
Crimson Tide IMDB
- Cast: Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, George Dzundza
Director:
Tony Scott
Categories: Action
Rated: R
Running Time:
115 minutes
Synopsis
Two leaders with different philosophies about battle and leadership
wage war with each other in this tense military thriller. Capt. Frank Ramsey
(Gene Hackman) is the commanding officer of a nuclear submarine, the U.S.S.
Alabama. Ramsey is a distinguished veteran near the end of his career, and he
leads his men with an iron hand; as he puts it, "We're here to preserve
democracy, not to practice it." Ramsey is assigned a new second-in-command, Lt.
Cmmdr. Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington); Hunter is much younger than Ramsey,
Harvard educated, and believes the goal of the military in the nuclear age is
to prevent war, not fight it. While at sea, word reaches the Alabama that a
splinter group of Russian forces have seized missile silos, and the ship is put
on red alert. The Alabama has orders to fire, but as it is receiving a new
incoming order the radio malfunctions. It's Ramsey's contention that an order
is an order and they are to move forward with the attack, while Hunter feels if
there is any question at all about their mission, they should wait until they
can receive further instruction, with Hunter going so far as to threaten mutiny
against Ramsey if the missile strike is carried out. Quentin Tarantino and
Robert Towne both contributed to the screenplay without credit. ~ Mark Deming,
All Movie Guide
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