If Looks Could Kill

The critics have spoken, and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World has passed muster. According to www.rottentomatoes.com, a website that keeps track of such things, 85 percent of the film’s reviews have been positive—and that’s not counting the syndicated columnists and bloggers who have weighed in to like effect. And even though Master and Commander contains no women, no nudity, no laser beams, and (best of all) no Ben Affleck, it’s a solid box-office hit to boot.