The Hunt for Red October (1990)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Melvin W

  
  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… More
  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.

• Jeff "

  
  Based on Tom Clancy's debut novel, The Hunt For Red October. This film is about a new type of Russian typhoon class submarine, being chased across the seas when the crew decides to defect to the Americans. This typhoon class submarine is named the Red October and the Russians… More
  Based on Tom Clancy's debut novel, The Hunt For Red October. This film is about a new type of Russian typhoon class submarine, being chased across the seas when the crew decides to defect to the Americans. This typhoon class submarine is named the Red October and the Russians have installed a secret propulsion system that could render the sub nearly silent to sonar. The thrills are nonstop, the story is top notch and is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Alec Baldwin and Sean Connery deliver strong performances. The Hunt For Red October is one of the best films adapted from a Tom Clancy novel. This film is brilliant with great directing, pacing and acting. The Hunt For Red October is a different type of submarine film thats very enjoyable, despite the fact it's very different from previous films in the sub genre. This isn't a war film, this is more of a suspense / Thriller film and it delivers on both. For those who have read the book, they will be pleased to know that this film was very well adapted and the filmmakers stayed through enough to the source material. John McTiernan delivers a solid piece of cinema, and The Hunt For Red October is one of his best films since Die Hard. A superbly crafted thriller, The Hunt For Red October is a film that Tom Clancy fans will thoroughly enjoy, and as a person who's read Clancy's book, I can honestly say that the filmmakers did a terrific job at adapting this electrifying story.

• David L

  
  "The Hunt for Red October" is the first of three fine submarine thrillers from the 1990s and early 2000s, the others being "Crimson Tide" and "K-19, The Widowmaker". "Crimson Tide" told a wholly fictitious story and "K-19" was an… More
  "The Hunt for Red October" is the first of three fine submarine thrillers from the 1990s and early 2000s, the others being "Crimson Tide" and "K-19, The Widowmaker". "Crimson Tide" told a wholly fictitious story and "K-19" was an essentially true one. "The Hunt for Red October" falls somewhere between these two positions, being (like Tom Clancy's novel) very loosely based upon events which took place on board the Soviet warship Storozhevoy (a surface ship, not a submarine) in 1975. The Storozhevoy mutiny was led by a political officer named Valery Sablin, an idealistic Communist who hoped to spark a revolution against the corrupt Brezhnev regime, which he saw as having betrayed the Leninist ideals of 1917. The officer at the centre of the film, Captain Marko Ramius, is a very different character with very different motives. Ramius is an ethnic Lithuanian who has been appointed him to command the "Red October", the newest and most advanced nuclear submarine in the Soviet Navy, but has decided to defect to the West, motivated not only by disillusionment with the Communist system but also by fears that his vessel has been designed not as a deterrent but as an aggressive weapon which will allow the Soviet leadership to launch an unprovoked first strike against America. When the Soviet authorities learn of Ramius's intentions, they decide to sink the "Red October" and try to persuade the Americans to assist them in this task by falsely claiming that Ramius is a madman who is planning a strike against the U.S. (A sort of Russian version of Jack D. Ripper in "Dr Strangelove"). This film was also the one which introduced Clancy's hero Jack Ryan to cinema audiences. (Ryan was later to feature in three more films, "Patriot Games" and "Clear and Present Danger", in which he was played by Harrison Ford, and "The Sum of All Fears", in which he was played by Ben Affleck). Here, Ryan is a CIA analyst whose task it is to brief government officials on the possible threat from the "Red October". He deduces, correctly, that Ramius plans to defect and has to prove his theory before "Red October" is sunk by the U.S. Navy. The two main characters are played by two very different actors, but both are very good. Sean Connery might seem an odd choice as Ramius, as he had spent most of his career playing either a Scot or an Englishman. (There had, however, been a few exceptions such as his Irish-American in "The Molly Maguires" and his Arab sheikh in "The Wind and the Lion"). Here he uses his Scottish accent to good advantage, suggesting the ethnic differences between himself and his fellow crewmen. (I doubt if, even in Soviet times, Lithuanians spoke Russian with the same accent as Muscovites). His Ramius is calm and authoritative, but also conceals a streak of ruthlessness; he is prepared to kill the ship's political officer rather than allow him to sabotage his plan. (The political officer is named Putin, a surname which has since taken on overtones it did not have in 1990). Alec Baldwin's Ryan is younger and more mercurial than Ford's interpretation of the character. (I have not yet seen Affleck in "The Sum of All Fears"). There are also contributions from other well-known actors such as Sam Neill as Ramius's second-in-command and James Earl Jones as Admiral Greer, Ryan's superior at the CIA. (Unlike Baldwin, Jones was to play the same role in the next two Jack Ryan films). Clancy's novel was first published in 1984 during the brief Andropov/Chernenko era when the Cold War was still at its height. By the time the film came out six years later the world had seen great changes. It was originally intended to set the film in 1990 to make it seem more immediate, but with the fall of the Berlin Wall a few months before the first theatrical release this now seemed inappropriate. A title was therefore inserted at the beginning stating that the events shown take place in 1984. Director John McTiernan handles the material well here to produce a gripping, edge-of-the-seat thriller with some particularly tense sequences, notably the one where Ramius has to navigate his vessel through a series of narrow underwater canyons to evade his Soviet pursuers. The tension is no way lessened by the changes in the international political situation which had occurred shortly before the film's release. The Cold War thriller managed to survive the Cold War itself, and "The Hunt for Red October" is one of the most efficient examples of the genre.

• xGary X

  
  When a soviet captain commanding a first strike nuclear submarine decides to defect, CIA analyst Jack Ryan is sent in to prevent catastrophe at the hands of the pursuing Russian forces. Alec Baldwin was always a bit of an also-ran as an action star, but his lone outing as Tom… More
  When a soviet captain commanding a first strike nuclear submarine decides to defect, CIA analyst Jack Ryan is sent in to prevent catastrophe at the hands of the pursuing Russian forces. Alec Baldwin was always a bit of an also-ran as an action star, but his lone outing as Tom Clancy's Ryan is also easily the best. He is perfect as an academic unwillingly sent out into the field but it is obviously Sean Connery's towering presence that makes the film. The two head a very strong cast in this attempt at cinematic glastnost, as for the first time in a long time the simplistic gung-ho flag waving of the 80s is left behind and the Russians are shown as human beings, not the fanatical warmongers they had been portrayed as in Hollwood movies thus far. John McTiernan also provides some very slick direction making the underwater battles ooze tension and excitement which is no mean feat as by their very nature, submarine dramas can become very stodgy and dull. Well played all round with a great combination of humour, action and cold war conspiracy, The Hunt For Red October is still one of the best submarine films around.

• Film C

  
  Loved it, i would have like to have seen maye a bit more action but it'll do, it was still amazing!! Its a tense thriller and i loved it , its thrilling, exciting, and really just a good storyline that you begin to feel for Ramius (connery) thiis movie is about a submarine… More
  Loved it, i would have like to have seen maye a bit more action but it'll do, it was still amazing!! Its a tense thriller and i loved it , its thrilling, exciting, and really just a good storyline that you begin to feel for Ramius (connery) thiis movie is about a submarine called the red octoberr a highly skilled submarine built by the russian for stealth which means it is completely quiet and could course a lot of destruction! So its a hunt by the russian and the americans to get this sub! but there is problems happening within the sub a sabatager , who will win? a really good intense submarine thriller with great cast and great acting with sam neill looking gorgeous as usual really worth a watch!

• Jens S

  
  The first Tom Clancy adaption with his Jack Ryan character shows Alec Baldwin in the lead role, as a Dr. Ryan who is not as bad ass as Harrison Ford's a few years later. As CIA expert who is trying to solve the riddle of a Russian atom submarine approaching the US waters he is… More
  The first Tom Clancy adaption with his Jack Ryan character shows Alec Baldwin in the lead role, as a Dr. Ryan who is not as bad ass as Harrison Ford's a few years later. As CIA expert who is trying to solve the riddle of a Russian atom submarine approaching the US waters he is still a decent choice. The rest of the cast is just as excellent down to the smallest roles. The direction by action expert McTiernan has not as much explosions and action sequences to work with as he may have been used to from the Die Hard films, but that doesn't stop him from turning up the excitement level with every passing minute. The story is thrilling and although it is a relic of the cold war still greatly entertaining.

• Wahida K

  
  Great Movie based upon Tom Clancy Novel. Polit-Thriller are something I watch with a tiny bit scepism but this movie was very entertaining. Trouble is Polit-Thriller are often very near to the reality.

• Anthony L

  
  I love the way Sean Connery goes from Russian to Scottish in a zoom in, it?s a classic movie moment! It?s an ok film but nothing special!

• Andres S

  
  I must say, sub movies make me go to sleep. I had to watch 'Run Silent, Run Deep' 5 times before I lasted long enough to see the end. But 'The Hunt for Red October' proved to me that a good sub film is possible! The music is flowing and sets the seen beautifully. A… More
  I must say, sub movies make me go to sleep. I had to watch 'Run Silent, Run Deep' 5 times before I lasted long enough to see the end. But 'The Hunt for Red October' proved to me that a good sub film is possible! The music is flowing and sets the seen beautifully. A perfect cast with stars such as Alec Baldwin and Sean Connery adds to this Tom Clancy classic. In this case, the film is better then the book! Full of suspense, action, mystery, and the perfect ending. This is a great film, as simple as that.

• Jason O

  
  Most classic thing to me about this movie is the box art. As for the movie, I like "Crimson Tide" and "U-571" much better.

• Thomas B

  
  great movie. sean connery is the only person who would be accepted as a russian with a scottish accent

• Daniel H

  
  Thankfully avoiding a good many submarine movie cliches, such as the infamous "pressure increasing on the hull" gimmick... but, strangely enough, without such gimmicks, The Hunt for Red October is predominantly an intellectual exercise with little visceral punch. The music… More
  Thankfully avoiding a good many submarine movie cliches, such as the infamous "pressure increasing on the hull" gimmick... but, strangely enough, without such gimmicks, The Hunt for Red October is predominantly an intellectual exercise with little visceral punch. The music and the lighting seem to be like constantly insisting nervous tension is at hand, but end up coming off like an overeagre parent insisting a child should cover there eyes because something scary is happening. The tension on screen never matches up with what is actually occuring. Chalk it up to Tom Clancy's macro-scale opinion of what constitutes terror and excitement. Regardless, the film is enjoyable for its acting and easy-to-understand yet nuanced plot. If you are expecting action, though, be sure your idea of action is to watch a deliberately played game of chess.

• Chris W

  
  Save for a few nitpicks here and there, this film does just about everything right. McTiernan's direction is great, reaffirming his status as a great director of action and thriller films. The writing is really good, and the cast is fantastic, both in terms of who's in the… More
  Save for a few nitpicks here and there, this film does just about everything right. McTiernan's direction is great, reaffirming his status as a great director of action and thriller films. The writing is really good, and the cast is fantastic, both in terms of who's in the cast, and the fact that they all give good performances. This is a well-made, entertaining, intelligent adventure/political thriller. As a bonus, the fact that the film still feels fresh is a testament to how good it is. Das Boot is still the best submarine film I've ever seen, but this comes in at a close second.

• Aaron N

  
  Watson: Y'know, I seen me a mermaid once. I even seen me a shark eat an octopus. But I ain't never seen no phantom Russian submarine. The first Tom Clancy film adaptation, a submarine thriller, set during the end of the Cold War, involving a Russian sub commander defecting… More
  Watson: Y'know, I seen me a mermaid once. I even seen me a shark eat an octopus. But I ain't never seen no phantom Russian submarine. The first Tom Clancy film adaptation, a submarine thriller, set during the end of the Cold War, involving a Russian sub commander defecting to the US and an American analyst who seems to understand that. Sean Connery stars as the Russian commander and while this choice initially feels ridiculous, his presence is aided by a choice to have a moment where Russian dialog switches over to English in a clever way. Early on Connery makes a choice to violate orders and head for the US, without many understanding why. Meanwhile, a CIA analyst, Jack Ryan played by Alec Baldwin, learns of a new type of Soviet sub, the very one piloted by Connery, and looks into what its trying to do. The film becomes a a series of segments devoted to both sides, the US and the Soviets, with only a few knowing the true knowledge of Connery's plan or at least what he is trying. The film also stars an assortment of supporting characters, including Scott Glenn, Fred Dalton Thompson, James Earl Jones, Jeffrey Jones, Tim Curry, and best of all Sam Neil as Connery's first mate, who is great. Capt. Vasili Borodin: I will live in Montana. And I will marry a round American woman and raise rabbits, and she will cook them for me. And I will have a pickup truck... maybe even a "recreational vehicle." And drive from state to state. Do they let you do that? Captain Ramius: I suppose. Capt. Vasili Borodin: No papers? Captain Ramius: No papers, state to state. Capt. Vasili Borodin: Well then, in winter I will live in... Arizona. Actually, I think I will need two wives. Captain Ramius: Oh, at least. Director John McTiernan is certainly doing his best here, coming off of Predator and Die Hard, but the problem lies in maintaining a level of excitement. Much of this movie is about characters talking out what could happen, along with shots of subs rising and lowering, and I'm really not the biggest fan of sub movies. The last half hour certainly amps things up action wise, but overall the movie isn't a whole lot of fun, save for some good performances. Captain Ramius: You're afraid of our fleet. Well, you should be. Personally, I'd give us one chance in three. More tea anyone?

• Lenny M

  
  Sean Connery technically should of had a Russian accent being Russian in the film, but everyone wants him to keep that Scottish accent.

• Candy R

  
  Movie about a Soviet missile submarine who intends to defect.

• Curtis L

  
  Good.

• danny d

  
  seamen in a long vessel, good flick

• Jason S

  
  Jack Ryan flick before Harrison Ford took over. Sean Connery is cool though.

• Dean M

  
  Tremendously exciting if complicated thriller, at its best in the underwater chase sequences.

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