SYNOPSIS: Following the end of World War II, disillusioned sailor Freddie Quell (Phoenix) struggles to return to a normal life as he spends time boozing and pursuing women. After failing to keep down a couple of jobs, he ends up hitching a ride on a boat which it turns out is hosting a wedding for the daughter of charismatic cult leader Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman). He takes Freddie in and begins to educate him about ‘The Cause’, a religion which bases itself on theories of past life and kindred spirits as he hopes to cure him of his path towards destruction. But even with the support of Dodd’s followers including his wife Peggy (Adams), Freddie proves a tough nut to crack as he starts to question Dodd’s methods to the point of self-destruction.

What makes the film stand out is that it does generate a classical feel in terms of its imagery and the exceptional performances from the two dominant lead actors. As he did with There Will Be Blood, Anderson uses his familiar traits of corruption and authority to illustrate the differences between Quell and Dodd as both men are pitted against other in their fight for power. The former is the primary focus of the film’s opening half hour as the controversial but effortless Joaquin Phoenix delves into a character who shows no mercy even from his facial looks as he sneers and snarls throughout. He is then able to inhabit this flawed human being and portray him as a man full of turmoil and rage and at a point of no return as he threatens to self-destruct. This becomes a reality in one of the most stunning single-take scenes in film as Freddie goes completely over the edge when he trashes his jail cell and vents abuse at anyone who tells him to calm down. Whilst he may be dismissive of the Oscar ‘carrot’, Phoenix has to be one of the major contenders for Best Actor regardless of his bad attitude. His main co-star Philip Seymour Hoffman is also brilliant as the charming but short-tempered Dodd (supposedly based on the real-life Scientologist L Ron Hubbard) whose scenes with Phoenix allow him to gain the higher ground in terms of authority and persuasion. As with Quell, Dodd is also able to lose his rag from time-to-time especially when criticised about his work in a new book as poor Laura Dern’s character finds out in one of the later scenes. Though the film is meant to focus on the path towards Scientology, it becomes clear that it is more about a mental fight between two dynamical individuals. Whilst the pair take complete control in the acting stakes, the talented Amy Adams is a little overshadowed by her co-stars but is still able to give an effective performance as Dodd’s pregnant wife Peggy whose loyalty to her husband and The Cause evolves into a perverse obsession. The other key success of The Master is Anderson’s production value which makes it stand out amongst many other films this year. The use of wide camera-shots is the main highlight as he shoots different scenes to make them look surreal whether it be Quell relaxing on top of his navy ship or riding his motorcycle across the desert. The meticulous art direction and costume design perfectly evoke the 1950s era with the best example being Quell’s richly shot picture-taking of his clients. The return of Johnny Greenwood’s music is also welcoming to fans of There Will Be Blood as his tense and mesmerising score builds up the mood on-screen.

Whilst the film is a triumph for artistic imagery and tour-de-force acting, it is flawed not only by the long and unsettling viewing experience but by the message it tries to get across to its audience. Scientology is a subject which most people will be aware of though there are some who are still trying to come to terms with it. But even after watching this, they probably won’t have learnt anything new as nothing is explained about the philosophy behind The Cause. With the focus of the film being on Quell and Dodd’s battle of the minds, nothing is really gained from what we’ve sat through for two and a half hours as Quell fails to make much progression and continues to be stuck at a crossroads by the time the film ends. His reason for walking (or riding) away from The Cause leaves you questioning why it finishes so abruptly as we don’t get to see how dangerous the cult can be despite Dodd’s erratic behaviour. Nothing seems to be achieved by what these characters have gone through unlike the journeys Dirk Diggler and Daniel Plainview make in Anderson’s previous films. The director also makes unusual decisions when focusing on surrealism with one particular scene showing Quell watching Dodd singing and dancing in front of a large group of naked women. While it is supposed to be viewed through his twisted mind, it comes across as unnecessary.

VERDICT: Whilst The Master looks exquisite and features career-best performances from Phoenix and Hoffman, it is let down by the dull and uneasy plot which won’t appeal to everyone and will leave you wondering what point it was trying to get across.