One of those works by which others will be judged for years to come. By rights this should have five stars as it is a genuine "must see"; but this film has its faults - some serious.

The special effects and, indeed, budget and scale of the movie have set new high standards and perfectly demonstrate that the best special effect is the one that doesn't look like an effect: it looks, instead, like a very large boat, perfect in every detail.

What is not perfect is the script, which is corny enough to be from a US TV movie. The actors are mostly superb, but it's not their fault they have to say such drivel.

That said, the 3 hours 19 minutes or so seem to pass very quickly, which is always the mark of an entertaining film.

One final word of advice: take the opportunity to see this on a big screen. It deserves it.

Reviewed 1998