IN THESE days when the term "chick flick" is now common enough lingo, you would think that there would also be an apposite term for one for the blokes - maybe a "manly movie", perhaps? And Master and Commander: Far Side of the World would fall into this category.

But, despite the fact that it has more testosterone than a dodgy female discus thrower, and features only a fleeting glimpse of a feminine form in its two-hour-plus duration, I would argue that, as a well-made and thoroughly entertaining film, it has more than enough there to satisfy the whole family.

It begins in 1805, when the British are on the verge of defeating Napoleon's rampaging French fleet. But, rather than attempt to cover this wider conflict, director Peter Weir, whose last film was 1998's The Truman Show, makes it clear that our concerns lie with just one ship in particular, the HMS Survivor, and its captain "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe).

The story is quite basic - as Survivor is sailing along, minding her own business, the French vessel Acheron appears as if from nowhere and attacks, causing dramatic damage to ship and sailors alike. This, understandably, makes Captain Aubrey very angry indeed, so instead of heading home to Mother England, they're off in pursuit to get the blighters.

Weir co-wrote the screenplay with the author of the source novels Patrick O'Brian, and although the men include many details to pacify the books' huge worldwide fan base, they're not to the detriment of the film.

The authentic touches simply create more identification with the plight of these men than would otherwise have existed, and it's fascinating to think back on the days when, for example, small posh boys were made lieutenants in charge of the poorer, older ones.

As well as loads of satisfying fighting, the sense of simultaneous isolation and claustrophobia is wonderfully conveyed, and there's a lovely sense of stiff upper lip British sentiment running throughout.

All in all, it's a refreshingly old school epic, which takes its time to tell a cracking tale well.