Memorable, crazy movie

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It has been a long time since I saw this film, but many details are burned in my brain, due to the magnitude of their suckness. (I will say though, if you want a "bad for entertainment purposes" movie, Laser Mission (Lazer?) is even better) I picked it up because I had heard the title was good, but they must have been talking about the book. I watched it with my dad, and neither of us wanted to turn it off since, "Surely they the whole thing can't be this bad." We were wrong. It was. I distinctly recall the flame bursts with every gunshot were more like a lighter held sideways than a muzzle burst. The acting was, well, just plain bad. These people wanted to act, and darn if they weren't going to take advantage of their chance. I think that there were a total of 2 shots of a submarine; the side shot as it passed by under water, and the "breeching" shot- the latter possibly ripped from an early copy of "Red October". Each was used a minimum of 5 times. Much else I can't remember, other than I watched it for about 5 minutes thinking it had to get better. The rest of the time impressed that it actually got worse.

After 18 years, I still remember being surprised at how bad this movie was. I was in the Navy at the time, and (like several other posters here) could not believe that they couldn't even get the rank insignia correct. OK, so they had NOBODY around that could check this simple fact.But what I found really amazing was that the American flag wasn't even right! It had to have been more trouble and expense to get a flag custom-made (although incorrectly) than to just pick one up somewhere. Apparently they somehow found enough Botox to freeze Michael Moriarty's entire face; they couldn't find a US flag somewhere? What a waste of perfectly good filmstock, especially coming out the same year as "The Hunt for Red October".

Submarines are supposed to blow ballast in order to surface, but that couldn't save this one from taking the plunge to the bottom. Other commenters have noted the low budget. That is too kind. There is no excuse for this waste of celluloid. The technical advisor (if there really was one!) had to be asleep or high. They were using comic book tactics and terminology that no self-respecting military member would. For heaven's sake, they were using Navy ROTC cadet insignia on the Khaki uniforms (a minor point I agree, but it's highly reflective of the overall low production quality). If you see this one listed in your program guide or on the shelf of your local video rental, do yourself a big favor, SKIP IT. Thank goodness I saw this on cable and didn't waste any money on a rental. If you like submarine movies, look for ANY OTHER one. If I could score this movie a (.5) out of 10 I would. But with IMDB's system I can only give it a 1 out 10.

Before Micheal Moriarty was on LAW AND ORDER, he was hitting the skids in cheap-jack action fare such as this. A supposed political thriller with renegade Cubans(or was it Panamanians, what the difference), toy subs in a bathtub masquerading as special effects, and a stiff script.Moriarty must be thanking his lucky stars that he doesn't have to get his paychecks from flicks like this.And Carl Franklin...What an auspicious beginning for a career that includes the solid ONE FALSE MOVE.Renting FULL FATHOM FIVE is a false move.