Rating: 
Summary: It's Good History and Good Acting
Review: Kevin Costner leads a good cast of actors in this drama, based on the Cuba Missile Crises of October, 1962, in which Russian Missile sites being built in Cuba brought the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war. Director Roger Donaldson is successfully able to blend good drama with an accurate recount of history.
Rating: 
Summary: Could Have Been A Great Movie
Review: Costner's phony Boston accent (one reviewer mistakenly called it Southern - but that's understandable, because at the start, I too thought it was supposed to be a Southern accent), the boom hanging overhead and the poor portrayals of JFK and RFK ruined what could have been an excellent movie. The black and white segments were pointless and contributed nothing to the film (except a concern that something was wrong with the color shift on the film). I lived through the the Cuban missle crises as a teenager, and it was much more riveting than this movie portrays. What a shame. I give it two stars only because of the accuracy of the portrayl of America in the early 60's.
Rating: 
Summary: A really great film.
Review: I saw this film the week it premiered in theaters and I enjoyed it immediately. I had read books about the Cuban Missile Crisis and how Kennedy was under pressure from the Joint Chiefs to either invade Cuba or attack the missile sites. This film was well-presented. It explains how the Cuban Missile Crisis got started and how Kennedy ended the crisis without starting World War III with the Soviet Union. The film had a lot of action, suspense and drama which kept me entertained throughout the movie which I enjoyed. I also thought that the film had a great cast that gave convincing, effective performances. I don't think that this film was weak, depressing or boring at all. I really enjoyed the film and I think that it's worth going to see.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining historical drama!
Review: I didn't really know much about the history of the Cuban missle crisis before seeing this movie. But even though I knew how history turned out, I still found it to be somewhat suspensful, in certain circumstances in which I didn't know what happened. There is still a part of me wishing that there was more action even though this film was based on actually events. Maybe thats cause the trailers gave me the impression there would be a lot more than there actually was. None the less I really liked this movie, and I'm sure I'll grab it when its released on dvd. Very entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: A tense and realistic retelling of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Review: This movie retells the Cuban Missile Crisis that took place way back in October of 1962. This movie is right on, it is very realistic and plays out everything that happened during those days. Russia was setting up many missiles in Cuba and we found out about them. We were in a tough spot because those missiles were capable of reaching any place in the country. The cast is great, notably Kevin Costner and the man who played JFK! It helped to go into this movie with knowledge on the situation. I admit it did get a little boring, but it deffinetly manages to keep you on the edge of your seat, especailly if you don't know the outcome of the crisis. One note, this is a drama with only a few action scenes. As the tag line says, you will never believe how close we came, to the brink of nuclear war that is! Rated PG-13 for profanity and brief violence.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping drama, even if not entirely accurate
Review: I remember studying the Cuban Missile Crisis in college, in a class on group dynamics and groupthink. It is such a remarkably involving event, I was a bit apprehensive going into the film, as Hollywood often manages to suck the life out of inherently thrilling stories. Luckily, they get this one right. While it is not historically accurate, I didn't care, because the story this film tells preserves the essence of the event, the tension in the White House as two superpowers danced at the edge of World War III, and the type of individual heroism and leadership it probably took to save us from ourselves.The story is told from the perspective of Kenny O'Donnell (Kevin Costner), given an inflated role as the advisor to President Kennedy and confidant of both John and Bobby. Telling the story from his perspective is a good one, as it allows us to view John and Bobby as the larger than life heroes they were. Costner's faux Bostonian accent is so lousy as to cause hysterical laughter from my friends and I as the film started, but thankfully Bruce Greenwood and Steven Culp outshine him with remarkably charismatic portrayals of John and Bobby. I wasn't alive when Kennedy was president, but after watching Greenwood's performance I can understand why so many look to Kennedy as our last great president. Surrounded by military chiefs of staff rabid to go to war with the Russians, the Kennedy's and O'Donnell find the courage to follow their better judgment and inspire enough decent men around them to steer both sides to a peaceful resolution. This is filmmaking about the clash of strong personalities in a group setting, like Twelve Angry Men, or Glengarry Glen Ross, or Fail Safe. I find the subject fascinating. A few other minor quibbles: occasionally the film switches to black and white, ostensibly to heighten the sense of historical accuracy, but it just looked like we were watching a studio screener copy of the film to me. That could have been left out. Also, occasionally the director Roger Donaldson inserts scenes with O'Donnell hanging out with his family, brooding over their well-being, with head in hand and furrowed brow. They feel like attempts to conjure up some of the tension that common American families felt during the event, but Costner no longer has the dramatic presence to pull them off, and I would have preferred Donaldson narrow his focus to stay within the confines of the White House. But those are minor quibbles. Dylan Baker plays Defense Secretary Robert McNamara wonderfully, and it's amazing how much Culp and Baker resemble Bobby Kennedy and McNamara. I left the film wishing that presidential candidates like George Bush or Al Gore had half the charisma of Greenwood's JFK. Ah, but isn't that always the case with presidents in the movies? If you find yourself fascinated by the Cuban Missile Crisis after watching the film, pick up the book from which some of the film's events were pulled, "The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis." It provides a more historically accurate and just as compelling examination of the event.
Rating:
Summary: History Yet Again Hits the Big Screen
Review: I have to say that if Kevin Costner just stars in a movie, and doesn't have a hand in directing it, then it usually turns out to be a good movie. Thirteen Days is not an exception. It's blend of history and pure entertainment is a mix that is hard to beat. And with stunning performances by all of the cast. It makes it hard to say one bad thing about it. The story is about the thirteen days of the Cuban Missle Crisis where the Russian government strategically set up missles sites in cuba to launch against the western civilization. Costner plays Kenny Odonnell, Chief Political Advisor to the President of the United States. Roger Donaldson' s movie moves quickly and really tells a great story. It is suspenseful, fun, and has a good amount of action. One not to miss at any cost.
Rating:
Summary: Thirteen Days
Review: Having lived through this period of time, in the Navy and stationed within one mile of the While House, I can tell you they caught the feel of the time perfectly. Kudos to everyone involved, especially Kevin Costner who was the heart and soul to see that this was done right. I encourage everyone to see it.
Rating: 
Summary: Thirteen Days
Review: I just recently ventured out to a " free sneak preview" for "Thirteen Days". I'd have to say the best part about this movie, is that I didn't have to pay for it! The Cuban Missle Crisis is a perfect story to redramatize. However, Roger Donaldson seemed to forget about using any action scenes to help recreate the tension and terror that most people were faced with during that time period. More then half of the movie is filmed inside the white house. The same white-walled backgrounds are used for almost every other shot, slowly putting audience members to sleep. But, let's not forget the repeated establishing shot outside of the White House during a lovely sunset. It wasn't so beautiful after seeing the same shot three times!! I'm all for low-budget films, but sometimes too much of the same thing, is just too much. I wouldn't be so hard on Donaldson if the acting hadn't been so bad! The entire cast of presidential and military advisors were a complete disaster. Kevin Costner went in and out of his southern accent like a bad joke. Even worse, the President flowed into his natural British accent so many times I thought I was watching Austin Powers! To leave my best criticism for last, who operated the boom during this movie??!! In almost every shot the microphone can be seen dancing in close-ups, and wavering on thin metal poles in medium shots. The whole reason I didn't walk out sooner was just to take part in the audience's ritualistic laughter of watching the boom dangling from the top of the big screen. I'd reccommend this movie to people who want a good laugh at bad acting, and poor filmmaking. This could've been a great idea when this movie was being planned, it's just to bad Ronaldson didn't follow through....
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Film -- Amazing DVD
Review: "Thirteen Days" is an intelligent and thrilling gem of a movie with relentless edge-of-your-seat suspense. Based on the events that took place in October of 1962 surrounding the Cuban missile crisis, they used actual transcripts and historical records in creating this well-written script. Expertly directed by Roger Donaldson, this film contains some top-notch performances from Bruce Greenwood as JFK, Steven Culp as RFK, and Kevin Costner as Kenny O'Donnell. The DVD version is amazing, with layers and layers of extras that provide fascinating historical background and perspective on the crisis itself and how a devastating nuclear war was avoided. It demonstrates the kind of information and detail that every DVD could and should offer, and is a must-have for any DVD collection. This is film-making at its very best. If you missed it in the theater, don't let it pass you by again.
|
