Crimson Tide

CRIMSON TIDE (15)

D: Tony Scott

Hollywood Pictures (Jerry Bruckheimer & Don Simpson)

USA 🇺🇸 1995

116 mins

Adventure/Thriller/War

W: Michael Schiffer

DP: Dariusz Wolski

Ed: Chris Lebenzon

Mus: Hans Zimmer

Denzel Washington (Lt. Cmmdr. Ron Hunter), Gene Hackman (Capt. Frank Ramsey), George Dzundza (Chief of the Boat), Viggo Mortensen (Lt. Peter 'Weps' Ince), James Gandolfini (Lt. Bobby Dougherty), Matt Craven (Lt. Roy Zimmer)

America's version of Das Boot (qv), set deep beneath the ocean waves on a nuclear submarine during a time of political conflict with post-Cold War Russia. The patriotically traditional captain of the boat (Hackman) and his more liberally-minded executive officer (Washington) have conflicting management styles which create tension and confusion when they receive truncated orders for a missile strike.

Crimson Tide is quite unlike other action films from producer duo Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, focusing more on individual clashes than brainless explosions and pyrotechnics, and though it does tone down some the subject material for a wider audience, the script is quite excellent, bolstered by two two superb leading performances, between whom the majority of the conflict happens.

Quentin Tarantino served as an uncredited screenwriter for some of the dialogue, and it's quite easy to tell which scenes he contributed to.

7/10