The Hunt For Red October
Directed by John McTiernan
Screenplay by Larry Ferguson and Donald Stewart. Based on the novel by Tom Clancy
Starring Alec Baldwin, Sean Connery, Scott Glenn, James Earl Jones, and Sam Neill
135 minutes. Rated PG. Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1. 1989
    This afternoon, I watched The Hunt For Red October for what has got to be the hundredth time. And, just like every other time I've watched this incredible film, I was literally on the edge of my seat. This is one film where, no matter how many times you see it, by the time it's over, you find you have no fingernails left.
    The Hunt For Red October was, of course, the first novel by the master of the so-called "techno-thriller," Tom Clancy. Is the film version of Red October faithful to Clancy's novel? I don't know; I've only read the novel once, and that was a long time ago. Do I care? Absolutely not. Readers familiar with my other reviews will know that I prefer to look at films based on novels as independent works of art, and not compare them with the source material. At any rate, it doesn't matter a whit, because I can't possibly see anyone being disappointed by this great piece of filmmaking, from action master John McTiernan.
    The cold-war era story is this: a new Russian sub under the command of Marko Ramius (Connery) is headed for the US. The thing is, this new sub has a "caterpillar" drive, which -- for those of you who know Star Trek -- is like a cloaking device for a sub. For those of you not versed in Trek technology, it's a silent drive system. See, subs detect one another by listening to the sounds that their propellers make as they churn their way though the water. But this "caterpillar" drive doesn't make any noise. So Ramius could park Red October (the sub in question) off the coast of America and launch a few dozen ICBMs at our major cities. The Americans are even more alarmed when the entire Russian fleet sets out to sink Ramius -- the US reaches the conclusion that Ramius has gone nuts and intends to launch his nukes at the US. But Jack Ryan (Baldwin), a CIA analyst and the hero of most of Clancy's books, thinks that Ramius wants to defect. So he's got to contact Ramius and prove his theory, while at the same time both the Russian and American fleets are trying to blow the Red October out of the water. Like the copy on the back of the box proclaims, the hunt is on!
    Alec Baldwin does a good job here in the role that would be taken over by Harrison Ford in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, and which will be taken over by Ben Affleck in The Sum of All Fears. Baldwin is the original Jack Ryan, and he makes it work, creating a likable character who's a little out of his element. Connery, of course, is great as Ramius, and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, The Piano) gives a quiet but excellent performance as Ramius' first officer. Rounding out the cast nicely is Scott Glenn (The Right Stuff, The Silence of the Lambs) as an American sub captain, and James Earl Jones as Admiral James Greer, who would also later appear in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger.
    The script is well-written and entertaining, with some great speeches and dialogue, and the score by Basil Poledouris is incredible, but it's the directing that makes this film such a kick-ass piece of work. My man McTiernan (The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard) crafts perhaps his best film to date here. His camerawork is always interesting, effectively creating tension with both slow and quick zooms, but the piece de resistance here is the incredible sub duel at the film's climax. I won't ruin anything for you, but there's three subs, a few torpedoes, a shoot-out inside one of the subs (that includes one of McTiernan's best shots ever), and plenty of tension. It's a fantastic sequence, and it really makes the movie, and is a great pay-off for all the tension that's generated throughout the course of the picture. And I know those of you familiar with my reviews have heard this song before, but it's critical that you watch this film in the widescreen format -- the sub duel is just plain confusing in pan and scan. McTiernan really makes use of the full frame, and when you get the sides cut off, the whole tactical situation makes a whole lot less sense.
    If you haven't seen this fantastic picture yet, do so now. Consider it a nice warm-up to The Sum of All Fears if you like, but you really don't need an excuse to watch this great movie. It's a great flick, that I think everyone can enjoy.
    Bottom line: McTiernan crafts a great film that, no matter how many times you see it, when it's done you realize you have no fingernails left.
    My grade: A+
    My advice: Widescreen, widescreen, widescreen! Doesn't make sense otherwise.
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