Rating: 
Summary: one of the best movies of all time
Review: the story of a rouge soviet sub captain and his defection with the soviet unions newest weapon is filled with edge of your seat action and excitment any one who is a fan of clancy's work will love this movie
Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding Techno-Spy Thriller!
Review: Having read many of Tom Clancy's wonderful techno-thrillers before this quite faithful adaptation came to the screen, I was amazed at just how fine a job had been done in bringing the complex, quite literate, and endlessly evolving plot that Clancy used to such advantage in spinning this story about a Soviet submarine commander attempting to defect to the west along with the latest and most technologically sophisticated and stealthy boomer, or missile-firing, submarine (christened the Red October in honor of the date of the Russian revolution) with an unsuspecting crew in tow. An all-star cast helps to bring the epic tale to life, including Sean Connery in yet another terrific character role as the legendary Captain Marco Remis, a Lithuanian skipper who recognizes that such a stealthy missile sub will tip the strategic balance and enable the reactionary military leadership to achieve a disarming first strike capability against the United States, which he fears will be used once the full capability of this class of submarines is realized. Enter young Jack Ryan, a formidable CIA expert on Soviet naval capability based in London, well played here by Alex Baldwin as an aggressively intelligent academic-turned intelligence analyst who persuades his CIA mentor, Rear Admiral James Greer (played By James Earl Jones), of the impending danger of a newly designed submarine from spy photos smuggled to British Intelligence, which was puzzled by what they found. Given Remis' brilliant strategy of alerting the Soviet high command in Moscow that he has, in fact, shanghaied the sub, the western powers are quickly alerted to a massive Soviet armada suddenly deployed into the Atlantic and Ryan begins to fatefully connect the dots. Indeed, the game is afoot, or submerged, as it were. As the plot proceeds, the game gets hotter and hotter, with so much action and so much suspense building up that it is impossible not to appreciate and enjoy. The is a wonderful film, one that will stir your patriotic juices as the same time it raises your pulse rooting for the "Ruskies" to outsmart both the Russian fleet chasing them and the American killer sub tracking it to sink it. Scott Glenn is superb as the no-nonsense skipper of the American sub tracking the Red October with deadly intent, and he is faced with contradictory possibilities he has to weigh recognizing both his crew and the safety of the continental United States may be imperiled should he fail to sink the red October. Of course, the photography and special effects are masterful and heighten the degree of suspense and realism of the quickly transpiring action sequences. I especially like the no-frills representation of an American admiral turned in by former Senator Fred Dalton Thompson. I may not agree with his conservative politics, but his performance here is simply outstanding, albeit too brief. Glad to say, he has returned to acting, and I look forward to seeing more of him soon. The same can be said for the many strong performances by a large and very capable cast. This is a spy-thriller of the first magnitude, one I have watched again and again for it is such eye-candy and so exciting that I find myself caught up in it each time I sit down to enjoy it. I hope you will too. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A Cold War Drama of Superior Quality
Review: This is the first and, in my opinion, the best of the films based on Clancy's novels. It was directed John McTiernan who must have been especially busy in the late 1980's, directing Predator (released in 1987), Die Hard (1988), and this film two years later. There was some concern about Alec Baldwin being cast as Jack Ryan but he does very well in the part, generally holding his own with Sean Connery (Captain Markus Ramius). A few brief comments about Connery. It was in this film, I think, that he began to perfect his impersonation of himself, a tendency first indicated by his portrayal of Jim Malone in The Untouchables (1987) and then of Dr. Henry Jones in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). For years, he had portrayed a wide and diverse range of characters which include James Bond and King Arthur. He is thoroughly credible as each. And granted, it was not an easy task for him to play himself while wearing the uniform of a Russian submarine captain but much easier later when playing Richard the Lionhearted in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), John Patrick Mason in The Rock (1996), and most recently Allan Quartermain in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). Of course, his voice-over work is also prominent in various television commercials. Connery is now the sole owner and proprietor of his own cottage (castle?) industry. In The Hunt for Red October, both American and Russian military forces scramble to intercept and then gain possession of the most advanced and most lethal of nuclear submarines whose location is essentially undetectable because of its stealth capabilities. Both the U.S. and Russia correctly see the Red October as a serious threat but for quite different reasons. It is Ryan's task to convince his superiors that Ramius wishes to defect, and then to convince Ramius that the U.S. government will allow him and his crew to do so. As suggested in the novel, the technological complexities of a Typhoon class submarine (especially one such as the Red October) are beyond the comprehension of most of those who read the book and/or see the film. Author Clancy does a brilliant job when providing only the information necessary for understanding why such a submarine poses such a serious threat. The same compliment must be paid to the five writers who presumably collaborated in this film's screenplay. The focus is correctly limited to the action narrative which begins with Ryan's initial suspicion and concludes when.... Along the way, McTiernan carefully develops Ryan's relationships with his Pentagon superiors, with Captain Bart Mancuso (Scott Glenn), and eventually with Ramius. I have always admired Richard Jordan's work and he is especially effective in the role of Jeffrey Pelt, national security advisor to the President. His several conversations with a Russian official, Adrei Lysenko (Joss Ackland), are memorable. James Earl Jones (Admiral James Greer) and Fred Dalton Thompson (Admiral Painter) also make brief but significant appearances. Frankly, I was somewhat surprised by the quality and consistency of Baldwin's performance as Ryan. With all due respect to Harrison Ford, Baldwin would have also been effective in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. This film offers great entertainment, combining high drama with delightful (always appropriate) humor. When first seeing The Hunt for Red October, I was among those who never doubted for a moment that thermonuclear war would somehow be averted. Thus reassured, I could settle back and enjoy a great story well-told...and have done so again on numerous occasions with equal pleasure.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much Connery, not enough Curry
Review: I've never been a big Connery or Baldwin fan, but when I heard that Tim Curry had a small role in this I was convinced that it was at least good enough to rent.
The movie wasn't bad, but it wasn't exactly good either. The only thing that saves it is Curry's small but good performance. Otherwise, it's not worth watching. Had it not been for him I would've rated it a measly 1 star.
If you're a Connery or Baldwin fan you're gaurenteed to love this film. But if you're like me and you'd prefer Tim any day, still rent it. You won't regret it, but you won't be begging for more either.
Rating: 
Summary: Awesome Movie
Review: Having the whole movie in my hands for once is great. The TV experience just doesn't compare to owning this DVD. Everything about it is great, and with our surround sound system, the sound and effects are just completely mind boggling. This is a must have for any Sean Connery fan. I give it 4 stars, because it lacks special features. If they would have put the special features in the first time, I wouldn't want to go out and buy the new one with the special features.
Rating:
Summary: best of the Ryan series
Review: Of the Ryan movies I've seen, this easily qualifies as the best of the bunch. Baldwin's Ryan is vunerable yet capable and yet approachable and likable and the situation he's thrust into is easy to get into unlike the sequels. With a cast like Sean connery and Sam Neil and Scott Glenn, this is A+ material all the way through a tension filled ocean!
Rating:
Summary: Good story, so-so effects and commentary
Review: I've never read a Tom Clancy book, so I can not say if the movie was faithful to it. What was put on the screen was a good story, with good actors. I've never been a fan of Sean Connery, but he was OK here. It was the strength of the Alec Baldwin, and the supporting actors that keep this movie going. The movie was made in the period just before the heavy CGI effects started becoming routine, so don't expect to be overwhelmed by them. I'm not a big fan of movies that rely on special effects to carry them along, anyway, so I do not take points off for this. The short "Below the Surface" feature was pretty good, but the director's commentary seemed a bit sluggish. Probably a bit generous with 4 stars...
Rating:
Summary: A Good Yarn...
Review: The Hunt For Red October
1990 Film Version One of the things I learned about screenplay writing is that adapting a book, particularly a popular novel, is not always an easy task. Syd Field's book, Screenplay, devotes an entire chapter to the subject of adaptation. Field points out, and I am paraphrasing here, that novels and screenplays are two different forms of writing. Each has its own rules and each one differs vastly in purpose. A novel, for instance, is meant to be read by a large audience and each reader can read it at his or her own pace. Screenplays, on the other hand, are the blueprints for the making of movies. Both tell a story, and if a novel is being adapted into a screenplay, often the same story. I offer this caveat because many Tom Clancy fans often feel that movie versions of their favorite novels often disappoint them. Scenes and characters - even entire subplots and/or adversaries' motivations - often vanish or are altered beyond recognition. This is true even in John McTiernan's "The Hunt for Red October," the first of the four films adapted from Clancy's Jack Ryan novels. Starring Sean Connery as Soviet Captain First Rank Marko Ramius, Alec Baldwin as CIA analyst John Patrick (Jack) Ryan, and James Earl Jones as CIA Deputy Director (Intelligence), McTiernan's film catches the spirit, rather than the letter, of Clancy's first best-selling novel. Had screenwriters Larry Ferguson and Donald Stewart even attempted to be as slavishly faithful to Clancy's novel, it is unlikely that producer Mace Neufeld would have been able to get Paramount Pictures to undertake such a massive production. To depict the hunt for a defecting Typhoon-class submarine would have required expensive miniature effects sequences, for what makes Clancy's novel so exciting is the ensuing face-off between most of the Soviet Navy and a large fraction of the U.S. Navy. Could it have been done? Perhaps...but it would have cost almost as much as Titanic did (over $200 million). Also not included in the screenplay were passing references to Patriot Games, which in the chronology of the books is a prequel to Hunt, as well as a secondary storyline (what TV writers would call a B story) involving an American spy working for the Soviets. Clancy readers know that this storyline will be developed in two other novels. However, in order to make this movie move smoothly, many scenes and characters were simply not included. In spite of these compromises - or perhaps because of them - McTiernan manages to tell a gripping action adventure piece that is also cerebral. Connery's Ramius (despite his distinctive Scots burr) is strikingly similar to the one in the novel. Baldwin's Jack Ryan also comes close to his literary alter-ego, and one wonders how the franchise would have fared had he not been replaced by Harrison Ford for two films and Ben Affleck in the latest Clancy-based movie, 2002's The Sum of All Fears. Even the sea chase - now pared down to one Alfa-class submarine and a Bear Foxtrot anti-sub warfare patrol plane for the Soviets, and one Los Angeles-class nuclear attack sub and one Perry-class frigate onscreen - makes this movie worth watching. Until recently, the first three Jack Ryan movies had been given the barebones DVD treatment by Paramount Home Video. Even these are an improvement over the VHS tape versions. Restored to its original wide-screen version and its soundtrack enhanced with Dolby digital tracks in English and French, The Hunt for Red October's original DVD version had only the theatrical trailer as an extra feature. The current 2003 re-release is supposedly better, with more extra features and director's commentaries.
Rating:
Summary: At last! The Special Edition!
Review: I'm not sure about you Americans, but we Kiwis have waited FAR TOO LONG for the special edition of this fantastic movie - it only came out here a month ago. However, while the featurette is certainly high class (great shots of the underwater special effects sequences, and interesting interviews, with Scott Glenn in particular), my very minor gripe is that we do not have a recent interview with Sean Connery (the very brief one in the featurette is ages-old), and no interview at all with Sam Neill or Courtney B. Vance - both of whose careers were significantly advanced by this movie. It would have been fascinating to hear their opinions in hindsight. In terms of the movie itself, it's a handsome, well-crafted spectacle, with all McTiernan's usual flair, but without the far-fetched nature of some of his staples, such as 'Die Hard'. The script is excellent (some very funny one-liners, all of which seem to be intentional), and the special effects very believable (except, perhaps, the enormous amount of light that permeates to the bottom of the ocean - however I guess that's a necessary evil if we are to see the subs!). This is one of the very few movies I had to go and see again at the theatre, rather than wait for the video - in this case, I went back the next day to watch it! If you haven't seen it, or at least haven't seen it recently, do so - you will not be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: a solid techno-thriller from a bygone era
Review: It's weird watching this film after so many years to see how much it was a product of its times. Hot off of back-to-back box office blockbusters, Die Hard and Predator, John McTiernan was THE hot action director and really delivered the goods with The Hunt For Red October. How many submarine movies can you say were any good? Aside from the classic Das Boot... not much else. Harrison Ford's Widowmaker? No. The historically inaccurate U-571? No. Red October gets it right because there is just the right mix of excellent action sequences and white-knuckle tension between the characters. And McTiernan milks it for all its worth. The entire cast also manages to make Tom Clancy's technospeak-heavy dialogue sound interesting -- no easy feat. There is a certain mood and atmosphere to this movie that can't be beat. This is still my favourite Jack Ryan film. This Special Edition DVD is a vast improvement over the previous bare-bones version. The highlight is probably the solid, 30 min. retrospective featurette that gets most of principal cast and crew back for their reflections on the film. Good stuff. Now, if you want to cure insomnia, you might want to try listening to McTiernan's audio commentary which is deadly dull. While, he does inject the occasional interesting comment, for the most part, his dull-as-dishwater voice and frequent gaps of silence do not help matters. For hardcore fans of the film only. And lastly, the transfer of the film is great. Not only that, but Paramount has included an excellent DTS audio track which just rumbles ye olde speakers. If you're a fan of this movie, the transfer alone is worth the price of purchase.
| 
