feelsalike.com

Movies that feel like Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

If you loved Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, the closest films we have are The Thin Red Line (1998), Katyn (2007) and The Flowers of War (2011). All three share Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World's epic and contemplative feel, which is what we rank on before quality. 5 of the 12 picks below are included with a subscription right now on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV and others, checked against today's data.

After an abrupt and violent encounter with a French warship inflicts severe damage upon his ship, a captain of the British Royal Navy begins a chase over two oceans to capture or destroy the enemy, though he must weigh his commitment to duty and ferocious pursuit of glory against the safety of his devoted crew, including the ship's thoughtful surgeon, his best friend.

πŸ… 85% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 7.5 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Peter Weirepiccontemplativebleak
Stream it:Apple TV β†—
See it on the map

When is Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World streaming? β†’

If Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World hit the spot, these will too

The Thin Red Line poster
The Thin Red Line
1998 Β· dir. Terrence Malick
πŸ… 80%β˜… 7.6drama Β· history Β· war

Epic and contemplative in the same breath

The difference: Leans further into history

The story of a group of men, an Army Rifle company called C-for-Charlie, who change, suffer, and ultimately make essential discoveries about themselves during the fierce World War II battle of Guadalcanal. It follows their journey, from the surprise of an unopposed landing, through the bloody and exhausting battles that follow, to the ultimate departure of those who survived.

Feels alike?
Katyn poster
Katyn
2007 Β· dir. Andrzej Wajda
πŸ… 91%β˜… 7drama Β· history Β· war

Both lean on bleakness more than on drama

On September 1st, 1939, Nazi Germany invades Poland, unleashing World War II. On September 17th, the Soviet Red Army crosses the border. The Polish army, unable to fight on two fronts, is defeated. Thousands of Polish men, both military and government officials, are captured by the invaders. Their fate will only be known several years later.

Feels alike?
The Flowers of War poster
The Flowers of War
2011 Β· dir. Zhang Yimou
πŸ… 41%β˜… 7.5drama Β· history Β· war

War built on scale, twice over

The difference: Critics were much harder on this one

A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.

Feels alike?
Downfall poster
Downfall
2004 Β· dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
πŸ… 90%β˜… 8.2drama Β· history Β· war

Contemplative adventure in both cases

In April of 1945, Germany stands at the brink of defeat with the Russian Army closing in from the east and the Allied Expeditionary Force attacking from the west. In Berlin, capital of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler proclaims that Germany will still achieve victory and orders his generals and advisers to fight to the last man. When the end finally does come, and Hitler lies dead by his own hand, what is left of his military must find a way to end the killing that is the Battle of Berlin, and lay down their arms in surrender.

Feels alike?
The King poster
The King
2019 Β· dir. David MichΓ΄d
πŸ… 71%β˜… 7.3drama Β· history Β· war

Both keep coming back to the same thing: historical fiction

England, 15th century. Hal, a capricious prince who lives among the populace far from court, is forced by circumstances to reluctantly accept the throne and become Henry V.

Feels alike?
9th Company poster
9th Company
2005 Β· dir. Fyodor Bondarchuk
πŸ… 69%β˜… 7.1war Β· drama Β· history

Bleak drama, and it commits to that

Russian army recruits complete training and take their posting in late 1980s Afghanistan, where the insurgents are slowly gaining the upper hand.

Feels alike?
Hotel Rwanda poster
Hotel Rwanda
2004 Β· dir. Terry George
πŸ… 91%β˜… 8.1drama Β· history Β· war

War with a pulse of scale, in both cases

Inspired by true events, this film takes place in Rwanda in the 1990s when more than a million Tutsis were killed in a genocide that went mostly unnoticed by the rest of the world. Hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina houses over a thousand refuges in his hotel in attempt to save their lives.

Feels alike?
Napoleon poster
Napoleon
2023 Β· dir. Ridley Scott
πŸ… 58%β˜… 6.3history Β· war Β· drama

Common ground: napoleonic wars

The difference: Made in the 2020s, in a different era of the craft

An epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine.

Feels alike?
The Road poster
The Road
2009 Β· dir. John Hillcoat
πŸ… 74%β˜… 7.2adventure Β· drama

Contemplative adventure, and it commits to that

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind and water. It is cold enough to crack stones and, when the snow falls, it is gray. Their destination is the warmer south, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there.

Feels alike?
Flame & Citron poster
Flame & Citron
2008 Β· dir. Ole Christian Madsen
πŸ… 86%β˜… 7.2drama Β· history Β· war

From the 2000s, and it lands the same way

Gunman Flame and his partner Citron assassinate Nazi collaborators for the Danish resistance. Assigned targets by their Allies-connected leader, Aksel Winther, they relish the opportunity to begin targeting the Nazis themselves. When they begin to doubt the validity of their assignments, their morally complicated task becomes even more labyrinthine.

Feels alike?
Stalingrad poster
Stalingrad
1993 Β· dir. Joseph Vilsmaier
β˜… 7.5drama Β· history Β· war

War approached the same way

A German Platoon is explored through the brutal fighting of the Battle of Stalingrad. After half of their number is wiped out and they're placed under the command of a sadistic captain, the platoon lieutenant leads his men to desert. The platoon members attempt escape from the city, now surrounded by the Soviet Army.

Feels alike?
War Horse poster
War Horse
2011 Β· dir. Steven Spielberg
πŸ… 74%β˜… 7.2war Β· history Β· drama

Drama of the same temperament

On the brink of the First World War, Albert's beloved horse Joey is sold to the Cavalry by his father. Against the backdrop of the Great War, Joey begins an odyssey full of danger, joy, and sorrow, and he transforms everyone he meets along the way. Meanwhile, Albert, unable to forget his equine friend, searches the battlefields of France to find Joey and bring him home.

Feels alike?

In the mood for more epic?

all epic movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World’s defining feeling.