Review of The Hunt for Red October (1990) by Melvin W — 25 Sep 2011

Captain Ramius: You're afraid of our fleet. Well, you should be. Personally, I'd give us one chance in three. More tea anyone? .

"Invisible. Silent. Stolen.".

The Hunt for Red October is a film that deserves its classification as a thriller. There isn't a lull in the 2 hour plus runtime. It's a nonstop thrilling ride beneath the sea. Part of the reason the movie works so well is because of an extraordinary cast of Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, James Earle Jones, Sam Neill and Tim Curry. There's a bunch of great character actors in there too, that I know by their face, but if asked I couldn't tell you their names. .

Red October is the name of a Russian sub, which is the command of Captain Ramius. Under his command the sub defects and makes its way towards the United States. The plot has many turns and what you expect isn't always what you get. Sean Connery makes this movie with his terrific veteran presence. Every time I watch a movie with him in it; I am always stunned by how convincing the guy is onscreen. Alec Baldwin isn't one of my favorite actors, but he is pretty good as the hero.

This is a thriller that doesn't rely to much on action. There are long sequences where the excitement comes from listening to the characters talk instead of watching them run and shoot. Its a smart, well paced, cool film that I liked immensely. I'll take this over Die Hard any day.