Hornblower: The Even Chance (1998)

Boring

A lot of fun.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

If you have read the Hornblower books, you will be disappointed by the movies. If you haven't read the books, then the movies will be entertaining. Don't read the books expecting to see the movies themes and stories or vice versa.The theme, character traits and story developments of the C.S. Forester are not present in the movies I have watched. It is the typical case of using the reputation and basic elements of a book to write your own story for a movie. Always an unfortunate decision, but here the character of Horatio is lost. The large themes of Hornblower's decisive calculations, self- loathing, self-imposed isolation, moods and leadership have all been but aside for our more modern themes of bad guy vs. good guy and the hero model. The movies do use incidents from the books, but do not present them within the historic settings well. Neither do they string them together in relationships similar to the books.Watch it and then read the books. They use the same names (sometimes) but treat them as separate works.

I certainly had my doubts when I rented the first volume of this series - apparently called "The Duel" here in the United States and "The Even Chance" in its native Britain. A rose by any other name...It is really good. The main character Horatio is played immaculately by Ioan Gruffudd (I would really like to hear how that is pronounced.) It is hard not to compare it to the movie Master and Commander. I found that movie very entertaining, and also very worthy in its own right, but I have read the books by Patrick O'Brian, and how can a movie do justice to that? I mean, really.I have not read the Forester books, so I cannot comment on the adaptation. I CAN compare the overall experience of seeing the Hornblower films to, well, everything else I have seen about similar subjects, and it fares well indeed. In fact, there has been nothing better overall. I enjoyed everything they did with it. I have to say, I thought it looked a little cheap at first - but I hesitated to even mention that because it was more than made up for in authenticity and raw acting.I only mention it now so that if anyone reading this sees that, they are forewarned - it isn't special effects heavy, it's more genuine. And the scope and range of it is far deeper than anything else yet (about the same subject.) OK, now that Hornblower's praises have been sung again, rightfully, I just want to mention a highly under-read series that I hope some of you will pick up on, by the name of Flashman. I don't really compare Hornblower to Flashman directly, but they are both historical fiction (and I suppose military.) And I have to say, George MacDonald Fraser has given us something special in Flashman, in that his main character has serious and admitted flaws, unlike Horatio. As far as I know, no movies have been made from that series, but anyone who likes the Hornblower adventures as much as I do might like these too.

I'm not planning to review each episode of this outstanding mini series separately, so this review is for all of them. I love this series. In my opinion, it is one of the most realistic series about sailing ships ever produced. There is a good bit of adventure, drama, war and even a bit of humor to be found. If anybody ever wanted to know what life was like for both Officers and "enlisted" men in the British Navy during the age of sail, this is the series to tell the story. The acting is superb throughout the entire series. The tale is entirely believable, based on the book(s) by C.S. Foster and beautifully adapted to film. I have just finished watching the first 6 episodes, which is what was sold as the original DVD set. I understand that there are two more DVDs available and I will endeavor to get my hands on them ASAP. Lest you worry that ladies might not like it, I think they will. These are not "war movies" at all, although there is war aplenty in them. But there is enough other intrigue to keep anyone's interest. Highly recommended!

Hornblower: The Even Chance is a great entry to the four made for television movies! Its production value is outstanding starting with the original ships, costumes, cities... and ending with the very convincing battles at sea! This is one of the rare cases where CGI is very clever put to use! Ioan Gruffudd is an excellent choice as Horatio Hornblower! You believe immediately that he is the character! Gruffudd is not a typical Hollywood handsome man but a traditional beautiful European(he is Irish from origin!) lad. Watching this movie makes an exceptional evening! Highly recommended!