Crimson Tide Review (Updated)

Crimson Tide


Release Date: 8th June 1995 - Australia


Production Companies
Hollywood Pictures (presents)
Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer
Films

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Thriller

Rating: M

Runtime: 111 minutes


Budget: $53,000,000

Box Office Gross: $157,387,195 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Captain Frank Ramsey, a

hardened military man, and

Ron Hunter, his newly

appointed first officer, are

thrust into a worldwide

crisis. They head for Russia,

where radical nationalists

are planning to start World

War III, aboard a nuclear

submarine. However,

Ramsey and Hunter argue 

over the legality of the

orders after they receive

an unconfirmed message

to launch their missiles. A

mutiny breaks out on the

submarine, pitting the

entire crew against each

other in a confrontation

that will determine the

world's outcome as it faces

the threat of nuclear

catastrophe. 

Cast
Denzel Washington - Lt.
Commander Ron Hunter

Gene Hackman - Captain
Frank Ramsey
Matt Craven - Lt. Roy Zimmer
George Dzundza - Chief of

the Boat Walters
Viggo Mortensen - Lt.

Peter "Weps" Ince

James Gandolfini - Lt. Bobby
Dougherty
Rocky Carroll - Lt. Darrik Westergaurd
James Gomez - Ood Mahoney
Michael Milhoan - Hunsicker
Scott Burkholder - TSO Billy Linkletter
Danny Nucci - Petty Officer Danny Rivetti

Lillo Brancato - Petty Officer Third Class

Russell Vossler

Eric Bruskotter - Bennefield
Ricky Schroder - Lt. Paul Hellerman

Steve Zahn - Seaman William Barnes

Marcello Thedford - Lawson
R.J. Knoll - Marty Sotille

Billy Devlin - Navigator

Matthew Barry - Planesman

Christopher Birt - Helmsman

Jim Boyce - Diving Officer

Jacob Vargas - Sonarman #2

Kai Lennox - Sonarman #3

Michael D. Weatherred - Radioman #1

Tommy Bush - Admiral Williams
Earl Billings - Rick Marichek

Mark Christopher Lawrence - Head Cook Rono

Michael Chieffo - Chief Kline

Ashley Smock - Guard #1

James Lesure - Guard #2

Trevor St. John - Launcher

Dennis Garber - Fire Control Technician

Vanessa Bell Calloway - Julia Hunter
Brendan Jefferson - Luke
Ashley Calloway - Robin
Daniel von Bargen - Vladimir Radchenko
Richard Valeriani - Himself

Warren Olney - Anchorman

Rad Daly - Lt. Comdr. Nelson

Sean O'Bryan - Phone Talker

Victor Togunde - Sailor with Oba

Troy A. Cephers - Sailor #1

Armand Watson - Seaman Davis

Brent Goldberg - Phone Talker #2

Scott Grimes - Petty Officer Hilare
Ryan Phillippe - Seaman Grattam

Dale Andre Lee Everett - Firing Key Runner

Angela C. Tortu - Ramsey Aide
Ronald Ramessar - Westergaurd Dad
Robin Faraday - Westergaurd Mom
Bob Stone - Bob the Magician
Henry Mortensen - Henry Ince

Chris Ellis - Additional Magician

Jason Robards - Rear Admiral Anderson,

Board of Inquiry President (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Tony Scott
Story/Screenplay - Michael Schiffer
Story - Richard P. Henrick

Associate Producer/First Assistant Director -

James W. Skotchdopole

Executive Producers - Lucas Foster,
Mike Moder and Bill Unger
Producers - Jerry Bruckheimer and
Don Simpson
Technical Advisors - Skip Beard

and Malcolm S. Wright

Casting Director - Victoria Thomas
Production Designer - Michael White

Illustrator - Sean Hargreaves
Art Directors - James J. Murakami,
Dianne Wager and Donald B. Woodruff

Construction Coordinator - Dennis DeWaay

Set Decorator - Mickey S. Michaels 
Costume Designer - George L. Little

Prosthetics Designer - Michael Mills
Director of Photography - Dariusz Wolski

Camera Operators - Michael St. Hilaire

and Martin Schaer 

Unit Production Manager - Michael Fottrell
Stunt Coordinator - Steve Pirceni
Special Effects Coordinator - Al Di Sarro
Visual Effects Supervisor - Hoyt Yeatman

Video Image - Rhonad C. Gunnar,

Richard E. Hollander, Gregory L. McMurry

and John C. Wash
Visual Effects Producer: Video Image - Cecil Kramer
Digital Effects Supervisor: DQI - Dan DeLeeuw
Model Shop Supervisor: DQI - David Goldberg

Underwater Miniature Producer: DQI - Robert Stadd
Film Editor - Chris Lebonzon

Supervising Sound Editor - George Watters II 

Special Sound Effects - John P. Fasal

Sound Mixer - William B. Kaplan

Supervising ADR Editor - Juno J. Ellis

Re-Recording Mixers - Kevin O'Connell,

Rick Kline and Gregory H. Watkins

Additional Re-Recording Mixer - Greg P. Russell
Music - Hans Zimmer

Score Consultant - Alan Meyerson

Music Editors - Bob Badami

and Will Kaplan


Awards

1996 Academy Awards
Best Sound - Kevin O'Connell, Rick Kline,
Gregory H. Watkins and William B. Kaplan (Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Chris Lebonzon (Nominated)
Best Sound Editing - George Watters II (Nominated)


Review
CRIMSON TIDE is a submarine action thriller from director Tony Scott that certainly packs a punch. It grips viewers with tense moments and thrilling underwater action, creating an unforgettable cinematic experience. Propelled by a tight script and lively dialogue, courtesy of an uncredited Quentin Tarantino, the actors' lines are far more concise and rapid-fire than they would be without his influence.

A bucketload of Hollywood talent backs this film. Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington both deliver top-notch performances, conveying the tension of their characters' conflicting beliefs. The power struggle unfolds aboard the submarine and culminates in a mutiny. Joining the cast is future LOTR star Viggo Mortensen as a supporting lead, along with pre-Sopranos James Gandolfini and Steve Zahn. Dariusz Wolski's cinematography captures the atmosphere perfectly, using its confined space to great effect. Legendary composer Hans Zimmer delivers a tremendous score that sounds powerful and reflective, yet also patriotic.

I wasn't sure whether CRIMSON TIDE could be considered an action movie since I've never been into the submarine genre, though it is entertaining and suspenseful. It's amazing how critics and audiences enjoyed it. The late Tony Scott seemed very proud of this movie, or so I thought, since it was one of his successful hits.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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