It is a performances centric movie

i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Loyalty is the 8th installment in the Horatio Hornblower series and so far it's one of the best. If you enjoyed the previous Hornblower films you will surely enjoy this one. As we have come to expect from the Horatio Hornblower series the acting is great, Ioan Gruffudd as Hornblower is fantastic as usual and Robert Lindsay and Paul McGann also turn in excellent performances. The rest of the crew is back ( and fans will surely enjoy seeing Sean Gilder and Paul Copley as Styles and Mathews). The script is great and the battles on land and sea are epic and intense. The visual effects are pretty good especially in one scene that has Horatio running as everything is exploding behind him. The music is basically the same material we have heard in the other Hornblower films, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. All in all an excellent production and a great continuation of the Hornblower saga.

SPOILERS Ever since the middle ages, Ireland has been an enormous problem for the English. In 2003's brilliant "Loyalty", the Irish play a key part in the adventures of the newly promoted Captain Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd). The story, well written and with a superb cast, is a return to form for a series which had dipped slightly in recent episodes.The English and the French are at peace. Living on half pay, Hornblower is far from happy with the world. Staying at the lodgings of Mrs Mason (Barbara Flynn) and her daughter Maria (Julia Sawalha), Hornblower is relieved when he is sent on an important mission to France. Now, with a suspicious Frenchman on board (Greg Wise), Hornblower is under pressure from ineptitude and deception as plans start to go wrong.Ioan Gruffudd has made a lifelong name for himself as the enigmatic Hornblower. Acting magnificently he has made the part his own and thrives on it.Gruffudd is helped however by a fine supporting cast led by Robert Lindsay, Paul Copley and Sean Gilder. All three supporting actors have been in the series from the first episode, and continue to play characters that the audience has a genuine affection for.The true beauty of this episode however is it's scripting. Well converted from the books into the programme by writer Niall Leonard, the story is absorbing and entertaining from the start.On a television budget, this episode does demonstrate a distinctly lower key form of special effects. Whilst the sets and the boat are constantly well made, scenes involving multiple ships and and scenery have an intensely artificial look. One scene involving a view of a French boat from the deck in particular smacks of being filmed on a Green backdrop. Still, for all it's technical flaws, the gritty realism is enough to appease it.This seventh and second to last episode in the Hornblower series is a worthy addition to the collection and a vast improvement on the previous episode. Well written and acted, it is entertaining and imaginative and once more they have us hooked. Well worth a watch.

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.

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!