TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews Peace has broken out. Of course, it's not certain it'll last. Not every Frenchman appreciates Napoleon, however - Major Côtard(Wise, solid as a pampered nobleman) will need transport, to meet with other friendlies, in his homeland. Hornblower(Gruffudd, driven by a sense of justice, yet not always virtuous) gets command(one of his first - he was granted the honor near the end of the war; in fact, he's had trouble making rent in his time on land) of the small ship charged with the task, and he brings in Bush(McGann, strict but not without sympathy). But some things don't seem to go as expected - could there be an enemy among the sparse crew?This goes into themes of friendship, trust, discipline, and, yes, loyalty - what side one chooses, how that comes into play. It enters into the side plot, as well - our titular lead is in love with the daughter of his landlady, and the feeling is mutual. However, can he genuinely help her, and in what way? Explored again are negatives and positives of the navy, society and the like, of the period. Filming(seldom betraying that this was made for TV), editing, script, dialog, acting, humor, action, tension, all are compelling.There is some bloody, disturbing violent content in this. I recommend this to any fan of drama and swashbuckling. 8/10

howerd By now this series has attracted its own set of fans, so the issue of how faithful it remains to the Forester stories may be moot. Still, I've always been puzzled by one element of the credits -- the show never seems to say which of "the novels of C.S. Forester" a particular movie is based on. LOYALTY and DUTY are loosely based on HORNBLOWER AND THE HOTSPUR, the tale of Hornblower's first command. Gruffudd, though a good enough actor and quite charming, seems to miss what was always the key element of Forester's Hornblower -- his constant self-doubt and crushing insecurity. The power of the novels comes from Hornblower's inability to see his own heroism and greatness for it is. He might be a hero to the world; to himself he was always the gangling Midshipman who was "seasick at Spithead." Julia Sawahla, on the other hand, is a perfect choice for Maria. A comment objected to her seeming "dowdy" -- that is precisely the point. Hornblower's unhappy marriage and unrewarding personal life were always intended to contrast with his glory on the sea. The show is fine -- the books are true classics. If you like the show, be sure to read the book.

aless02 (possible minor spoilers)'Loyalty' is an excellent movie. The Hornblower saga has become renown among fans and non-fans alike, and 'Loyalty' only continues this tradition. The acting ensemble assembled for this cast includes some of the finest Britain has to offer--along with some no-names as well. Ioan Gruffudd's performance could be topped by no one in a round of some of the greatest acting that could be found on television. He truly comes into his own in this role, portraying Hornblower's move from boy to man with perfection. Perfectly complimented by Paul McGann as the gruff Lt. Bush, the two make a unique duo of friends--so marked by their professional relationship as well. The dynamic between these two, as well as Hornblower with all his officers and men aboard the Hotspur, is incredibly acted and remarkably convincing.'Loyalty''s land action is exceptional as well. Julia Sawalha is perfectly cast as Maria--poor, dumpy, and completely pathetic. Hornblower is left completely unaware of his effect on her, and she plays it off beautifully. More well-played characters come from Greg Wise as the illustrious French Major Cotard and a virtually unknown Jonathan Forbes as the intelligent Midshipman Wellard. Christian Coulson does a fabulous job creating the weak Jack Hammond, and his performance and cowardice (yet, being redeemed in the end) hit home with the viewer. Robert Lindsay is nothing short of great in his role as Admiral Pellew, as always.The special effects and action sequences of 'Loyalty' are top-notch as well. The entire cast plays it off as very convincing, and the battles are dramatic and completely realistic.'Loyalty' does seem to sacrifice a small fraction of believability to further the story. The plot is little weak at certain points, and large revelation at the end may leave the viewer going "...Huh?". However, I think that these are only minor points in what is, over all, a very well-produced new Hornblower movie. It will please long-time fans, as well as rope in new ones. Loyalty is nice in its ability to stand alone as a Hornblower movie, but yet entices new viewers to backtrack and watch the beginning of the series as well.The ending of Loyalty will leaving you giggling again with Gruffudd's brilliant acting; more importantly, it leaves you wanting more...luckily, the series continues with 'Duty', the second part of Hornblower's story as captain of the Hotspur.

candid22 This was completely harmless and unbelievable, but a pleasant enough way to pass a Sunday evening. I've not seen all the previous Hornblowers, but I would not rate this as highly as the earlier ones from the late 80's. The series has improved greatly with the addition of Paul McGann as Bush, Hornblower's friend and second in command. Paul McGann is always watchable in anything and has a gorgeous voice to match. He is wonderful to listen to while Gruffudd is true eyecandy.Julia Sawalha was a poor choice as Hornblower's wife. She is 5 years older than Gruffudd and looks every bit of it. (Perhaps she is supposed to be older than him?) Nonetheless, I found it disappointing that Hornblower marries so unhappily. It would have been nice to have seen a bit of romance and passion there. But perhaps the true relationship of this series is between Hornblower and Bush.So pleasant enough, but don't go expecting too much and certainly don't expect authentic American and French accents!