Back in 2003, audiences were introduced to oceanic battlefields with the release of Master and Commander: Far Side of the World. Featuring an ensemble cast led by Russell Crowe, the film was a big hit thanks its depiction of naval battles during the Napoleonic Wars and strong performances. Last month, Master and Commander finally launched on 4K Blu-ray in the US, but many fans were unable to preorder a copy due to how fast Amazon sold through its stock. If you’re still interested in picking it up, Amazon is once again taking orders for Master and Commander’s Limited Edition Steelbook[1].
Amazon is “temporarily out of stock” of the recently released Steelbook Edition, but you can place an order and Amazon will deliver it as soon as it replenishes its inventory.
The Steelbook Edition is the only 4K Blu-ray edition available in the US. A region-free standard edition[2] with a slipcover released in Europe, but this version is only sold by third-party sellers in the US and is much more expensive than the $40 Steelbook Edition.
$40 | Available to order on September 25[3]
Master and Commander’s Limited Edition Steelbook features a striking cover of Crowe’s character Captain Jack Aubrey alongside his ship, the HMS Surprise. The back cover has a compass motif, and there’s a subtle cartography influence for the maritime background. The interior artwork shows Aubrey staring out at the ocean.
This is a native 4K remaster (2160p) based on the original camera negative with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Dolby Atmos. The two-disc set includes 4K UHD and 1080p Blu-ray editions of Master and Commander. You’ll also get a voucher to claim the digital edition on Movies Anywhere.
For the extras, there are deleted scenes, a trivia track for history fans, and a pop-up map that tracks Aubrey’s ship across the film.
One thing that’s worth noting here is that the DVD release of Master and Commander[4] offered a greater variety of special features, which never made their way onto previous standard Blu-ray releases of the film. That two-disc DVD edition has been out of print for ages now, and while there are still copies of it available, it can be pricey. Still, if you’re looking to really dive deep into Master and Commander, it makes for a nice companion piece as it has several in-depth documentaries.
Master and Commander has held up very well in the decades since it was first released. The movie is a loose adaptation of the epic historical fiction series by English author Patrick O’Brien[5], and it tells the story of Captain Aubrey and his pursuit of a deadly French warship–the privateer ship Acheron–that threatens Britain’s naval supremacy. Torn between duty and his friendship with ship’s surgeon Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany), Aubrey chases after the Acheron.
Just like several other historical movies released around the early 2000s, Master and Commander had an air of authenticity that helped elevate it. Naval warfare movies were relatively rare back then, and this movie featured period-accurate costumes and language. Filming took place on an actual ship–the HMS Rose–and a specially built full-scale replica that floated inside of a massive tank at Baja Studios in Mexico.
Speaking of Russell Crowe, an Amazon-exclusive Gladiator 2-Movie Steelbook Collection[6] released in May and is in stock for $68. Crowe starred in the original Gladiator (2000), and Paul Mescal took on the lead role in the long-awaited 2024 sequel. Ridley Scott directed both films. Here’s a quick rundown of the 4K Blu-ray editions of Gladiator and Gladiator II that are in stock at Amazon.
Gladiator 4K Blu-rays
Another great Ridley Scott film to check out is Kingdom of Heaven, as it recently got a 4K restoration, too. This is the Director’s Cut that includes a ton of extra content, greatly fleshing out several scenes that never made it into the theatrical version. Sadly, the Steelbook Edition of Kingdom of Heaven’s Director’s Cut[7] has been hard to find in stock, but you can get a region-free 4K standard edition[8].
Set during the Crusades, Kingdom of Heaven follows Balian (Orlando Bloom) as he joins his father, Baron Godfrey (Liam Neeson), on their journey to Jerusalem to reclaim it from the forces of the Ayyubid Sultan Saladin.
References
- ^ Master and Commander’s Limited Edition Steelbook (www.amazon.com)
- ^ standard edition (www.amazon.com)
- ^ $40 | Available to order on September 25 (www.amazon.com)
- ^ DVD release of Master and Commander (www.amazon.com)
- ^ epic historical fiction series by English author Patrick O’Brien (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Amazon-exclusive Gladiator 2-Movie Steelbook Collection (www.amazon.com)
- ^ Steelbook Edition of Kingdom of Heaven’s Director’s Cut (www.amazon.com)
- ^ region-free 4K standard edition (www.amazon.com)