Why are so Many Guys Obsessed With Master and Commander?

Gabriella Paiella pays homage to the ultimate “Dad movie,” Master and Commander, a staggering 20 years after its release. Made in a different era of Hollywood, this fun essay also reflects on how the movie experience has changed over the decades.

Any nostalgia stirred up by Master and Commander is also nostalgia for a different era of Hollywood. This sort of richly detailed, big-budget historical epic rarely gets a chance in today’s movie landscape. And even if the action isn’t the point, the battles absolutely kick ass, using practical effects that would probably be weightless CGI these days.