Crimson Tide (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
2 strong-willed leaders with different philosophies about leadership & battle wage war with each other in 'Crimson Tide', a tense military thriller directed by Tony Scott. Capt. Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) is the commanding officer of a nuclear submarine, the U.S.S. Alabama. Capt. Ramsey is a renowned veteran nearing the end of his career, & he leads his men with an iron fist; "We're here to preserve democracy, not to practice it". Since his usual right-hand man has appendicitis, Capt. Ramsey is assigned a new 2nd-in-command, Lt. Commander Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington); Hunter is younger than Ramsey, Harvard educated, & believes the military should aim to prevent war ... not fight it.
While submerged off the Asian coast, word reaches the U.S.S. Alabama that a splinter group of Chechen forces have seized missile silos, & the ship is put on red alert. The U.S.S. Alabama has orders to fire, but as it is receiving a new incoming order ... the radio malfunctions. It is Ramsey's argument that an 'order is an order' & they are to proceed forward with the attack, while Commander Hunter believes that if there is ANY question at all about the mission, they should wait it out until radio contact is restored & they can receive further instruction; with Hunter going so far as to threaten mutiny against Capt. Ramsey if the missile strike is, indeed, carried out. Drama ensues as Hinter & the crew (including characters played by Viggo Mortensen, James Gandolfini, Ricky Schroder, Steve Zahn, Matt Craven, among countless others) serious contemplate that mutiny while talks of a nuclear launch continue.
With an all-star cast and a compelling plot, 'Crimson Tide' is worthy viewing. The script (written by Michael Schiffer with additions by none other than Quentin Tarantino) works to incorporate elements from the likes of 1990's The Hunt for Red October & 1982's Das Boot, weaving them into the tale of mutiny on a submarine. This is a solid, engaging film, but there's so much going on that some might say that no individual element gets tits due in the screenplay. Most of the action (well edited by Chris Lebenzon) takes place within the sub, & these claustrophobic scenes are executed with style.
The camera angles are interesting & Darius Wolski's cinematography employs flashing blue, red & green lights {inside the sub} which provide a certain disorienting feel. It works, for the most part. But I feel like the director/cinematographer just did that to make the film appear more cinematic & not as stagey {locked inside the small quarters of a sub}. The film is aided further with an operatic musical score by Hans Zimmer; which keeps tensions high.
Denzel Washington & Gene Hackman are superb here, & their multiple confrontations provide Crimson Tide's best moments. Their two characters engage in a true battle of wills and mindsets about war & protocol and, when these actors go toe-to-toe ... everything else fades to the background. The subtlety, yet intensity on display is palpable. Denzel's Hunter is the man most audiences will 'side with'; identify with. But Hackman's Ramsey - while clearly the antagonist - has some redeeming qualities {his position to launch-or-not-launch is not without merit} and is so charismatic that it's hard to loathe him.
A young James Gandolfini (as Lt. Bobby Dougherty), super-young Ryan Phillippe, Steve Zahn, George Dzundza, Rocky Carroll & Danny Nucci round-out the cast well; and best of the supporting players is Viggo Mortensen as Hunter's friend & Lt. "Weps". Now I can nit pick the movie, a bit. Some of the underwater sequences are marred by iffy special effects. Nothing is remarkable about the script; though, it's sturdy. Really, the acting & atmosphere alone is sufficient enough to keep me on edge & vested in the proceedings & outcome. Good movie, folks.
While submerged off the Asian coast, word reaches the U.S.S. Alabama that a splinter group of Chechen forces have seized missile silos, & the ship is put on red alert. The U.S.S. Alabama has orders to fire, but as it is receiving a new incoming order ... the radio malfunctions. It is Ramsey's argument that an 'order is an order' & they are to proceed forward with the attack, while Commander Hunter believes that if there is ANY question at all about the mission, they should wait it out until radio contact is restored & they can receive further instruction; with Hunter going so far as to threaten mutiny against Capt. Ramsey if the missile strike is, indeed, carried out. Drama ensues as Hinter & the crew (including characters played by Viggo Mortensen, James Gandolfini, Ricky Schroder, Steve Zahn, Matt Craven, among countless others) serious contemplate that mutiny while talks of a nuclear launch continue.
With an all-star cast and a compelling plot, 'Crimson Tide' is worthy viewing. The script (written by Michael Schiffer with additions by none other than Quentin Tarantino) works to incorporate elements from the likes of 1990's The Hunt for Red October & 1982's Das Boot, weaving them into the tale of mutiny on a submarine. This is a solid, engaging film, but there's so much going on that some might say that no individual element gets tits due in the screenplay. Most of the action (well edited by Chris Lebenzon) takes place within the sub, & these claustrophobic scenes are executed with style.
The camera angles are interesting & Darius Wolski's cinematography employs flashing blue, red & green lights {inside the sub} which provide a certain disorienting feel. It works, for the most part. But I feel like the director/cinematographer just did that to make the film appear more cinematic & not as stagey {locked inside the small quarters of a sub}. The film is aided further with an operatic musical score by Hans Zimmer; which keeps tensions high.
Denzel Washington & Gene Hackman are superb here, & their multiple confrontations provide Crimson Tide's best moments. Their two characters engage in a true battle of wills and mindsets about war & protocol and, when these actors go toe-to-toe ... everything else fades to the background. The subtlety, yet intensity on display is palpable. Denzel's Hunter is the man most audiences will 'side with'; identify with. But Hackman's Ramsey - while clearly the antagonist - has some redeeming qualities {his position to launch-or-not-launch is not without merit} and is so charismatic that it's hard to loathe him.
A young James Gandolfini (as Lt. Bobby Dougherty), super-young Ryan Phillippe, Steve Zahn, George Dzundza, Rocky Carroll & Danny Nucci round-out the cast well; and best of the supporting players is Viggo Mortensen as Hunter's friend & Lt. "Weps". Now I can nit pick the movie, a bit. Some of the underwater sequences are marred by iffy special effects. Nothing is remarkable about the script; though, it's sturdy. Really, the acting & atmosphere alone is sufficient enough to keep me on edge & vested in the proceedings & outcome. Good movie, folks.