It was Clancy’s attention to detail, that caused some difficulty in bringing his first novel, The Hunt for Red October to the big screen. In the behind-the-scenes documentary included with this release, it’s revealed that it took two writers and two screenplays before filming could begin.
In The Hunt for Red October, we’re led to believe that the events that are about to unfold before us might be true; though we are also told that government sources have repeatedly denied that these events ever took place. During the height of the Cold War, some Soviet strategists felt that a preemptive nuclear strike against the United States would be the best course of action. A first strike weapon with awesome firepower was built. It is a huge missile submarine called the “Red October,” capable of showering continental United States with hundreds of nuclear warheads. Its caterpillar drive system enables the submarine to travel at great speeds without making a sound.
Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) takes the Red October for its maiden voyage in the North Atlantic. The submarines caterpillar drive system means that the ship could cruise along the coasts of NATO countries undetected until it launched its arsenal of nuclear ballistic missiles. The United States is afraid of a first-strike attack from the Soviet Union, and the fact that the entire Soviet fleet seems to be ready for war has only heightened those fears.
As an expert in Russian affairs, it is the job of CIA analyst Dr. Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin), to try and figure out why the Russians are readying for war for no apparent reason. Ryan has to use his vast knowledge of Russia, and connections to various sources, including sonar readings from an American submarine tracking the Red October, intercepted enemy messages that reveal a Soviet desire to sink the Red October, and thoughts from first impressions formed when Ryan once met Ramius at a state dinner. In the end, once Ryan figures out Ramius’s real intentions, the story becomes one of a race between the navies of the two superpowers.
When you think of a film involving United States and Soviet Union nuclear tensions, it’s reasonable to assume the film has a lot of action. The Hunt for Red October is markedly different; instead I would classify the film as a mystery/thriller. As with subsequent Jack Ryan films, our hero is forced to use his knowledge and be quick on his feet to solve a case, rather than resort to guns, violence and other action film remedies.
The Hunt for Red October is filled with wonderful performances. Sean Connery is excellent as the stiff, commanding Ramius. Alec Baldwin played Jack Ryan with the right mixture of confidence; commitment and uncertainty that made him seem like an average guy. As much as I enjoyed Harrison Ford in the two subsequent Jack Ryan films, it would have been interesting to see what Baldwin would have done with the character. Scott Glenn is superb, as the captain of the U.S.S. Dallas, Bart Mancuso. While he’s a bit jittery and initially eager to engage the Soviets in conflict, he’s intelligent enough to listen to his subordinates and advisor’s, all of whom have different talents that enable him to make the best possible decision during crises.
Other cast members include: Sam Neill is Ramius’ executive officer Vasily Borodin. Fred Dalton Thompson as Admiral Joshua Painter, Tim Curry as the Red October’s ship’s surgeon, Doctor Petrov and the always excellent James Earl Jones plays Admiral James Greer.
The Hunt for Red October is a great thriller from beginning to end. Though the Cold War as portrayed in the film is becoming a distant memory, director John McTiernan maintains a palpable tension throughout. Simply put, The Hunt for Red October is a must-see drama about the Cold War, and The Hunt for Red October on blu-ray is a must-own.
The video quality is fairly impressive. The image does show its age (released in 1990), with some noticeable graininess. However, skin tones look good, and the film has a realistic look to it. For a film that is nearly twenty years old, the transfer is impressive, and only a notch below newer releases.
The audio is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and sounds quite good. Since the film is basically dialogue driven, there isn’t a lot of extra noise. Voices are always clear and clean. There are optional English SDH, English, French, Spanish or Portuguese subtitles available.
The extras are duplicated from the standard edition DVD released in 2003. Director John McTiernan’s commentary isn’t exactly riveting, and he sounds like he’d rather be somewhere else, but he does throw in some interesting tidbits. The disc also includes the almost thirty minute featurette, “Beneath the Surface” which consists of interviews with cast and crew. The disc also includes an HD trailer which looks sharp.
