ViewGuide

Created Mar 08, 2011 09:21AM PST • Edited Mar 08, 2011 09:21AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   Jeff “The Dude” Daniels takes us sailing in this highly fictionalized film about the true sinking of the sailing ship Albatross in 1961. Daniels plays Captain Christopher Sheldon, who not only is the skipper of the ill-fated boat, but also runs a maritime school aboard it for 13 teenage boys. Assisted by his wife (Caroline Goodall) who serves as the ship’s doctor, a cook, and a literature teacher, the boat sails the Caribbean seas, while teaching the boys teamwork, responsibility, and discipline. Sadly, they encounter a freak storm, known as a White Squall, which capsizes and sinks the boat.

   The movie is beautifully filmed, with captivating action scenes on the boat, offset by various excursions to ports of call. Through it all, the boys are taught lessons about overcoming fear and responsibility. The crescendo of the film is the storm, which was captured in all its intensity, generating the panic and desperation that the young men must have felt.

   The film suffers in the end, because of its ending. The heavy handed and sappy ending detracted form a story that was strong enough to stand on its own. What had been an artfully crafted film, quickly degenerated into a needless melodramatic pile of mush. Quite a shame.

   The film took many dramatic liberties with the telling of the story. Many of them were necessary to keep our interest. Nevertheless, the utilization of those liberties shouldn’t be at the expense of a wonderful story that was fully capable of succeeding on its own. Sadly, it has kept me from grading higher than a "Good.”

   Watched on Netflix streaming.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

   Jeff Daniels is solid in his role as the stern Captain.

6. Female Stars Good 3.0

   Caroline Goodall is good in her role as the wife and ship doctor. I would have liked to have seen her role expanded a bit more, to truly help tell the story.

7. Female Costars OK 2.5

8. Male Costars OK 2.5

   A slew of young male actors appear in the film, and they each did an adequate job, although none of them really stood out. Perhaps it was the matching crewcut haircuts, and relatively identical clothing.

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    Nicely filmed, especially the storm scene.

11. Direction Very Good 3.5

    Masterful job of recreating a terrible storm and sinking without relying on too many special effects. Very nice camera work during these sequences.

12. Play Very Good 3.5

    The movie stumbles in spots with pacing, especially during some of the port scenes, but generally stays on track.

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Very Good 3.5
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.8

17. Sex Titillating 1.7

    Nothing really too bad. Implied sex in one scene, and bare buttocks of a male as he gets a shot in another.

18. Violence Fierce 2.3

    Dramatic sinking, including drowning sequences. Dolphin is killed.

19. Rudeness Polite 1.5

21. Reality

    Glib 1.4

    Based on a true story, but given plenty of creative injections.

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.8

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Glib 1.3