Hornblower: The Even Chance Review
14 January 2013
My sister and I watched this the other night at the insistence of a friend who is avidly in love with the Hornblower series. I was expecting to like it for three reasons…
1.) It’s a period drama - *ahem*... go figure...
2.) The cover of the DVD box shows no lack of excitement and adventure
3.) The main character is played by Ioan Gruffudd of Amazing Grace!
1.) It’s a period drama - *ahem*... go figure...
2.) The cover of the DVD box shows no lack of excitement and adventure
3.) The main character is played by Ioan Gruffudd of Amazing Grace!
And I was not disappointed.
Hornblower: The Even Chance proved to be very entertaining and exciting viewing. I sat on the edge of my seat and I rolled on the floor laughing – in a figurative sense, of course. I thoroughly enjoyed Hornblower: The Even Chance… and can’t wait to borrow the rest of the series from my unsuspecting friend! :)
SYNOPSIS
Hornblower: The Even Chance proved to be very entertaining and exciting viewing. I sat on the edge of my seat and I rolled on the floor laughing – in a figurative sense, of course. I thoroughly enjoyed Hornblower: The Even Chance… and can’t wait to borrow the rest of the series from my unsuspecting friend! :)
SYNOPSIS
Spithead, Portsmouth, England, 1794…
A storm is raging in the English Channel and a small shoreboat is being lashed by squally rain.
Huddled at the stern is a pale-faced seventeen year old midshipman about to begin his career in the Royal Navy. Soaked to the skin, Horatio Hornblower steps aboard his first ship, and becomes violently seasick.
But despite this unpromising start, he is destined to become one of the most gallant and formidable figures in naval history. Plunged into battle, action and adventure, Hornblower proves himself courageous, resourceful and decisive against the perils of the high seas.
SCENERY
There is not much to be said for the scenery of this period drama… It seems to only resemble this:
A storm is raging in the English Channel and a small shoreboat is being lashed by squally rain.
Huddled at the stern is a pale-faced seventeen year old midshipman about to begin his career in the Royal Navy. Soaked to the skin, Horatio Hornblower steps aboard his first ship, and becomes violently seasick.
But despite this unpromising start, he is destined to become one of the most gallant and formidable figures in naval history. Plunged into battle, action and adventure, Hornblower proves himself courageous, resourceful and decisive against the perils of the high seas.
SCENERY
There is not much to be said for the scenery of this period drama… It seems to only resemble this:
and this:
But can you expect any less from a naval period drama?
From what I’ve gathered, the producers were quite accurate concerning ship conditions during the French Revolution. The rats and crampedness must have been simply terrible. Egh.
From what I’ve gathered, the producers were quite accurate concerning ship conditions during the French Revolution. The rats and crampedness must have been simply terrible. Egh.
STORY
I really love the story of Hornblower. The movie starts with a very insecure (and seasick) seventeen year old boy who grows through various situations and influences into a courageous man who is able to do the right thing in a pinch. He uses his wits, great intelligence, and fierce loyalty to the code of honour to get him through tough spots in this beginning of his naval career.
I really love the story of Hornblower. The movie starts with a very insecure (and seasick) seventeen year old boy who grows through various situations and influences into a courageous man who is able to do the right thing in a pinch. He uses his wits, great intelligence, and fierce loyalty to the code of honour to get him through tough spots in this beginning of his naval career.
CHARACTERS
The protagonist, Horatio Hornblower, is played by Iaon Gruffudd… known to most period drama fans by his role in Amazing Grace as William Wilberforce. When the movie started and Horatio said that he was seventeen I was like, “Wait a second… Seventeen? He’s far too old to pull that one off!” And indeed Gruffudd was nearly ten years older than Horatio was. But as the movie progressed and Horatio’s insecurities, fears, and challenges came into play, the character started seeming younger and younger. Suddenly it didn’t seem so strange that there was a man playing a boy, because the boy started growing up and learning how to become a man. Iaon Gruffudd nailed the character of Horatio Hornblower; his youthfulness, his loyalty, his frustrations, his struggles were all incredibly related.
The protagonist, Horatio Hornblower, is played by Iaon Gruffudd… known to most period drama fans by his role in Amazing Grace as William Wilberforce. When the movie started and Horatio said that he was seventeen I was like, “Wait a second… Seventeen? He’s far too old to pull that one off!” And indeed Gruffudd was nearly ten years older than Horatio was. But as the movie progressed and Horatio’s insecurities, fears, and challenges came into play, the character started seeming younger and younger. Suddenly it didn’t seem so strange that there was a man playing a boy, because the boy started growing up and learning how to become a man. Iaon Gruffudd nailed the character of Horatio Hornblower; his youthfulness, his loyalty, his frustrations, his struggles were all incredibly related.
The antagonist, Midshipman Jack Simpson, is played by Dorian Healy. He has got to be one of the worst PD villains I’ve ever encountered. Nothing charming (Willoughby) or endearing (Wickham) about this fellow! Spoiler His desire to kill Horatio and Archie Kennedy in the scene of the take-over of the Papillon is pure, plumb, vengeful evil. Even at the final duel scene, when he begs Horatio not to shoot him and then goes after him with a knife after receiving mercy makes you shout for joy when Captain Pellew shoots him. End of spoiler
There are other endearing characters in this movie, such as:
Robert Healy as Captain Pellew. At first the Captain isn’t too keen on Horatio because of what he had heard about the duel between Jack and Horatio, but he determines to give the boy a chance to prove himself, rather than base his opinions on hearsay (a good lesson for us all, I think). The Captain gives Horatio various challenges and is impressed by the way the boy pulls through. The relationship between them improves to a point where there is almost a father/son relationship between the two men. Spoiler He is so impressed by the way that Horatio grows that he rescinds his command not to fight with Jack Simpson, and then shoots Jack when he pulls a knife on the injured and unaware Horatio End of spoiler I’m looking forward to seeing where this character goes from here.
Robert Healy as Captain Pellew. At first the Captain isn’t too keen on Horatio because of what he had heard about the duel between Jack and Horatio, but he determines to give the boy a chance to prove himself, rather than base his opinions on hearsay (a good lesson for us all, I think). The Captain gives Horatio various challenges and is impressed by the way the boy pulls through. The relationship between them improves to a point where there is almost a father/son relationship between the two men. Spoiler He is so impressed by the way that Horatio grows that he rescinds his command not to fight with Jack Simpson, and then shoots Jack when he pulls a knife on the injured and unaware Horatio End of spoiler I’m looking forward to seeing where this character goes from here.
Horatio’s men (Left - Right): Matthews, Finch, Oldroyd, and Styles were given to Horatio to command by Captain Pellew because they were from his previous ship and he called them a 'handful'... it didn't take long for Horatio to earn their respect, through the exposure of a rather strange gambling game and his actions to save a shipmate during a battle. They soon became the four most loyal men that Horatio could have been fortunate enough to command.
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COSTUMES/HAIRSTYLES
Both are reproduced very accurately by the producers of Hornblower.
The men’s hairstyles and tricorne reflect the styles of the late eighteenth century. The men would wear their hair long and tied back with a black ribbon, as is shown by many of the officers on board the ships. Of course, because the men were at sea, their hair wasn’t going to stay neat and tidy for long. And from what I can find, the costumes of the sailors and various officers were quite accurate as well. The men in lower rank had a less formal uniform, unlike the officers who all wore their blue coats with brass buttons.
Both are reproduced very accurately by the producers of Hornblower.
The men’s hairstyles and tricorne reflect the styles of the late eighteenth century. The men would wear their hair long and tied back with a black ribbon, as is shown by many of the officers on board the ships. Of course, because the men were at sea, their hair wasn’t going to stay neat and tidy for long. And from what I can find, the costumes of the sailors and various officers were quite accurate as well. The men in lower rank had a less formal uniform, unlike the officers who all wore their blue coats with brass buttons.
RATING
On a scale of 1-5, I would give this movie a 5. :)
This movie is rated ‘M for medium level violence’ for a reason. It is a naval movie, folks, there are multiple battle scenes between British and French ships with resulting casualties. Also there is a fair amount of swearing in this film. I’m pretty conservative in my movies, so I wouldn’t recommend this film for anyone younger than 15.
On a scale of 1-5, I would give this movie a 5. :)
This movie is rated ‘M for medium level violence’ for a reason. It is a naval movie, folks, there are multiple battle scenes between British and French ships with resulting casualties. Also there is a fair amount of swearing in this film. I’m pretty conservative in my movies, so I wouldn’t recommend this film for anyone younger than 15.