Cultured
aristocrat Humphrey Van Weyden (Christopher Reeve) and pickpocket Flaxen
Brewster (Catherine Mary Stewart) are the only survivors of a massive shipwreck.
After drifting a sea, they are eventually
picked up by the crew of “The Ghost”, whose cruel captain Wolf Larsen (Charles
Bronson) rules the ship with an iron fist.
He takes pleasure in putting the dandy Van Weyden to work as a cabin boy
and delights in trying to break him both mentally and physically. It’s then up to “Hump” to man up and outwit
the captain at his own game aboard his own ship.
Based
on the classic novel by Jack London and directed by Michael (Logan’s Run)
Anderson, this made for TNT original is a solid effort all around. If there is a drawback, it’s that it’s the
kind of movie your dad (or grandfather) would watch. The made for TV nature of the film also makes
for an awfully tame adventure. I’m sure
it could be shown in English class without raising so much as an eyebrow.
For
fans of Charles Bronson, this will be well worth watching as it’s easily one of
his best latter-day performances. He’s engaged,
enraged, and commands the screen with ferocity.
Heck, he has more dialogue here than he did in the last three Death Wish
movies combined.
Reeve
makes for a good foil to Bronson’s embittered captain. It’s fun seeing him slowly transform from aristocratic
dandy to hardened seafarer and matching wits with the cunning captain who is a
lot smarter (and more dangerous) than he lets on. Marc Singer also fares well as a mutinous crew
member, but unfortunately, Stewart doesn’t have much to do until the movie’s
almost over.
Bottom
Line: Even though the Made for TV budget
hamstrings The Sea Wolf from really setting sail, it’s impossible to hate any
movie in which Paul Kersey fights Superman while The Beastmaster looks on.
AKA: Captain Larsen.
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