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Summary: Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman
Review: As the black equivalent of Errol Flynn, Denzel Washington could now be teamed up with quality leading actors. 'Crimson Tide' is such a film, and it brings together the antagonist of 'Superman' (Gene Hackman) and the protagonist of 'Malcolm X' (Denzel Washington). In it, both actors battle against each other on the same side, and the film becomes a war of internal struggles rather than external victories. Overall, it is one of the best films of 1995.
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Summary: So much for the "Silent Service"
Review: "Crimson Tide" tells the harrowing story of the USS Alabama, a nuclear-pwered submarine armed with enough nuclear firepower to devestate the world. Only the duty-bound morals of its crew keep that awesome power in check. Though the end of the cold war seems to have made the 'bama unnecessary, a band of rogue Russians re-ignite the cold war when they seize nukes of their own. Dispatched into Russian waters, the 'bama's venerable, if eccentric, Captain Ramsey (Gene Hackman) is ordered to be ready to retaliate (or perhaps strike first) at the Russians. His regular XO (2nd in command) out of action, Ramsey relies on Matt Hunter (Denzel Washington) to guide him through the hostile waters. As Ramsey's XO, Hunter has an equal say as to the launching of the sub's missiles, but he's more of a thinker than the can-do action man that Ramsey approximates. (Ramsey sees in Hunter a needed counterpoint, but not one he's willing to become co-equal with - "We're hear to protect democracy", he tells Hunter, "not practice it"). When the Alabama is severely damaged in an attack against a rogue Russian sub, the crew loses contact with the National Command Authority - and receives only part of a cryptic message from Washington - one that may have ordered them to launch their missiles. With the rogue Russians on the verge of being able to launch their own nukes, Hunter refuses to concur with the Captain's launch order. Though Hunter has USN regulations on his side, Ramsey leads an insurrection to re-take command and launch the nukes. Things get so loud, that it's hard to believe that the sub remains undetected deep within Russian waters (subs are tracked by sound; radar doesn't work underwater). "Crimson Tide" is in many ways the typical Burckheimer-Simpson movie - with many action scenes being far more evocative than coherent (like in Armageddon, where you'll feel the excitement even when you've got no idea what's going on). The story is more compelling than "Red October", but the special effects are inferior (relying less on CGI, the underwater subs and their torpedoes look like models, their size and motion not quite convincing). There are also a few things that are hard to accept - like speed with which the crew members break down (not even on station yet, two of the crew come to blows over whether Steve Ditko drew Spiderman better than Moebius) and how Denzel Washington (who hasn't come closer to combat than a three-day seminar in Washington) has to explain the realities of thermonuclear war to the rest of the crew that has beein doing this stuff for years. The best thing about the flick is the Akula - the Russian sub hunting for the Alabama. It's dispatched too quickly, leaving a gap the rest of the film never fills. Much of the power is from the actors themselves - with Washington as the thinking fighter and Hackman as the blustering cold warrior of old who nevertheless kept the lid on armageddon when he was on watch. He's an eccentric, but he knows his ship and his crew (unlike Washington, he doesn't have to look at nametags). A great action movie and probably the last submarine technothriller for a while.
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Summary: Watch Hackman's Acting Closely Here
Review: I love to watch submarine movies so I naturally enjoyed this one. But it's the same old story--a trigger-happy, mentally unstable skipper (Gene Hackman) and a loyal, level-headed, sensible executive officer who takes a lot of guff and abuse from the boss man without turning the least bit mean himself. Glenn Ford and Ernie Borgnine played those roles in Torpedo Run and Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster did it too. As did countless others for that matter. There's the usual disasters on board, menacing torpedos being shot at them from an enemy sub, the treat of nuclear war, a mutiny, guys smoking like chimneys--how do they get away with smoking on a nuclear submarine anyhow? But it's great entertainment and I'll view this little beauty at least once a year probably. Hackman's facial expressions are wonderful! Watch how he turns instantly from a grinning, apparently congenial chuckle to a sinister glare. I'd have given him an academy award for this performance.
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Summary: Enjoyable hokum, but check the R2 transfer.
Review: If you must acquire a pumped-up thriller for an undemanding evening's viewing, I would recommend this one over such ghastly fare as 'The Rock', or the truly moronic 'Armageddon'. 'Das Boot' is generally acceped as the greatest submarine film, but this is certainly preferable to 'The Hunt For Red October', let alone the dire 'U-571'. Gene Hackman is here in top scenery-chewing (but credible) form as the ball-breaking, cigar-chomping submarine captain, and even Denzel Washington's character manages to be something slightly more than a two dimensional cipher. The only other actor of note (apart from Jason Robards in an uncredited cameo at the end) is the great James Gandolfini in pre-Tony Soprano mode. To be fair, most plotline fiascos are avoided and the storyline is handled with an element of self-belief. Although the climax of the film is as predictable as night following day, this is overall an enjoyable ride. There is even an enjoyable and interesting sequence in the officers' mess when the nature of war is discussed. My advice is to regard the post-climactic board of enquiry as the film's genuine denouement. In fact the only real cliches are to be found on the Hans Zimmer-composed soundtrack (all proto-Gladiator pounding rhythms and wordless vocalise), although to be fair his inclusion of a choral version of 'Those In Peril On The Sea' as the sub makes its initial dive is a masterstroke. The DVD is bare bones, but with a superbly powerful soundtrack. The image is thoroughly decent, although the R2 DVD (which I viewed) is anamorphic and of very high quality - near flawless in fact. If the judge of a transfer is crystal clear depiction of perspiring flesh, when every bead of sweat and facial corpuscle has an almost dermatological clarity, this DVD passes with flying colours. Recommended, especially if you fancy giving your sound system a thorough workout with groaning hulls and window-rattling depth charge detonations.
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Summary: Chaos Inside and Outside of a Nuclear Submarine
Review: "Crimson Tide" is a study of the possibility of a World War III. A nuclear submarine is one of the more powerful weapons that the United States of America possesses. For that reason, the men inside are trained professionals who understand what to do to take care of any situation that arises, until a disagreement develops between the captain and the executive officer. The difference of opinions comes from an emergency action message that is cut short due to extreme weather conditions. Whether or not the Russians are going to attack us is the question at hand, and one officer believes that we should attack and another believes that we should abort. Ultimately, Washington and Hackman bicker at each other in an entertaining way and the environment spells fear of a nuclear holocaust. For moviegoers that aren't usually fans of submarine movies, this is a terrific movie regardless of your tastes. It is all about a major disagreement between a rookie and a veteran and what it could have caused.
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Summary: Life is too short to waste any of it watching this film...
Review: To a former ballisic missile submarine sailor, this movie was a huge dissapointment. With fine talent like Hackman and Washington (not to mention the intriguing quality of Hackman's character) and an initial plot premise loaded with potential, this could have been a top-notch drama along the lines of but much better than Seven Days in May or The Bedford Incident. Instead the writers developed a plot so attenuated in its relationship to reality (no boomer sailor can sit through this film without feeling the urgent need to howl bulls--- with ever increasing frequency as it "progresses") that all you're left with is a very low grade 'B' adolescent shoot 'em up picture. What a shame. If you're at all interested in the dynamics of life aboard a ballistic missile submarine and the "what-if" issues raised by this film that are inherent to that life, I don't know where to tell you to turn, but don't bother looking here.
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Summary: if you like sub movies this is a great one
Review: this is one hell of a great sub movie
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Summary: Great Acting and Great Story
Review: Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman give great performances in this techno-thriller movie about a US nuclear submarine going on the edge as the United States and Russia edge closer to nuclear war, or maybe not. Featureing a cameo apperance by Jason Robards, and a few pop culture references to Star Trek and Marvel Comics.
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Summary: Intense, frightening and all too plausible.
Review: First off the script is just brilliant. The story pits rank against right, loyalty verses procedure, conscience verses circumstance. In short the rubber really meets the road in this thriller. A nuclear sub receives an incomplete order... to (possibly) launch an attack against the Soviet Union at a time when the stability of Russia is questionable at best. Then unfortunately communication becomes unavailable with superiors. Do you follow protocol blindly? What do you do? That's the question. Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington breathe honesty, humanity, and intensity into this top rate drama. Well worth the price of admission!
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Summary: Nail-biting edge of your seat terror and suspense
Review: Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington are two powerhouse actors starring in a movie about mutiny about a U.S. nuclear submarine. the captain, Hackman, is given un-comfirmed orders to launch missiles at Russia, but the 2nd in command, Washingtion, disagrees with the order. The fate of the world rests on this decision, and to make matters worse, neither man knows if they are 100% right in their thinking. This film is loaded with tension from beginning to end. The DVD doesnt have extras, but the picture and sound is great. Worth checking out.
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