Get Ready For Real Suspense

Wed., May 24, 1995

Nathan Mauger Ferris

You would think in today’s world a thriller about the possibility of nuclear war would be slightly dated. Especially if the two sides of the conflict are the United States and Russia.

But “Crimson Tide” pulls it off, creating a problem that, to the average layman, seems quite possible. “Crimson Tide,” starring Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington, brings back the tense Cold War thriller with this plausible situation: Russian rebels, many former soldiers, seize control of a nuclear missile base. They’re led by a rabid anti-American leader who threatens the United States with nuclear war. There’s time, however, since the rebels have not cracked the codes to launch the missiles yet.

To counter this threat, U.S. nuclear submarines are deployed, ready to nuke the section of Russia with the missiles, if it appears the rebels will launch.

One of the nuclear submarines is the USS Alabama, led by Capt. Frank Ramsey (Hackman). Ramsey has seen a lot of action and is respected by the crew of the Alabama. Lt. Commander Ron Hunter (Washington) is assigned to be the executive officer for the mission, and soon there is tension between the two. Shortly after their first confrontation, the two are in violent opposition to each other.

The main conflict arises when a message fragment comes pertaining to the launching of the Alabama’s missiles. Hunter wants to wait for the rest of the message before taking action, but Ramsey wants to go forth and ignore the message because it is not complete. The crew must side with either leader, and the power struggle begins.

The whole film (except the first and last scenes, and shots of the submarine exterior) takes place in the cramped Alabama. Even with its confined action, “Crimson Tide” is a brilliant action film. The tension doesn’t let up, only builds, until the all-or-nothing end.

In addition to the human and global drama, there are also some skirmishes with a rebel-controlled Russian sub.

Washington and Hackman prove they are some of the best actors in film today. Each one makes us understand their way of thinking and their reasons for what they do. But it’s their intense scenes together that steal the show.

Performances, cinematography, script and Tony Scott’s assured direction make nearly every inch of this film perfect. And even though the Cold War is over, this scenario is still timely.

Grade: A+

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