Most films produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer fall under the same umbrella: loud, bombastic, ultramasculine, adrenaline/cocaine infused, mindless, forgettable, but loads of guilty fun to watch and enjoy.
Crimson Tide (a modern retelling of The Caine Mutiny) differs from the others (Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop 1and 2, Days of Thunder, Bad Boys, The Rock, and Con Air to name a few) in that it is thought provoking, intelligent, and daring.
Tony Scott (who helmed Top Gun, Days of Thunder, True Romance, and The Last Boy Scout amongst others) does some of his best work behind the lens and the film benefits from a top-notch cast led by Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman, and a timely story line. With these elements in place, Crimson Tide is one of the more cerebral and enjoyable thrillers you will see, and is now being reissued in an unrated, extended DVD.
Originally a summer movie of 1995, Crimson Tide opens with Russia in a state of rebellion. This has led to civil war and the rebels, led by Vladimir Radchenko, are in the process of attaining nuclear tipped ICBMs with the intent of launching them on the United States.
Enter the submarine USS Alabama “the most lethal killing machine ever devised.” The Alabama has a legendary, tough commander behind it: cigar chomping Capt. Ramsey (Gene Hackman), who is nearing the end of a legendary career. He is notorious for ripping through his XOs (Executive Officer), and his only companion is a Jack Russell terrier that accompanies him everywhere.
After going through “a short list” of candidates, Ramsey decides on Lt. Commander Hunter (Denzel Washington) as his new XO. It’s clear from the beginning that while there is respect between the two men that there are also ideological differences that will explode later on.
The sub sets out to sea, and during a dinner conversation Hunter makes the mistake of telling Ramsey “in the nuclear world the true enemy is war itself.” Ramsey states that all he was taught was to know where the button is and when to push it.
He notes with sarcasm that in today’s Navy, the men are taught like Hunter to ask why. More friction ensues when Ramsey uses the chaos of an onboard fire as an opportunity to order a weapons drill. Hunter openly questions the decision, saying he would have made sure the fire was out. Ramsey sees it as a test of the men’s ability under duress.
Ramsey informs Hunter that he’s free to disagree with him, but never in front of the men. Disagreement between the two head officers would lead the men to lose faith in the chain of command. It is at this moment that all hell breaks lose. An EAM (Emergency Action Message) is received authorizing a pre-emptive strike against the Russian insurgents, who have now gained control of the ICBMs and are threatening to launch. At the same time, a Russian Akula sub is detected and the Alabama has to go deep, so deep in fact that radio contact is broken off.
As Ramsey prepares to launch, another EAM comes in. The Akula sub attacks and the Alabama avoids a direct hit. After they are temporarily out of harm’s way, Hunter checks on the last EAM sent before the attack, but it was cut off during the attack and is incomplete. The EAM might countermand the original attack order; then again, it might not. Hunter wants to wait for the full message before firing; Ramsey wants to go ahead with the original order of attack. From this point on, the movie shifts into high gear and increasing intensity as sides are taken and extremely difficult decisions must be made.
Tony Scott has always been a slick, visual, testosterone-infused director, but (unlike his brother Ridley) not a great overall director. Crimson Tide is one of his most well rounded, if not the most well rounded film of his career. Here, he lets his actors drive the story rather than just let action and explosions overwhelm everything else (see his Domino, The Fan, and the ultimate guilty pleasure The Last Boy Scout for more evidence of this tendency.)
Scott keeps the tension going strong from the start and allows the main characters to develop. The screenplay by Michael Schiffer (with infamous script doctoring by Quentin Tarantino, Robert Towne, and Steven Zallian) is expertly written using technical military/sub vocabulary to heighten the reality.
You can see Tarantino’s fingerprints all over the sub movie quiz scene and the Star Trek/Silver Surfer references. The sub life is gripping and realistic thanks to production designer Michael White; director of photography Dariusz Wolski uses the camera to create tension, excitement, and claustrophobia on board. The great Hans Zimmer provides one of his greatest scores ever here; a grand, proud, rousing, unifying score that is still to this day used as promo music for several film/sports trailers.
The acting is uncommonly superb. Multiple Oscar winners Washington and Hackman dominate their scenes with a burning intensity and fire that lends real authenticity to their growing conflict. The climactic showdown between the two men is cinema at its best. The rest of the ensemble cast includes a pre-Lord of the Rings Viggo Mortensen, a pre-Sopranos James Gandolfini, Matt Craven (excellent in Jacob’s Ladder), and George Dzundza (Deer Hunter and Basic Instinct.) All four bring vitality and authenticity to their roles. Dzundza is the standout as Chief of the Boat Cobb, who along with Washington and Hackman, will be forced to make a tough decision as to whose side he’s on.
Also going against the grain of Simpson/Bruckheimer films is the fact that there is no clear-cut “bad guy” or “villain” here. Yes, the Russian rebels pose the threat but you quickly realize that (as Hunter says earlier) war is the true enemy. While most will side with Hunter’s belief of erring on the side of caution, it’s hard not to sympathize with Ramsey. He’s not a Pattonesque general but rather one who is used to following his orders without question. It’s a credit to Hackman that he can make a character that might have appeared unsympathetic the exact opposite.
Jason Robards, who has a brief cameo at the end of the film, sums it up perfectly when he states that both men were equally right and wrong. There are no black and white choices made between good and evil. Ramsey might be anxious to fire but he has his reasons. Hunter doesn’t want to start an unprovoked war but he may be endangering the country by waiting. Much to Scott and Schiffer’s credit, the ending does not paint a clear-cut solution. That’s what causes you to think when the film ends. That’s what makes this film great.
While I detest the studios’ continued desire to screw the consumers out of their hard earned gas money by issuing and reissuing these films under the guise of “Special Edition” or “Uncut Version,” Crimson Tide’s new version is the worth the buy. The only other DVD version of the film has no extras at all. When it comes to greatest submarine films, Crimson Tide is no Das Boot, but it’s better then Hunt for Red October. It’s that rare action film that stimulates not just the body but the mind as well.
Crimson Tide (Unrated Extended Edition) is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
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