A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: K-19: The Widowmaker

Date of theatrical release: 2002

Details:

Harrison Ford

Liam Neeson

Joss Ackland

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Score: Klaus Badelt

Score: +

The Review: An excellent "submarine in danger" movie, back-dated to the Cold War era of 1961. Carries resonance with all other submariner movies, with plot elements from Hunt for Red October, from Crimson Tide, from Thirteen Days (2001), and likely from others with which I'm unfamiliar. The K-19 was the first Soviet sub to have at-sea missile launching capabilities, and this movie is the story of its final graving and maiden voyage. To say it was a cursed boat, is putting it mildly.

Apparently based on an actual incident of that time, hushed up by the Communist Party and not even fully described to the families of the victims, but finally revealed and discussed by the crew after the Wall fell. The producers found and refurbished a real Cold War artifact -- not the original K-19, but a similar Julia class sub that was easily tailored into service. Along with this, they had access to the engineering drawings, so the reproduction of the claustrophobic vessel was particularly well done and attuned to the times.

A fantastic ensemble cast of young international actors supports both Liam Neeson and Harrison Ford, the latter cast against type as a rule-bound, stodgy curmudgeon of a taskmaster who assumes command of the K-19 when Neeson is made a scapegoat by the Party. Neeson continues to serve as XO, setting up many a tense confrontation with Ford as the incident unfolds. The character actor portraying Soviet ambassador Lysenko in Hunt for Red October (Joss Ackland, C.B.E.) is recycled here as one of the senior members of the Politburo, Marshall Zelentsov; it's good to see a familiar face. Driving score by Badelt. Recommended.

20-Jan-03

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