MPAA Rating: PG-13
Original Review Date: August 5, 2002
Reviewed by: Erin, Movie Muse
In a Nutshell: Very good movie, borders on greatness; definitely worth seeing.
Quick Plot: The Soviet Union launches the world's most elite nuclear submarine, K-19, in the middle of the Cold War. During the first sea trials, the crew is faced with mulitple malfunctions, including a potential core meltdown.
In Detail: Wow; what a powerful film! A word of warning: do not go to see this movie with the expectation of a lot of action. It is very dialog, character, and situation driven. There's nothing wrong with that! I like those kinds of movies. From that perspective, it is a very adult film. Don't take younger kids who are only interested in fights and chases; none are to be found here. It is tense, taught, and heart-wrenching, possibly too much so for the young. Makes me all the more frightened for our nuclear sub sailors, including my brother-in-law, who is a nuclear engine tech (sorry Mike, I know that's not your technical title). I thought the counterpoint between Harrison Ford's grizzled old veteran and Liam Neeson's protective fatherly type was excellent. Ford is showing his age, but it gives him even more presence. A genuinely good-to-great movie, made all the more powerful by knowing it is based on a real event.
Will I Buy It? I'm not sure that we would watch it enough to make it worth buying, but it's definitely worth seeing.
