I’m not the type to watch the same movie over and over again unless it’s one associated with a tradition (like Christmas or Resurrection Day). The Hunt for Red October is an exception. Every time I see it, I find something new to love.
It’s 1984, an intense period of the Cold War. Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery in a role perfectly suited for him, despite the accent) is the commander of the technologically cutting-edge submarine, Red October. A high honor for him, commanding the sub that will give the Soviets superiority. But Ramius has other plans. He recognizes that October has been built to be a first-strike weapon, rather than a defensive armament. He’s handpicked his crew for loyalty to him. And he makes a decision that is potential suicide – he plans to defect and turn the sub over to the Americans.
It’s not just Connery that is well cast. The casting throughout is superb. Alec Baldwin’s portrayal of Jack Ryan is completely believable, and he plays it with the proper balance of the intelligence of a Naval Academy graduate combined with the intuitiveness of a CIA analyst. It is Ryan who must determine that Ramius is indeed planning to defect rather than strike. Upon Ryan’s decision rests the fate of not only the submarine, but potentially all of the US eastern seaboard.
October takes us through the chase by both Soviets and Americans to the eventual submarine battle. It’s quintessentially Tom Clancy, with a well-developed story line that doesn’t stray too far into subplots, surprises, and characters that you love or hate instantly. The Cold War is a grey world, but the characters in October are black and white. Tim Curry delivers an excellent performance as the annoying Soviet doctor, and Scott Glenn is spot on as a US sub commander. To prepare for the role, Glenn actually assumed command of the USS Dallas.
October’s authenticity is amazingly on target, right down to the awards worn by the enlisted and officers on board the subs. There were so many military advisors for the film that any breach of authenticity was left on the cutting room floor. Even the underground CG scenery looks real. The detail in the whole film is worthy of the film itself. October harkens back to Hitchcock-esque suspense rather than trying to win its audience with blood and gore. It takes thought to watch and understand it, and is best suited for teens and adults.
A good companion to the movie is the soundtrack. Though only half an hour long, it’s half an hour of beautiful male voices singing harmoniously in Russian.
Julie’s Rating: 4 stars 
MPAA Rating: PG
Cautions: Light swearing including religious epithets, gunshots, implied murder, intense situations
Appropriate for: Teens and older