The Bounty
The Bounty
The story of Lieutenant Bligh (Sir Anthony Hopkins), whose cruelty leads to a mutiny on his ship. Follows both the efforts of Fletcher Christian (Mel Gibson) to get his men beyond the reach of British retribution and the epic voyage of Lieutenant Bligh to get his loyalists safely to East Timor in a tiny lifeboat.
Charles London reviewedMarch 29, 2025
This movie has a lot going for it including a stellar cast with an incredible performance by Sir Anthony Hopkins. Why he didn't get nominated for an Academy Award or Golden Globe is beyond me. Then there is the spectacular cinematography and the haunting musical score by Vangelis. Make no mistake, this is a good movie, but it had greatness in it's grasp, and like a lead race horse fading down the stretch, it hit the ticket, but merely showed.
It sticks to the facts and portrays the events more accurately than ever before and I applaud the filmmakers for that. The problem is it leaves the audience with mixed feelings. Who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist? Both men in the conflict (Bligh and Christian) are shown in good light and bad light. Each are likeable and unlikable, commendable and condemnable. Watching a man-versus-man story without a clearcut hero is like watching a horse race without knowing which one to root for down the stretch. Entertaining yes, but a little less exciting.