38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
SPELLBINDING STORY OF A MOMENT'S MADNESS ON THE HIGH SEAS..., June 5, 2002
Deftly directed by Roger Donaldson and beautifully acted, this is a well nuanced film. Based upon a true story and adapted from the book, "Captain Bligh and Mr. Christian", by Richard Hough, the film relates the series of events that brought about the eventual mutiny of the English vessel, The Bounty, by its crew. The mutiny was led by Fletcher Christian, the Master's Mate, and friend of Lt. William Bligh, Captain of the ship. The film opens with the trial of Captain Bligh (Anthony Hopkins) before the Admiralty Board, where he is questioned by Captain Greetham (Edward Fox) and Admiral Hood (Laurence Olivier). Captain Bligh then relates his account of why it was that he lost a ship under his command.
The star-crossed voyage of "The Bounty" started innocuously enough. Captain William Bligh (Anthony Hopkins) convinced his friend, Fletcher Christian (Mel Gibson), to set sail with him as Master's Mate to Ship Master John Fryer (Daniel Day Lewis). "The Bounty" was commissioned to set sail for Tahiti in order to obtain breadfruit plants for transport to Jamaica. In order to save time, the Captain would navigate a little used route around the horn of Africa to save time. It was to be a voyage to remember.
During the voyage, the viewer sees the tension build amongst the crew, as well as amongst the officers. The innate savagery and baseness of some of the seamen is personified by Charles Churchill (Liam Neeson), a seaman who needs little provocation. The disdain of the officers for the crew is best exemplified by John Fryer, the ship's Master, who seems to relish the cruelty of the punishments meted out to those crewmen found guilty of infractions. Tension then spills over between the crew and officers, as the rigors of the voyage eats away at morale. By the time the ship reaches Tahiti, the die is cast. Months on the lovely island creates a false reality and an indolence that sets the stage for what is to come. Fletcher's erotic romance with a Tahitian princess further erodes discipline and strains the friendship between Bligh and Christian. By the time they finally shove off and set sail back to England with the breadfruit plants that they had sought, the end is near.
Mel Gibson does a superb job with the role of Fletcher Christian. The viewer first sees him as an ambitious, yet kindly young man, who, having weathered the rigors and cruelties of the voyage, finds romance and peace on the idyllic island of Tahiti. Setting sail to return home and once again encountering the rigors and reality of a sea voyage, Christian seems to be a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown. With morale low among the crew, he makes a life defining decision. The rest is history.
Anthony Hopkins is simply brilliant in the role of William Bligh. Playing him as a hard working, by the book captain, he creates a three dimensional character that is sympathetic. Betrayed by friendship and beset by the fates, Bligh manages to pull together and save those men who were cast adrift in a dinghy with him. Masterful and mindful of his professional obligations, he makes an astounding voyage, believable because of the qualities of character infused in him by Hopkins' portrayal. The viewer senses, however, that he will forever be at a loss to comprehend Christian's actions.
This is a visually beautiful film, with stunningly lush island scenes. There is an original musical score by Vangelis that is wonderfully atmospheric. The performances by the cast are superlative. What more could a film lover ask for? Bravo!
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mesmerizing!, October 20, 2004
I've seen both the Brando and the Gibson versions, and I feel the latter is far, far superior--as a story that holds together, that has a focal point, and that is entirely believable.
The suspense is high on two levels--1. when will Christian and the seamen become so enraged that they will flout Hopkins' order and mutiny, and 2. what will be the final judgement on Hopkins in the trial being conducted on whether or not he was responsible for the mutiny. As the story develops, the suspense keeps intensifying and escalating.
I think Hopkins and Gibson played their parts much better than did Howard and Brando. Hopkins expressed many levels of the Bligh character, showing the inner conflict that gripped him--i.e., trying to be fair and human to the seamen and yet needing to exercise stern discipline to enable the ship to accomplish its purpose. His acting was absolutely marvelous, showing how he was being torn apart while at the same time trying to maintain his sanity. However, in the Howard version, all we see is a viciously sadistic personality--one note--without much depth or dimension. Gibson's performance was also excellent as his tension and anger gradually build to a breaking point, but even here he refrained from exerting the violence that he could have. You can't help but sympathize with him.
There are many touching moments in the story that make this a most memorable film. I was never bored or uninterested for even a moment--the suspense and drama just kept building and developing as I eagerly wondered how the story would finally end.
Well worth buying and seeing more than once.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful, classic movie!, October 22, 2002
This is a fabulous movie with a fantastic cast and story line. It is, of course, the story of HMS Bounty, and her ill-fated trip to Tahiti in the 18th Century. This version is closest to the interpretation of what happened there that most historians favor today. Bligh (Anthony Hopkins) is neither hero nor villain--merely a sea captain faced with the task of taking his ship on a two-year journey to the other side of the world--a journey that would roughly compare today with a space voyage to Mars. Bligh was picked to captain this voyage for the very good reason that he was reckoned at that time to be the best navigator in the British Navy. (Bligh had been Navigator for the great Captain Cook on that earlier voyage to the South Seas).
This is an incredible story, done twice before of course. This version is far and away my favorite. There are no stereotype heros or villains in this telling. Gibson is simply wonderful as Fletcher Christian, Hopkins as Bligh rings true. The rest of the cast is similarly excellent.
As superb as the movie was, the best part of the movie is the outstanding theme music by Vangelis. The music is beautiful, haunting, and not to be forgotten. This is an example of how the musical score to a movie can really contribute to the overall experience.
I do not understand why this film was not a bigger hit. Gibson is a better Fletcher Christian than Brando, and Hopkins is perfection as Captain Bligh. ...
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