The Hunt for Red October (1990)

 The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Based on current global situations, the Cold War-set thriller The Hunt for Red October has never been more relevant. When released in March 1990, the Cold War effectively ended when the Soviet Union kicked the communist government out of power…which is why the producers felt it was a good idea adding a title card mentioning how the events took place in 1984. Still, this is a superb techno-thriller with fantastic performances from Sean Connery and its ensemble cast. John McTiernan, who created action-thriller classics with Predator and Die Hard, takes his experience from those films to create a well-rounded thriller. He and screenwriters Larry Ferguson and Donald E. Stewart worked together to create a dangerous cat-and-mouse game involving Soviet submarines and nuclear missiles. Sound familiar, right? Watching this film in the midst of current events is very unsettling, but the film aged very well. It does not rely on CGI as they filmed in a real submarine. I liked the production design. The submarine shows off its flashy, high-tech electronics although people who spent time working in submarines say the sub interiors are too high-tech and there usually is more grease. The script is very intelligent, and it makes great use of the cast. I was kept on edge throughout. At times, the plot does threaten to become complicated, but Ferguson and Stewart do a good job making sure the audience is not lost. About accents, there may have been a few nitpicks. Connery barely concealed his Scottish accent and even though the Soviets dialogue were mostly Russian at first, they switched over to English for the majority of the film. That makes sense because of the audience’s failure to read too much dialogue, but some authenticity felt compromised.

The film is based off Tom Clancy’s first novel, which became an instant hit with readers globally. Despite its popularity, no studios wanted to take a chance with the material. Producer Mace Neufeld was finally able to get the rights optioned at Paramount. He hired Ferguson and Stewart to write the script while he tried to get permission from the U.S Navy. The Navy had concerns that if they filmed on the sub, classified information could be unearthed. Ultimately it was decided that this film could do for submarines what Top Gun did for fighter jets. The filmmakers had access to some subs and Connery was even given “commander” status which allowed him to bark actual orders. Connery actually turned down the film at first because he felt it was not realistic to portray the Soviet Union as a global naval power. In the main character role of Jack Ryan, Kevin Costner was the first choice, but he turned the role down for Dance with Wolves. What gave this film some credibility is how many of the actors served in the Armed Forces at some point. Connery, James Earl Jones, and Scott Glenn to name a few.

The “Red October” is a brand-new Soviet submarine. A CIA analyst named Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) deduces that the sub has a new engine that can make it run silently. It also has the power to outrun any sub or boat in the world. The Russians would be able to use this sub to target any coastal cities and launch missiles without warning. Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery), after opening his orders, kills the political officer. He tells the crew that they are heading to New York City to perform missile drills. Ryan is called by his boss, Admiral James Greer (James Earl Jones) to come to a meeting where it’s learned that Ramius may have gone rogue, and the Soviet Navy is after them. Ryan, on the other hand, believes that he is trying to defect. National Security Advisor Jeffrey Pelt (Richard Jordan) orders Ryan to the field despite never having been in the field to see if his assessments are correct. Meanwhile, someone on Ramius’s side may know what he is up to.

With such a large ensemble, there is always a danger of creating inconsequential characters. Here, the speaking roles need to be typecast which allows the audience to keep things straight. Each character is important no matter how large their speaking roles were. Connery is brilliant, even if he pretends to be a Russian with his accent. I liked Sam Neill, who plays one of his officers. They have a fun exchange about living life in the United States. Alec Baldwin had to dial down his personality, but it is a shame he played Jack Ryan for only one movie. Harrison Ford is great…but so was Baldwin’s take on the character. Just like how James Earl Jones was born to have the voice of Darth Vader, he was also born to play Admiral Greer.

The Hunt for Red October is a thrilling exercise in military and diplomacy tactics that is more relevant in these ages even more so upon release. The technical aspects of the film hold up very well. The production design, the visuals, and Basil Poledouris’s powerful score. John McTiernan is at his best here. He created a contained action/thriller in Die Hard, and you can see the effect that has here despite cutting away to the White House and Kremlin at times. Most importantly, McTiernan is able to keep his audience on edge with his clever cat-and-mouse game. Is Ramius really trying to defect and seek sanctuary in the United States or is he willing to blow up any coastal city for the Soviets or himself? Despite minor issues, Hunt for Red October set a high bar for action films to follow. Are we going learn about daily submarine life? Nah, you can watch Das Boot for that. This is just a good, ol-fashioned thriller that is smarter than your average action movie.

My Grade: A-