Peril On The Sea

I have always been a fan of movies that involve naval submarines.  It is thrilling to watch so many things happen within a pressurized metal container that is hundreds of feet below sea level.  Crimson Tide is a movie that is no exception.

Crimson Tide takes place on a United States nuclear missile submarine.  The submarine's first officer must prevent his captain from launching missiles without confirmation.  This movie takes the time to set up the situation and develop the characters so that, when things get sour, you care what happens to them.  There are also a couple of comedic pop culture references in the movie that help bring well-timed comic relief into an unstable and tense situation.  The authentic technical jargon is in the movie as well.  However, there are a couple of plot holes which I will address.  Firstly, it is not exactly clear how the USS Alabama obtained the classification of the enemy submarine.  It is also unclear how they found out the enemy rebels were fueling the missiles.  Despite these minor details, Crimson Tide is an entertaining movie that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Denzel Washington plays Lt. Commander Ron Hunter.  Hunter is a young officer who has zero combat experience and when the time comes for him to assume authority he is hesitant at first, but then we see him gradually ease into his role aboard the submarine.  Denzel Washington brings a genuine reluctance and confidence to the role that makes you care about what he is going through.  It is not easy to go up against a cinema giant like Gene Hackman, but Washington does it perfectly.

I have always been a fan of Gene Hackman.  I have never seen him give a bad performance in anything he has done.  In Crimson Tide, he plays Capt. Frank Ramsey.  Ramsey is a man who just may be letting his experience work against him on his mission.  While he is a hard-ass, he does have a sense of humor that Hackman displays beautifully.  Also, the dialogue between Hackman and Denzel Washington is quite memorable which, again, makes you care even more about their characters.

Tony Scott is the director of Crimson Tide.  As with any Tony Scott film, the action sequences are impeccable.  However, what is key to the movie is the dramatic dialogue scenes.  While these scenes are slow and drawn out at times, they also help balance the pace of the movie.  Crimson Tide is a taut thriller at its finest.

Crimson Tide is a great film about youth and ability overcoming age and experience.  This movie reminds you why we go to the movies.  The acting is great, the action is great, and I would highly recommend Crimson Tide to anybody