K-19 - The Widowmaker

Rating:
Summary: Flawed but decent submarine drama
Review: In the sub-genre of submarine dramas, K-19, The Widowmaker doesn't compare with great films such as Das Boot or The Hunt for Red October. Based on a true story that isn't as gripping as those other films, it has limited potential to begin with. So, of course, the couple of serious flaws that K-19 possesses quickly undermines that potential.

K-19 follows the maiden voyage of the Soviet Union's flagship nuclear submarine, whose initial captain (Liam Neeson) is replaced by a new captain (Harrison Ford). During a series of drills, Neeson and the rest of the crew are leery of their new leader, but after a dangerous but successful test of their limits, the new captain earns the crews, (but not Neeson's) trust. However, when a radioactive leak is discovered and the fate of the ship is up in the air, no one knows whose lead to follow.

One of my biggest problems with this film is the first third of it, illustrating drill after drill with a loud, suspenseful soundtrack that tries to make the mostly harmless drills seem more dangerous. The film here seems to be preparing the audience for an inevitable attack from an enemy. All it serves to do in the end is to be misleading so that when that inevitable attack never happens, it proves to be a let down. Also, and perhaps even more annoying, are the poor Russian accents. Everyone, including Ford and Neeson, have wavering accents that are sometimes Russian, sometimes American, and sometimes something else entirely. In fact, without even a single word ever spoken in Russian, the film's authenticity suffers. You never forget that these are all Americans playing Russians. Perhaps if the casting director found more Russian actors for the supporting roles, and the director maybe placed some Russian dialogue in the beginning (such as The Hunt for Red October did), It would have been more convincing.

Still, the film is not without merit. Once the radiation leak is discovered the film becomes more interesting and well worth your time. It truly was a harrowing event and the tension finally begins to build here. It's just too bad it took an hour of false tension to get there. If emphasis on the drills had not been pushed as it was, and the atmosphere more authentically Russian, this could have been a solid four star film doing justice to the true events.

It's worth a rental as it is, but stick to Das Boot or other submarine thrillers to fill your DVD rack.

Rating:
Summary: A weak modern version of "Das Boot"
Review: Well, if you got two tvs and two vhs or 2 dvd players and, one playing the German "Das Boot" and the other, "K-19". I think that maybe your eyes would and couldn't help switching more and more to the screen playing "Das Boot". The casting of K-19 is ok, seeing the aging Harrison Ford and much-too-tall Neeson playing quite believable Russians. But the movie itself is somewhat narrow-minded and narrow-spaced like the sub itself. The sudden change-of-heart of Neeson who turned his face to his loyal officers and showing his support to that captain playing by Harrison is the weakest point of this movie and only suitable for the script and scenario that had to be according to the ending. Both my sons told me it ... big time and laughed at me watching it. Is there any generation gap here between a 56 years old and a 25 and 15? Or is there any movie watching gap between me and the movie producers and the screenplayers? It's an okay movie but not as good as to have my both thumbs up so high instead of touching my point finger tip together with my thumb tip together to show the OK sign not so whole-heartedly.

Rating:
Summary: Good Film, Good Story but...
Review: Lacks a good structured plot. Also there were some unaccurate things aboutlife on a Russian Sub. All in all, a great idea for a movie, and a good way to show the heroic acts by the sailors on K-19.

Rating:
Summary: Good Film, Good Story but...
Review: Lacks a good structured plot. Also there were some unaccurate things aboutlife on a Russian Sub. All in all, a great deo for a movie, and a good way to show the heroic acts by the sailors on K-19,

Rating:
Summary: K-19 - The Widowmaker
Review: Just as great as I remembered! Fascinating story & history & making of the production are chronicled very well. Love the special effects especially how they did the make-up for radiation burns & Harrison Ford's aging process.

Rating:
Summary: Visually Stunning , But Poorly Told Submarine Film
Review: Harrison Ford stars in (and exective-produced) this film about the ill-fated Russian military submarine, as Captain Alexei Vostrikov. His ship "K-19" is given a mission to launch a test missile from the sea, in order to show the US government that Soviet Unions could afford a means to attack the mainland of the United States. But before "K-19" goes on its first voyage, it has already witnessed many deaths of workers during its construction: hence, its nickname "Widowmaker."

Based on the historical facts that have been recently revealed, "K-19" has everything that any movie producers would vie for. It has elements for making very dramatic moments, authentic historical background, advanced visual techniques of the 21st century, and the stars: Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. But the result is not totally successful, though the film deserves kinder attention from the audience, who seemed to steer away from the theaters.

All right. Let us be honest. The events shown here are often too incredible, reminding us of the moments we have seen in the similar films set in submarines. Also, the film is often very painful to watch. Not that the film is bad; it is too realistic for some of us. Remember, K-19 is one of the earliest nuclear submarine, and its reactor was not 100 % safe. At one scene, members risk their life to save the ship (and possibly, according to the film, save the day), but the description is hauntingly real. But we have seen desasterous nuclear accidents in the past, and the film is only paying due attention to the fact. However, if you think "K-19" is our usual summer blockbuster movie, you are utterly wrong. There are some actions, but they are not sort of actions you see in "Crimson Tide or "Red October."

And fans of Harrison Ford, please beware. His acting as a rigid Russian Captain is nearly as good as Gene Hackman's. But you cannot expect Han Solo or Indie Jones here; clearly Mr. Ford is thinking of changing his image in the past, going towards a newer direction. Whether you like it or not, I don't know.

Liam Neeson is of course fantastic as a more compassionate officier Mikhail Polenin, but it is regreattable that the film seems to handle other younger cast with colorless touch. Sometimes you cannot tell one young actor from another (well, I thought so), and while director Kathryn Biglow meticulously pays attention to the particular items of the inside of the submarine, she failed to bring a vivid picture of the people who were trapped in this doomed ship: those people who should be described with more detailed script.

The film is not a failure. It only lacks something that made "Das Boot" and other submarine films a classic. When the director let the actors do their jobs, the film is fine; however, when Ms. Bigelow gives a superflous accent to some aspects of the film -- like heroism -- the film stops its movement, blowing up with obvious messages. I know those crew are heroes. Their final judgement is a sufficient proof. But the director tries to show that with obtrucive soundtracks and slightly exaggerated cameras. So, you have to listen to the bells, choirs, and brass when more understated handling is much more suitable to this serious subject matter.

If you have seen Bigelow's previous works, these flaws could be all predicted -- from "Near Dark" "Strange Days" to "Weight of the Water." They are all visually stunning, but damaged by not-so-good narrative structure, to take it seriously (see how decetives in "Point Break" starring young Kianu Reeves, and you'll understand. Oh, and that mark on the ...). In "K-19" she showed her best shot. But it leaves much (or less) to be desired.

Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking
Review: This movie is excellent. The music is fantastic, Harrison Ford's performance is very good, but evryone else's was great.
The story is very intense and will hold anyone to their seats up until the end.
The reactor couldn't go thermonuclear, ok, but it could very easily explode (RBMKs have positive void coefficient), maybe set off the bombs the sub was carrying, scattering fallout, taking the US destroyer and start WW III, so, before putting down the reactor problem, get you facts straight.

Rating:
Summary: masterfully done !!
Review: this movie is so well done-- i was pleasantly surprised after reading such tepid reviews-- the acting, direction, the story -- and esp. the editing-- masterful! a few plot twists kept it totally exciting for me-- mr ford and mr neeson are incredible actors who wrench every moment to the max---- the movie was so compelling so seemlessly edited and beauitfully shot---- similar yes-to das boot---but based on a true story & just as engaging -- heart rending and beautifully realized -- a real gem

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating look at a real historical event!
Review: As the reviewer Jeff Shannon says "It's not as viscerally thrilling as the classic Das Boot or U-571." (Do look up and read Jeff's entire review.) Still, it is an extremely interesting look at an incident that actually occurred on Russia's first nuclear-powered submarine.

To me, it is interesting that here we have an American film about a wholly Russian submarine crew with Russian equipment and showing the making of Russian heroes. The reality of the cold war was that both Americans and Russians were constantly spying on and shadowing each other's submarines.

In this incident, the only American involvement was an offer for help. This offer was rejected, by the way. Try and figure out WHY help from the Americans was rejected. If the reason was as alluded to in the movie (I won't give it away here), it says a lot about the valor of the boat's captain.

This movie does clearly portray the making of heroes. While a member of the U.S. Air Force, a military history class covered an incident where a young airman in an aircraft threw himself on an incendiary device that lit off and which would have brought the plane and it's crew down. The man's bravery saved the aircraft and everyone on board at the cost of his own life. On K-19 you will see many equally brave and heroic men risking their lives for their fellow shipmates. (And any military member puts their life on the line every time they board a submarine. Look at how many have sunk whether by act of war or by some mechanical fault. Yes, statistically it may be far more dangerous crossing a typical city street - but I admire submariners nonetheless!)

Something to note before watching the movie - the director Kathryn Bigelow made sure she had not only a Russian on-hand to advise on correctness of submarine details, but the person was actually a former captain of a K-19 class submarine! No effort was spared in making the interior shots as absolutely accurate as possible. The extra features section of the DVD shows the various pieces of equipment being made - even down to correct Russian labeling! What the people acting as crew did on the mocked-up submarine mattered a lot to Kathryn. You don't see any absent-minded twiddling of dials, etc. Every action taken in the movie is as would have been done on a real submarine.

This movie, I have to say, didn't keep me on the edge of my seat. It plays out almost in documentary fashion rather than as a movie drama. But it was nonetheless a very fascinating account of a group of people risking life and limb for fellow man and for country. Kudos go to Kathryn Bigelow, Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson and all the other wonderful actors, makeup artists and special effects people for doing such an outstanding job on this film!

Rating:
Summary: I like military suspence movies but
Review: This movie was painful to watch, most of the actore in the movie have the cheesest fake russian accents I've ever heard. Harison Ford fades from cheesey fake Russian accent to cheesey fake Irish accent to his normal accent and it .... Liam Neison fades from I don't know what to his normal accent. These are both actors I had respect for and that respect has been weekened because of watching this movie, they should be ashamed. However I gave this movie 2 stars because I really do like the story despite it being far fetched in some casees, but far fetched is Hollywoods specialty.