The Hunt For Red October (1990) Dir: John McTiernan
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So this is one of the more iconic war films of the 20th century, and is certainly one of the most known submarine films out there, if not the most known. It has a pretty all star cast and uses it well.
The tense and intriguing narrative is driven forward by suspenseful pacing and soundtrack, which allows the tension of the film to build and the pressure on the protagonists to reach levels similar to that of a submarine down in the depths of the ocean.
Sean Connery stars here as the Russian captain, and manages to give a commanding performance, his on screen presence among the best I've seen from his filmography.
He is supported very effectively by Sam Neill, who remains one of my favourite actors around.
Alex Baldwin gives one of his better serious acting performances here in another of the starring roles here, his acting allowing the film's stakes to feel as high as they should do.
Scott Glenn does well to try and keep up with Baldwin, though finds it hard to match his superstar colleagues.
Tim Curry is the most notable of the supporting cast, his character's emotions easily coming to the fore in his scenes.
James Earl Jones also gives a good performance in a supporting role here, his iconic voice is always enjoyable to hear.
Another icon in Stellan Skarsgård supports here, he doesn't have much screen time, but maximises his minutes so to speak.
Finally, Courtney B. Vance also gives a performance worthy of note, in another smaller role.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this cold War thriller, which is based on the first of a series of books which also have acclaim.
This is a must watch for fans of war films and thrillers in general. It deserves its status as a popular and renowned war film.
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