Just got back from watching it in the theater. I think it is a very well done movie--the kind of movie that regularly was made 20-years ago before movie making went downhill. The characters were well acted and well written and the story was never bogged down with needless exposition. It also is beautifully scored and photographed. Worth seeing even if you have never read the books, in the same way "Master and Commander" is worth seeing even if you have never read the Jack Aubrey book series.