Russell Crowe seems determined to portray himself as an unparalleled performer in this movie. This unfortunately detracts from what could have been an exciting adventure on the ocean, similar to something like Captain Blood. Peter Weir permits Crowe’s over-the-top performance to run wild, and it's easy to sense his ego dominating every moment onscreen; he prevents Paul Bettany from making a significant impact, which is disappointing since he's a talented actor, as is James D’Arcy, and yet Crowe appears intent on monopolizing the spotlight. It becomes difficult to enjoy watching someone constantly attempt to overshadow everyone else, particularly when those individuals are capable of holding their own against Crowe if he would only let them. Ultimately, you end up observing ego, and that simply grows tiresome. It’s regrettable because the story and direction showed promise; it might have been a truly excellent film without so much focus on Crowe's self-importance.

Source on TMDB