Rating: 
Summary: First-Rate Docudrama
Review: "Thirteen Days" is one of the best historical dramas ever made, a genuinely suspenseful rendering of the most on-edge period in American peacetime. Kennedy's moderation under extreme stress (and especially under the constant pressure of the hawks to bomb & invade Cuba) was truly heroic, and Bruce Greenwood's portrayal of him is understated. Steven Culp too is outstanding as Attorney general Robert Kennedy, who ultimately cuts the secret deal with the Russian ambassador which ends the standoff. Apart from Costner's heavy-handed Bastan accent the acting is uniformly excellent, the direction natural and the scenes expertly edited, and the writing has just the right mix of small personal touches between the characters.The recreation of military photo missions over Cuba are very short yet intense.
Rating: 
Summary: "Edge of your seat" history.
Review: Credit must be given to Roger Donaldson and Kevin Costner for bringing the suspense and tension of the Cuban missile crisis onto the silver screen. 'Thirteen days' is an excellent introduction into what life was like during the cold war for those who weren't around during the 60s. It may not be as in-depth as a book devoted to the subject but it whets the appetite of those who would not otherwise have cared. Those reviewers, who argue that the movie overemphasized O'Donnell's role, should remember that this is a movie and not a documentary and as such the director has the right to choose to highlight the role of some of the characters if he feels this would make the film more interesting. What was particularly interesting for me as I watched this film was the fact that this would be a gold mine for a game theorist, and I'm pretty sure there have been books or articles examining this issue using game theory.. It is also interesting as a study of decision making under great uncertainty, and one cannot help but admire J.F.K's cool head and desire to be as certain as possible before making a decision. Comparisons could probably be drawn between the hawkish 'men-of-war' back in Kennedy's day and the current kettle of hawks in the white house today. But politics aside, this movie should be watched for its own sake, because it really is a thriller and it does keep you on the edge of your seat throughout its duration. I was certainly spellbound throughout and I came out of it learning something and desiring to know more. I don't think any rational person gets their whole history from a movie, so don't expect this to answer all your questions about the Cuban missile crisis. The extras on the DVD are excellent; there are interviews with Khrushchev's son, Sergei as well as with professors from Havard and the Brookings Institute which examine the origins of the missile crisis. There are also short film-clips about the main players in the film, McNamara, J.FK, O'Donell etc... even some prominent journalists are included. I highly recommend this movie, not because I am a fan of J.F.K (I'm not) but because it is a great film in its own right and also as an introduction to the events of 1962.
Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful cinematic experience...
Review: Aerial photos taken by a U-2 spy plane reveal that the Soviets have moved nuclear long range missiles into Cuba, which is against the agreement between the U.S.A and Russia. This becomes an upheaval for the United States government as they realize that they might be on the brink of World War III. President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) must decide what plan of action that US must take as he gets help from his brother Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (Steven Culp) and Political Advisor Kenny O'Donnell (Kevin Costner). During the governmental negotiations it becomes apparent that some want to bomb Cuba without hesitation or consideration of what it might lead to. In the shadows of the scheming politicians and military personnel O'Donnell must take action and find a way to avoid any military conflicts as they might lead to the end of the world. Thirteen Days is based on the real events that took place in the US and Cuba in October, 1962, and even if the audience knows the outcome of these events the film offers a suspenseful cinematic experience. Donaldson decided to film in color and intermittently shoot in black and white, which enhances the realism of the story. In addition, the use of archived films from the time when the events took place adds support to the film's realistic feel, which in the end offers a good cinematic experience.
Rating:
Summary: Extremely Biased but a Great Film
Review: We shouldn't really treat cinema as politics but if the film is political then it deserves some historical critic in the same way that Saving Private Ryan is a five star movie but a zero star historically accurate portrayal of events as they happened. Sometimes this is very difficult for the viewer that is versed in history and can impact on the quality of the film, however credit should also be given to the fact that cinema is an art form and poetic license is part of the package of creativity. This film is biased. There is no doubt there. The players in this film are fleshed out fully, but the darker side of their reign is never presented. Like most other reviewers have mentioned, the Bay of Pigs is hardly dealt with, nor is the fact that most of the US administration on display here actually tried to assassinate Castro. So really the film starts with a clean slate as if the previous events never happened and makes everyone seem guiltless, innocent and blameless from the word go when in truth they where already knee-deep in a political cold war with ample amounts of subversive behavior to boot. The film is basically about the standoff between the US administration and the USSR administration over the Soviets setting up warheads in Cuba right on the American shoreline. The film's suspense and tension is second to none for its type. This is a great political drama and the acting is on top form. It is very brainy and you must pay lots of attention to the convoluted dialogue to get what is going on. It's all good and more intelligent movies like this one should be made. All historical inaccuracies aside, this is a great family value movie that is well worth watching. There are several scenes in this film that really do have you chewing on your nails. It is enjoyable, well produced, well acted and well directed. This is the kind of film that you hope to see again and the quicker the better. However it is biased, does not cover both sides equally and does promote the American side quite a bit. So in the end this is not a bad starting point to learn more about the subject - just make sure that you do not leave it at that. Go scan the internet or some history books for the stuff they left out to get the bigger picture. Good topic though and the film is immensely enjoyable through and through.
Rating:
Summary: JFK takes Kruschev to the Rz-ack!
Review: JFK gave a warning shot - "I am a Berliner," then "I am a Frankfurter" and "I am a Hamburger..." The message to Kruschev was clear: "Eat me!" Earlier, Kruschev was probing because he thought Kennedy was weak (back troubles, sickness, youth, inexperience, playboy, etc), and moved missles into Cuba. But Kennedy was good at leveraging US strength and strategizing, and excellent at synthesizing an array of advice, and gauging public relations - ie what of the US image and alliances? This movie portrays JFK in an awesome light. How true is it? I don't know, and I don't really care while the dvd plays. From the film's angle, JFK's style of strength comes across as brilliant. And the actors (all besides Costner were new to me) seemed very realistic. I never would have thought JFK and RFK could be portrayed so well. Bottom line: Greenwood taps into Kennedy cool and RESERVE; playing rope a dope to counter the overconfidant Krushchev (and strutters in DC). Then he comes off the ropes and -- Boo Ya! Blink! And still stays cool. I'm a big fan of the era and players, and am amazed that such great "product" as this dvd could be made. Great extras!
Rating:
Summary: Don't take this movie for granted!
Review: Born in 1975 I missed this fascinating moment in history. I have a read a bit about it--the idea that this really happened I find astounding--and what strikes me as so remarkable is the human element that each player showed. From Kennedy to Khrushchev to the Russians in the submarines to the Cubans working at the missile site, when faced with the brink of nuclear war all the squabbling, plotting, hierarchies, and other destructive social norms were pushed aside to allow for a sensible resolution. When faced with nuclear war humanity and 'good will' (as the movie puts it) won out--albeit barely. This movie is an exhilarating ride painting a pretty fair account of both sides. There are some dramatic liberties takes (as other reviewers point out) but it is a movie and this (if you can overlook it) is quite acceptable. I enjoy seeing Khrushchev portrayed as a human being with doubts, worries about respect, ranking and saving face. Hollywood has a bad habit of giving us the classic good versus evil routine (even after Austin Powers ridiculed it in three successful movies) but this is a more rational look at both sides. The look at the Kennedys is also interesting. Don't take this movie for granted, despite some awkward accents and historical liberties, it's a great one.
Rating:
Summary: One of my ALL TIME FAVORITES!
Review: this movie about the Cuban Missile Crisis is a beautifully played movie with Inspiring actors and a well written script. the boston accents that the primary actors use are believeable. well, atleast JFk and RFk were. Kenneth O'Donnell (Kevin Costner) ruins the film with the slap-in-the-face fake accent that is just horrible. but other than that, the movie was a great success. with a beautiful crew including Bill Smitrovich and Dylan Baker.the MOvie is worth 5 stars but i will take one star out for the bad boston accent from kenny.
the stars are for the mostly Accurate accounts of what happened in real life. Read the book,"Thriteen Days: A memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis" by RFK. You'll see! shoot, you'll love it. I am only 15 and it is one of my all time favorite movies1
Rating: 
Summary: Hollywood Continues It¿s Reign of Historical Inaccuracy
Review: In October of 1962 a U2 spy plane flying over Cuba discovered Russian surface-to-surface medium range missiles that can hit targets 1,000 miles away being installed. This gave Russia a first strike capability against the US. What can I say, Kevin Costner (Kenny O'Donnel) is a good actor and played the role he was given even though the writers painted an inaccurate picture of Mr. O'Donnel. Bruce Greenwood (John Kennedy) had JFK's mannerisms down but his accent seemed to slip in and out. Steven Culp (Bobby Kennedy) seemed to have the same problem. Both are good actors and played their roles well; but once again the writers wrote these two infamous historical figures in an inaccurate light. Though Walter Adrian who played LBJ, really looked like the man, in reality LBJ played a larger roll in this episode than the movie would have you believe. The filmmakers have reduced him to a background character. Reading the reviews posted on Amazon makes it very clear that most people don't know much about the history of this country. While the political infighting among the US principles is accurate about how to handle this situation, JFK and RFK are portrayed as men of peace when in reality they held a major grudge against Castro over the Bay of Pigs and were plotting to have him assassinated. JFK was playing it right on the edge and did nearly bring us into a nuclear war with the Russians. A good book to read on what was really going on in the White House at this time is The Dark Side of Camelot by Seymour M. Hersh where you find out that Kenny O'Donnel is not the happy family man as he's portrayed in the movie. He was one of JFK and RFK's womanizing buddies attending many pool parties in the White House where hookers were the bills of fair. JFK also had a Russian playmate. His trysts with her were compromising National Security. The book is very well researched with testimony from many insiders making it hard to refute. The Infinifilm on the DVD explores the making of the film and the historical events relevant to it. The film plays in the background as you listen to the historical commentary. This was a bad move on the part of New Line Home Entertainment because it exposes the historical inaccuracies in the film making it a laughable farce. The one thing I liked about the movie was that there were some great comedic lines! If you like distorted truth this film is for you, otherwise avoid it!
Rating:
Summary: Gripping JFK thriller...
Review: Thirteen Days is an intense and insightful look at the events of October 1962, and shows how America held on by its finger-tips at the cliff overhanging the world's greatest threat, nuclear war. If you are able to overlook Kevin Costner's poor accent and the apparent Australian dialect of JFK, then this film is exceptional. Director Roger Donaldson does a great job of representing the true agendas of US politicians in JFK's administration, with the military men wanting war as it generates billions (also mentioned on JFK), diplomats wanting UN-debated solutions, media men wanting the scoop, and the Kennedy's wanting peace.
Steven Culp is excellent as Bobby Kennedy, the ying to JFK's yang, portrayed as the 'bad brother' who doesn't want to be the 'bad brother'. Perhaps the best performance given is by Michael Fairman as US Ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson. Stevenson believes that he has committed 'political suicide' after arguing against nuclear war and trying for diplomatic solutions, but shows courage under fire in a Security Council meeting later on. The DVD itself is more than impressive! DVD fans such as myself often criticise studios for padding two-disc sets and special editions with worthless selfpraise cast interviews and TV spots, but Thirteen Days rises above many with indepth and informative extra features. One of the most useful extras is a section including short video biographies of most important political and military figures involved with the crisis, including Castro and Khrushchev, along with rundowns of their political pasts and views.
The historical commentary is nothing short of brilliant, and a first for DVD studios, piecing together various audio to add to the historical angle of the film. The documentary, Roots of the Cuban Missile Crisis; Bringing History to the Silver Screen, is very interesting to watch, and the DVD includes many more extras for viewers who can't get enough, and does not include anything not worth watching at least one. I cannot recommend this film or this DVD enough! Forget Costner's accent and watch this for the tension and a look at the White House war room in full swing. Highly recommended, five stars!!!
Rating:
Summary: An historical must-see!
Review: This is a great prequel to "JKF". It depicts the life of Jim Garrison (Costner) in his days at the White House while he was a house-guest and friend to President Robert Kennedy and his cousin, John, and before he changed his name and job to become the district attourney who tried to track down the assassin of Marilyn Monroe. Costner does look older in this than he did in "JFK" and he alse seems to have acquired a third child, but I guess you have to allow for some poetic lisense on the part of film makers. After all, where would we be without kids? "Thirteen days" gets tense at times, but at no time does it stray from the comedy-of-errors style plot that is forever apparent in the storyline. I especially liked the very effective construction of the attack on Pearl Harbour. The GCIs were superb throughout, and that is what matters, isn't it? Realism! There could have been more interaction between the families so that we could see more of the effect all the tension and drama was having on the lives of teh ordinary people in Bremen and West Sulawesi, but you can't have everythuing can you? I hope you enjoy watching "13 days" as much I did!
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