Netflix seemed to think that I might like the movie Crimson Tide. Maybe it's all those submarine movies I've been watching lately -- Das Boot, U-571... you know. Well, I like Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman well enough, so sure. Let's see what there is to see.Crimson Tide is the story of a mutiny aboard a nuclear submarine, as the captain and executive officer squabble over whether or not to launch their warheads at Russia. Frankly, I found the movie to be a noisy mess. But there are many things it "does right" enough that at times you sort of don't notice.
For example, the dialogue is snappy and entertaining. I found out after the fact that Quentin Tarantino did some uncredited touch-ups in that department. It definitely has his patter to it, and yet because it's all ultimately in the hands of a different filmmaker (Tony Scott), it doesn't get self-absorbed in the language for its own sake.
Both lead actors bring a lot of intensity, "sound and fury" to their respective roles. Denzel Washington is a squeaky clean hero you want to root for. And Gene Hackman manages to save what might come across as a mustache-twirling villain. You can see that his character has a valid point, and the movie is better for being closer to level in its presentation of both sides of the argument.
There are some fun and tense sequences, including a submarine battle, and some fights aboard the ship itself. Occasionally, you get caught up in the action.
But then you sort of take a breath and get the feeling that plot-wise, this movie is a live fire hose with no one holding on to it. In under two hours, you get argument, mutiny, counter-mutiny, and counter-counter-mutiny. The movie isn't so deep that you need a flow chart to follow what's going on or anything. Nevertheless, it all just feels over-stuffed, a rather illogical sequence of events just contrived to get all the various action beats that are necessary in a film like this. The intensity of the actors certainly makes you believe everyone is this worked up, and yet I never quite buy why everyone is so worked up. Do not pass Go, proceed directly to crazy.
So overall, I'd judge Crimson Tide to be a sometimes exhilarating but still mostly empty C+.
5 comments:
While I agree with your assessment of the movie, it did have one worthwhile element: its soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is a regular in FKL and I gaming evenings rotation.
Jean-Luc
I would agree that was an oversight in my review. Hans Zimmer is an excellent composer, and his work here was no exception.
Dr.: I think I liked the movie more than you did, but all your points are very valid.
Jean-Luc: Yeah, the score is great... and the score for The Rock sounds way too similar to Crimson Tide for my taste. I found that out after I ordered the The Rock CD; it almost sounds like one score is an early recording session of the other.
FKL
"The intensity of the actors certainly makes you believe everyone is this worked up, and yet I never quite buy why everyone is so worked up. Do not pass Go, proceed directly to crazy."
Not to sound like a fanboy or anything... but I think if I were on a submarine being fired on by hostile forces with orders to perhaps start World War III in my hands I wouldn't need anything more to work me up... if any situation would make me go zero to crazy faster I can't imagine what that might be.
Snarky: Hmmm. A reasonable point. I guess I'd say that the film really didn't make the stakes convincing for me then. It had maybe 15 minutes before the sub left the shipyard to make me believe that a nuclear war with Russian rebels was a plausible thing, and I guess it didn't get there. But I can't argue with the point that if you accept the premise, then yes, the characters would be justifiably on edge.
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