is journeying out of his sphere for the very first time. The situations which beset him and force him to reexamine his life are not specific to sea voyages, but rather they are brought about because he is in the confines of a ship with a multitude of people from various walks of life, for a very long voyage across the world.
Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch should note that this is an absolutely unmissable performance by him. It's arguably his best -- and most wide-ranging -- performance in his very illustrious career.
If you like great stories, unusual period adventures, and/or Benedict Cumberbatch, this miniseries is a Must Watch. Don't let its apparently sea-going theme put you off, especially if you don't go in for that sort of stuff. This is a psychological study through and through (as might be expected from William Golding), and the sea is only a mere backdrop.
It is, in fact, a lovely "Bildungsroman" (journey of self-discovery), set in the early 19th century, and centered very clearly around the somewhat naively self-centered and very privileged Edward Talbot, who, despite his having reached maturity, is journeying out of his sphere for the very first time. The situations which beset him and force him to reexamine his life are not specific to sea voyages, but rather they are brought about because he is in the confines of a ship with a multitude of people from various walks of life, for a very long voyage across the world.
Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch should note that this is an absolutely unmissable performance by him. It's arguably his best -- and most wide-ranging -- performance in his very illustrious career.
If you like great stories, unusual period adventures, and/or Benedict Cumberbatch, this miniseries is a Must Watch. Don't let its apparently sea-going theme put you off, especially if you don't go in for that sort of stuff. This is a psychological study through and through (as might be expected from William Golding), and the sea is only a mere backdrop.
All the Elements Finely Done
krismcsherry6 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I was swept into this series just as surely as the sea would sweep me into its grip. Although it started out slowly, I found that the realism in depicting the ship, the variety of characters and lively dialogue keep me watching. The protagonist was destined to be challenged, grow and change on this voyage and I wanted to be there for it. I was not disappointed. The series took you from humor to tragedy and everything in-between, often in the same scene, the same breath. There was a wealth of emotional overlaying, interaction and expression--relentless and compelling to observe. The movement of the ship added an almost fanciful component to the many scenes, making the characters ill one moment and adding humor the next.
Edmund Talbot is a complex character, the likes of which we don't see often. We may know where the captain stands or Mr. Prettiman, but they are older men, set in their ways. Talbot was young and arrogant, still learning, testing himself and being tested. He struggled getting along with others and made mistakes like a real person would but had a heart that could be touched, that grew with each hard-taught experience. I appreciate the excellent characterization; it's too rare in movies and television.
Edmund Talbot is a complex character, the likes of which we don't see often. We may know where the captain stands or Mr. Prettiman, but they are older men, set in their ways. Talbot was young and arrogant, still learning, testing himself and being tested. He struggled getting along with others and made mistakes like a real person would but had a heart that could be touched, that grew with each hard-taught experience. I appreciate the excellent characterization; it's too rare in movies and television.
disgustingly real
jackrawlins6 April 2017
I found this mini-series unwatchable. All the people are various degrees of appalling, so there is no one to care about. The shipboard scenes are gritty, so if you think dirt equals authenticity, you'll love it, but I was completely unconvinced. The ship is absurdly roomy and often deserted, and the crew completely without discipline and often drunk, which ship's companies simply were not allowed to be. Cumberbatch is his usual icy, callous self, which works for others but not for me. Scenes of ship handling, sail handling, or the logistics of ship governance are almost nonexistent. The focus is entirely on the middle-class boors, hypocrites, and prigs who make up the paying passengers. The precise opposite of the splendid Master and Commander, this series seems to set out to document exactly how repulsive and boring ship voyages in the Napoleon era could be.
Incredible
TheLittleSongbird27 July 2011
To The Ends of the Earth is truly incredible. I watched it having been so impressed by Benedict Cumberbatch in the brilliant Sherlock. And he doesn't disappoint here, in fact once again in a performance wider in range perhaps than Sherlock he is amazing, as are the support actors. And it does help that the characters are well developed and that you care for them.
To The Ends of the Earth also has some wonderful production values. You can never go wrong with luscious photography, gorgeous scenery and settings and sumptuous costumes, with a period detail so evocative you feel you are there living the moment(the first series I've seen do that since The Crimson Petal and the White). To The Ends of the Earth has all of this, and also a music score that is beautiful, haunting and rousing and never undermines or overshadows the drama/action.
The story is rich, narrative-wise and thematically and always absorbing, and the dialogue intelligent and thoughtful while never feeling stilted. Overall, it is incredible and a must see. 10/10 Bethany Cox
To The Ends of the Earth also has some wonderful production values. You can never go wrong with luscious photography, gorgeous scenery and settings and sumptuous costumes, with a period detail so evocative you feel you are there living the moment(the first series I've seen do that since The Crimson Petal and the White). To The Ends of the Earth has all of this, and also a music score that is beautiful, haunting and rousing and never undermines or overshadows the drama/action.
The story is rich, narrative-wise and thematically and always absorbing, and the dialogue intelligent and thoughtful while never feeling stilted. Overall, it is incredible and a must see. 10/10 Bethany Cox
As if I was on board.....
popnruss22 May 2017
To the Ends of the Earth is an exceptionally well written, directed, and acted film. It is probably the best sea voyage film I have ever seen. And I have see all three versions of Mutiny on the Bounty. The writers had an excellent trilogy by William Golding to work from. Benedict Cumberbatch is tremendous as the naive, somewhat pompous, self possessed Mr. Talbot. Jared Harris is formidable as Captain Anderson. The supporting cast is equally as talented, richly portraying characters from the early 19th century. However the real leading "character" is the ship, tossed and turned, battered and beaten. It determines the fate of all those on board.
Better late than never.
enavarro120 August 2016
At last, something different, something different, something different! After flailing around (day after day) in the never-ending soup of present day cinematic, repetitive, mundane bilge ... stumbling across this wonderful series is like finding the proverbial oasis in the desert. I wish to thank the gods of Netflix for making it available and allowing me (admittedly late) to find and watch it. As a new-found fan of Mr. Cumberbatch (via Sherlock), I had just started to search out his other works when I found this wonderful epic.
I found it to be an excellent period piece that kept me enthralled and interested from beginning to end. And the end ... so refreshingly lifting in spirit and emotion. The language was impeccable and precise. The acting fantastic and the drama left little wanting.
I pray that the BBC Production Company never stops seeking out and filming these types of films.
I found it to be an excellent period piece that kept me enthralled and interested from beginning to end. And the end ... so refreshingly lifting in spirit and emotion. The language was impeccable and precise. The acting fantastic and the drama left little wanting.
I pray that the BBC Production Company never stops seeking out and filming these types of films.
Sea adventure without battles, but with heart
whidbeydanielg7 June 2017
This is a 4 1/2 hour film about a voyage from England to Australia. On board is a young English gentleman who writes about his voyage.
At first his writings are distant and objective. But as the voyage progresses, and he learns about the sea and about a world he could not imagine (and other people who he had never been around), his writings become more personal.
Nobody is a hero. Everybody just "is." The acting is superb, especially by Benedict Cumberbatch and Jared Harris, the Captain. There is no fake drama on-board. The Captain is not a Captain Bligh.
Instead, it is a creaky old man-o-war trying to get to Australia on its last legs. Months at sea in a cramped space around the same old people.
Because there are no glorious battles the voyage is, in some ways, as slow for the viewer as it is for the sailors and passengers. But never boring.
The series has a heart. It is lovely, exciting, and interesting. Cumberbatch, in an early role, displays the talent that we have come to expect from him in recent years. He carries the show.
It is a must watch. One of the best things we have watched in years.
At first his writings are distant and objective. But as the voyage progresses, and he learns about the sea and about a world he could not imagine (and other people who he had never been around), his writings become more personal.
Nobody is a hero. Everybody just "is." The acting is superb, especially by Benedict Cumberbatch and Jared Harris, the Captain. There is no fake drama on-board. The Captain is not a Captain Bligh.
Instead, it is a creaky old man-o-war trying to get to Australia on its last legs. Months at sea in a cramped space around the same old people.
Because there are no glorious battles the voyage is, in some ways, as slow for the viewer as it is for the sailors and passengers. But never boring.
The series has a heart. It is lovely, exciting, and interesting. Cumberbatch, in an early role, displays the talent that we have come to expect from him in recent years. He carries the show.
It is a must watch. One of the best things we have watched in years.
Disappointing
marydm-4347031 March 2019
I love Benedict Cumberbatch, I adore Jared Harris, I was in love with Charles Dance when both of us were younger, and I watched this on Netflix on the strength of those feelings. The three gentlemen were impeccable, and the supporting cast equally so. Except perhaps Sam Neill, who presented a caricature rather than a character.
But the whole thing lacked heart and conviction, it couldn't decide what genre it wanted to be, the pace was excruciatingly slow, it felt like a string of set pieces unrelated to each other narratively and cohesively.
The visual aspects were pretty awesome, more's the pity. I wanted to love it but it didn't give me much to love other than the acting.
Dramatic Sea Adventure
karenbullock-8516422 April 2021
Ships ahoy!
vicam2329 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This drama gives one a great feeling for early 19th century sailing ships, and shipboard life which was very harsh especially for seamen and the immigrant passengers enroute to Australia. What was surprising to me was the relative comfort of the "upperclass" passengers and the enormous social rift between them and the common seamen and immigrants. Talk about class consciousness, but I guess that was commonplace in that era. Mr. Talbot puzzled me. At times he seemed so worldly, (ie his quick seduction of a married passenger) and his boyish and sudden infatuation with Marion. There was little consistency in his personality. He could be feckless, commanding, arrogant, and sensitive. As a consequence I really could not relate to him or care much about him. Give me the Captain anytime; you knew where you stood with him. Perhaps it's my American ear but I had a lot of difficulty understanding the seamen and the other "common" folks. The photography, the sets, and the dialogue that was comprehensible were first rate and enabled me to give the film a 7. Mr. Talbot (the character, not the actor) rates a 3!
What the BBC does well.
okpilak3 April 2024
A journey from England to Australia, but not as convicts. They are traveling on a well worn man-of-war, but the crew was just rounded up in the days before they sailed. So it is a well done period piece-costume drama set on a ship. Talbot is a young man of privilege, from a noted family set to take a government position in Sydney Cove. His first experience with the sea was to get very sea sick. But his deference he receives is due to his class standing, and he seems to not understand that is the only reason. In the second episode, another British ship comes along, and they briefly party together. On the other ship is a Miss Chumley, who Talbot 'hears' is a prodigy of another passenger, but instead she is a protege and he falls madly in love with her and really makes a fool of himself, but alas the ships depart without his beloved Miss Chumley. In the third episode, the journey really has taken a beating on their ship, the situation gets very dire and there is also a wedding. The grittiness of the voyage came across, but not as well as in Master and Commander (2003).
Almost - not quite - good enough
tomm-2526 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Factual errors abound in this sea tale about which the English should know better.
A southbound ship "canting to the right" in a westerly? That is the windward side (the ship would "cant" to the lee). This exemplifies the lack of detail attended-to by the producers and director. Narrowly escaping a lee shore in the nick of time? Not with the visuals with which we were provided. The "false keel" coming away from the ship?
Navigation so poor that the ship is so far south that it entirely evades the notoriously dangerous South American cape? A singer asking for and receiving a musical cue of a fifth instead of a tonic?
There is plenty more in this "romantic" bildungsroman to yank the nautically and musically astute out of their suspension of disbelief.
Moreover, the entire second episode or "nite" (out of three) is a goofy soap opera. The last five minutes make me wish that they had all found their end on the lee shore ice. Yecchhh! I wonder how closely it followed the Golding novel upon which it is supposedly based? C.S. Forrester and Patrick O'Brian are U.K. writers who DID get the nauticals right to the nth detail.
However, it wasn't a total loss. Victoria Hamilton's tears are just as effective here as they were in Ian Holm's King Lear in which she was a formidable and heart-rending Cordelia. Hers is one of the strongest characterisations in this film. Jared Harris was a splendid Captain Anderson, and Benedict Cumberbatch acquitted himself well in the role of the "main character."
Half-heartedly recommended.
A southbound ship "canting to the right" in a westerly? That is the windward side (the ship would "cant" to the lee). This exemplifies the lack of detail attended-to by the producers and director. Narrowly escaping a lee shore in the nick of time? Not with the visuals with which we were provided. The "false keel" coming away from the ship?
Navigation so poor that the ship is so far south that it entirely evades the notoriously dangerous South American cape? A singer asking for and receiving a musical cue of a fifth instead of a tonic?
There is plenty more in this "romantic" bildungsroman to yank the nautically and musically astute out of their suspension of disbelief.
Moreover, the entire second episode or "nite" (out of three) is a goofy soap opera. The last five minutes make me wish that they had all found their end on the lee shore ice. Yecchhh! I wonder how closely it followed the Golding novel upon which it is supposedly based? C.S. Forrester and Patrick O'Brian are U.K. writers who DID get the nauticals right to the nth detail.
However, it wasn't a total loss. Victoria Hamilton's tears are just as effective here as they were in Ian Holm's King Lear in which she was a formidable and heart-rending Cordelia. Hers is one of the strongest characterisations in this film. Jared Harris was a splendid Captain Anderson, and Benedict Cumberbatch acquitted himself well in the role of the "main character."
Half-heartedly recommended.
To The Ends of The Earth - ON THE MAYFLOWER?!?!
ewillia77727 October 2007
Am I the only one to notice that the "realism" of the 19th century ship is erroneous. Actually it's a 15th century, right around 1620 if memory serves me, because the "realistic" ship in the movie is the Mayflower, now as far as I know the Mayflower NEVER went to Australia or even attempted a voyage to Australia. I don't know who handled R&D for this film, but using the Mayflower and hoping that no one will notice is a poor job indeed.
They even printed it on the cover art and the DVD. I wonder how may other people noticed this little blunder? Not to mention that the movie itself was just plain awful, I would have expected better from Sam Neill.
They even printed it on the cover art and the DVD. I wonder how may other people noticed this little blunder? Not to mention that the movie itself was just plain awful, I would have expected better from Sam Neill.
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