grantss
A great series, based on the books by CS Forester. The adventures of Horatio Hornblower, an officer in the Royal Navy at the start of the 19th century. The movies follow his rise up the ranks.Very realistic in its actions, commands, uniforms, ships etc. Some great action and human drama.Special effects are good, except for the explosions. Those seem very cheap and unrealistic.The other area that seems unrealistic is Hornblower's home life. The relationship with Maria seems very clumsy and unnatural.Great performance by Ioan Gruffudd in the lead role. This is surpassed by Robert Lindsay as Admiral Pellew. He provides the perfect mix of authority, gravitas, compassion and father-like doting.Good support from Paul McGann as Lt Bush, Paul Copley as Matthews and Sean Gilder as Styles.The biggest pity is that this movie is the last one they made, when there are several books left.
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews
Bracegirdle(Coy, driven) and his ship have disappeared, mysteriously. Horatio(Gruffudd, with a strong sense of justice and honor) is sent out to find him, and learn of the circumstances. Along the way, he rescues a few foreigners, including a married couple - only, they may not be the best people to have aboard.By the end of this, the final entry, everything is resolved, all loose ends tied up, in a satisfactory and not rushed manner. Hornblower's marriage is contrasted well to that of the aforementioned couple, and classic, age-old issues are explored - when the seaman is out, he misses land, and vice versa, and how can a husband put both his wife and his country before himself? "Duty" is indeed gone into, beyond those examples(in hierarchical relationships). Filming(barely showing that this was made for TV), editing, tension(you will be glued to the screen), action, story, pacing, acting, dialog, humor, all top-notch.There is some disturbing, bloody, brutal and violent content in this. I recommend this to any fan of drama and swashbucklers. 8/10
ecky-5
I'm a long-time Hornblower fan; I own all the books and have read them so often they're falling apart. I can almost recite the Gregory Peck movie word for word as well! but this series is far, far better and of course more 'gutsy'. I bought the boxed DVD set on its release because it's one of those classic British historical dramas I will never get tired of watching.While a fair amount of poetic license has been taken with the novels, I still feel I haven't been in any way cheated, or that Forester's characters have been misused. The way the screenwriters melded the different books together to make a full and exciting series is truly excellent, and Ioan Gruffudd shines as Hornblower; he even fits Forester's physical description. Robert Lindsay as Sir Edmund Pellew was brilliant, as indeed were every one of the actors.I only wish they hadn't stopped!A terrific series, well worth a look for anyone keen on swashing their buckles.
TheNorthernMonkee
SPOILERS In the eighth, and at present final, episode of the Hornblower series, the Americans make an entrance into Horatio's world. With an impressive budget (allowing for excessive rain), this episode is another fine addition to what has been an excellent series.Newly married, Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd) is back aboard the HMS Hotspur with lightning fast speed. Now on route to find an old friend, he encounters an American woman and her husband, who hides an unusual secret.In what might well be his final performance as the maritime hero, Ioan Gruffudd is once more brilliant. Over the last few years, the actor has made the role his own and it will be no surprise if he is now a success in Hollywood.Ioan Gruffudd isn't the only actor to be superb once more. Yet again he is helped by magnificent turns by Robert Lindsay, Paul Copley, Sean Gilder and Paul McGann. All perform admirably, and all are worthy of praise.This final chapter also seems to contain some of the most extreme weather to feature in any episode. With extreme rain and snow, the weather machines are turned up to full throughout. It is well handled however and it's little surprise it is used to Hornblower's advantage.As a final part of the series, this is the perfect way to finish. With a suitably happy ending it leaves the audience happy and content. Led for the final time by a suitable Ioan Gruffudd, it is well made and all in all, the perfect conclusion.
AD
