Rating- * * * * (4/5)
When I go into a movie with a prejudice it can sometimes help the movie more than it hurts it. If there is one thing I hate it is sitting through a movie that doesn’t offer me anything interesting or unique, just the same old things I’ve seen a million times. This is why I hate most sports movies, most romantic comedies, and most submarine movies. There have been so many submarine movies ranging from great ones like Run Silent, Run Deep and Das Boot to mediocre like Crimson Tide or just plane bad like U-571. They all share similar conditions and situations as well as similar character types. In every submarine movie there is the inevitable scene where the sub has to go just beyond its acceptable depth and we hear the creaking of the walls and see pipes begin to bust. There is also, inevitably, a fire on the sub at some point threatening the lives of the crew unless it is quickly put out. These are cliché but somewhat necessary since they are accurate at portraying the dangers of being on board a submarine. But K-19 seems to surpass the normal clichés of the submarine genre and reveal a deeper, more human experience than most of its forerunners. On the surface it is not much different than most other sub movies but it is executed so well with such fantastic acting and well written dialogue that it rises above its own marginal potential. The film stars Liam Neeson as a Soviet submarine captain assigned to take an early model nuclear submarine out and test its ballistic missile launch system. This is a vital mission because if the test works, it means the Russians will have an upper hand against the U.S. militarily. To ensure that all goes according to plan, a politically connected captain played by Harrison Ford is assigned to captain Neeson’s sub and carry out the test, leading to some ill feelings from Neeson and the rest of the crew. After conducting the missile test, the sub is assigned to patrol the waters bordering New York and Washington and begins to head for its target when suddenly, disaster strikes. The nuclear reactor springs a leak and begins to heat up. The engineer tells Ford that if it is not fixed, the temperature will steadily rise until it triggers a nuclear explosion greater than that of the Hiroshima bomb. What really makes the situation bad is that they are being shadowed by an American Destroyer. The captain knows that they cannot surrender to the Americans for shelter because they would be hunted down for treason and if the sub explodes, it would sink the Destroyer, prompting a nuclear war between the U.S. and the Soviets. In order to save the lives of millions, the crew must face the peril of the radioactive reactor and probably die of radiation poisoning. This harrowing dilemma is based on actual events that were revealed only after the fall of the Soviet Union and although these men risked, and some gave, their lives for their country they were never rewarded as the true heroes that they were. I found it a little strange to be rooting for the commies but after I saw their situation and what they were going through I realized that they were, indeed, good patriots in their own way and acted very bravely in the face of death. I am usually not as impressed as most people when it comes to inspirational movies but this film seemed to appeal to me more, perhaps because of the touch of tragedy it brings with the inspiration. The performances by both Ford and Neeson are fantastic and the relationship between their characters is very interesting and adds to the overall tension of the story. The supporting cast also turns in some respectable performances, notably Peter Sarsgaard who plays the naïve and somewhat reluctant chief engineer. Overall, this film defied my expectations completely and is a very thoughtful, well-executed, inspirational action film; a rare breed indeed. I would recommend this film to anyone who loves good submarine movies, good action movies, political thrillers, inspirational true stories or just good acting.