The Hunt For Red October

A great book is turned into a great movie in this excellent adaption of Tom Clancy's best-selling novel. Sean Connery proves yet again he is a powerful acting force to be reckoned with as Ramius, a renegade Russian sub commander who steals the Red October, the Soviet's newest and most powerful nuclear sub, and begins racing for the Atlantic Seaboard.

Needless to say, Washington panics upon hearing this, and calls in Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) to give his opinion on what Ramis is trying to do. The Soviets says Ramius has gone postal, and is planning to strike at the U.S. coast. Ryan, however, has a different theory: Ramius is planning to defect, and use the Red October as his offering for sanctuary.

Well, it turns out that Ryan is right: Ramius is planning on defecting. After Ramius kills his Political Officer, he changes the orders so the crew, unaware of Ramius' plans, will follow without becoming suspicious.

What ensues is a two-hour cat-and-mouse hunt. Everyone wants Ramius: the Soviets want to sink him, the Americans first want to know what he's really up to, then they might want to sink him.

This is a perfect example of an action film without the violence; you are thrilled every minute of the movie, immersed in the plot, and left bighting your nails. Yet, not a single wepon is fired until the lasy 20 minutes. Its this kind of taught storytelling we don't see very often in movies anymore, now, the sooner the blood starts flying the better. It's a shame, really.


Rated PG for violence and language.

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