Going
into K-19, I wasn't terribly excited. Harrison Ford's track record hasn't been
too impressive as of late and the trailer didn't suggest that this picture had
anything new to offer to the submarine thriller. After all, Das Boot, Hunt For
Red October, Crimson Tide and U571 have taken this genre nearly as far as it can
go. On the other hand, I have admired some of director Kathryn Bigelow's work
(Near Dark, Strange Days) and I will always be a huge supporter of Ford no matter
how many mediocre movies he might appear in. Thankfully, K19 wasn't the disaster
I feared it might be.
In
this Cold War thriller, Ford plays Alexi Vostrikov, the captain of a Russian submarine
called K-19, who is sent to the deep sea to perform a missile launch test. Before
long, the unthinkable takes place when a nuclear meltdown causes a major radiation
leak in the sub. To make matters worse, Ford finds himself at odds with his second
in command, played by Liam Neeson, a committed officer who felt he should have
been first in command.
K-19
gets off to a sluggish start, but slowly builds steam adding up to a marginally
enjoyable thriller. The dramatic tension is heightened simply because this film
is based on true events, however, much of this picture is far too melodramatic
to be completely effective.
Ford
is solid (if you can get passed that sub-par accent) and he brings an interesting
dynamic to this character. Should we hate him or love him? The answer is clearly
both, and Ford is able to pull it off. Neeson is also effective, and the chemistry
between he an Ford really works.
The
screenplay by Christopher Kyle, doesn't always work. While K-19 does avoid some
cliches (including a mutiny type scenario), it suffers from a tedious first half
and some underdeveloped moments (I don't know if I completely bought Neeson's
transformation towards the film's end).
Bigelow
usually seems up to the challenge, and uses the claustrophobic surroundings to
full effect. The camera zips along through the confined and narrow corridors of
the submarine, adding tension and an underlining sense of doom. Still, I'd rank
this at the bottom of the list of recent submarine thrillers. It lacks the sheer
intensity and strong characterizations of Das Boot and can't match the tight pacing
of Crimson Tide, Hunt For Red October and U571.
K-19
offers up similar themes seen in movies like Saving Private Ryan. And while this
film is based in truth, the movie doesn't always provide the emotional punch it's
striving for. That's sad because there is major talent involved in this picture.
Of course things certainly could have been worse. All things considered, K-19:
The Widowmaker was a pretty good movie.
