K-19: The Widowmaker Movie Review 2002

Cold War tensions abound in this aptly claustrophobic submarine suspenser involving the Soviet Union's first nuclear ballistic sub, which suffers a reactor malfunction during a test voyage in the North Atlantic. Ford plays the tough Russian captain, who takes command from the more-popular Neeson, and must deal with rebellion in the ranks in order to save his sub and crew, and prevent an all out World War. Sarsgaard is the panicky, inexperienced reactor officer who's every nuke sub captain's nightmare. Strong performances by the lead actors almost overshadows their flimsy Russian accents. Bigelow shot on a set built to scale, with parts salvaged from an old diesel sub. Loosely based on a military incident that happened in 1961 but wasn't publicly revealed until the 1990s.

Distribution

Paramount Home Video, 5555 Melrose Ave., 5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, Phone: (323)956-5000, URL: http://www.paramount.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 138 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

True Stories, Submarines, Russia/USSR, Period Piece: 1960s, Sea Disasters

Screenplay

Christopher Kyle

Cast

Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Peter Sarsgaard, Joss Ackland, John Shrapnel, Donald (Don) Sumpter, Tim Woodward, Ravil Issyanov, Christian Camargo, Steve Nicholson

Cinematography

Jeff Cronenweth

Director

Kathryn Bigelow

Music

Klaus Badelt

Other

Bruce Carwardine, Walter Murch, T. Arrinder Grewal, Marit Allen, Karl Juliusson, Michael Novotny

Producer

Joni Sighvatsson, Edward S. Feldman, Kathryn Bigelow, Christine Whitaker, Intermedia Films, Palomar Pictures International, Paramount Pictures