Crimson Tide (1995)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Tony Scott

Writers (WGA):

Michael Schiffer (story) and
Richard P. Henrick (story) ...

Release Date:

12 May 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Danger runs deep

Plot:

On a US nuclear missile sub, a young first officer stages a mutiny to prevent his trigger happy captain from launching his missiles before confirming his orders to do so.

Plot Keywords:

Nuclear | Submarine | Alabama | Order | Mutiny

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 21

12:30 PM

BRAVO

Cast

Denzel Washington	...	Lt. Commander Ron Hunter
Gene Hackman	...	Capt. Frank Ramsey
Matt Craven	...	Lt. Roy Zimmer, USS Alabama Communications Officer
George Dzundza	...	Chief of the Boat
Viggo Mortensen	...	Lt. Peter 'WEAPS' Ince
James Gandolfini	...	Lt. Bobby Dougherty
Rocky Carroll	...	Lt. Darik Westergard
Jaime Gomez	...	Officer of the Deck Mahoney (as Jaime P. Gomez)
Michael Milhoan	...	Chief of the Watch Hunsicker
Scott Burkholder	...	T.S.O. Billy Linkletter
Danny Nucci	...	Petty Officer First Class Danny Rivetti
Lillo Brancato	...	Petty Officer Third Class Russell Vossler (as Lillo Brancato Jr.)
Eric Bruskotter	...	Bennefield
Rick Schroder	...	Lt. Paul Hellerman
Steve Zahn	...	William Barnes

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

116 min | USA:123 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #33747) | Iceland:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (w) | Ireland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Chapman University - One University Drive, Orange, California, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

Ryan Phillippe's feature film debut.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Ohio-class SSBNs have no compartment called bilge bay. Also, there are no strobing yellow lights, nor are the missile decks made of see through grated decking, and there are no "crawl spaces" that would allow free clandestine movement around the boat.

Quotes:

Capt. Ramsey: At the Naval War College it was metallurgy and nulear reactors, not 19th-century philosophy.
[Stifled laugh]
Capt. Ramsey: "War is a continuation of politics by other means." Von Clausewitz.
Hunter: I think, sir, that what he was actually trying to say was a little more...
Capt. Ramsey: Complicated?
[Men Laughing]
Hunter: Yes the purpose of war is to serve a political end but hte true nature of war is to serve itself.
Capt. Ramsey: [laughing] I'm very impressed. In other words, the sailor most likely to win the war is the one most willing to part company with the politicians and ignore everything except the destruction of the enemy. You'd agree with that.
Hunter: I'd agree that, um, that's what Clausewitz was trying to say.
Capt. Ramsey: But you wouldn't agree with it?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Enemy of the State' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

PIANO TRIO IN E FLAT D929 OP.100 - ANDANTE CON MOTO

Tension and suspense achieved

This is the type of movie Tony Scott should have stuck to creating. While most Jerry Bruckheimer films prove to be bad, modern interpretations of old school martial arts movies, this was one of the better films Bruckheimer ever produced. While the story was completely plot-driven and the performances a little over the top, the rivalry between Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman made this film a cut above the rest of the trash Bruckheimer tends to produce. While simple and direct, it proves to be effective in the annals of storytelling, never overindulging the viewer.