Save your money for something good and enjoyable

hyped garbage

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

"The Hunt for Red October" is a superb thriller that's just in time for the end of the Cold War and the USSR. When Tom Clancy wrote his first novel, "The Hunt for Red October," in 1984, no one could foresee the collapse of the Soviet Union. Certainly not within just seven years. But, when this movie by the same title and based on Clancy's best-seller was made in March 1990, the demise of the USSR had just begun. Talk about fortunate and opportunistic timing. Had the movie been delayed another year or two, it would have been after the collapse and likely would not have drawn as much interest. But one could not find a period of more attention and higher interest for a film such as this than during the first months that the Iron Curtain began to crumble. The Berlin Wall collapsed in November of 1989. Soviet bloc countries began to seek their independence. Within three months of this film's release (May 1990), the first free election of the Soviet Federative Socialist Republic took place. By Dec. 25, 1991, all the former member states of the USSR had gained independence. And, on that day, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as leader of the USSR, thus ending its existence. The recently elected Boris Yeltsin was now the sole leader of the new republic of Russia. It's worth recounting these events from history for considering the significance of this movie. Because a few decades down the road, when there will be little memory left of the Soviet Union, there should always be a reminder of what it was. And beyond that time, when only the history books will have accounts of the USSR, this movie will remain as a testament of the time and the world threat of global warfare that existed because of the USSR. Perhaps it may have a future role in helping to divert major warfare between nations. This is a superb film, based on a superb book. It's a tremendous military thriller of the Cold War period. The craft put into the movie is outstanding -- from a first-rate cast to sets, props, submarine design and reconstructions of the Neptune class Soviet sub, photography, direction, etc. Here are a couple of favorite lines from the film. For more dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie. Marko Ramius, "A little revolution now and then is a healthy thing, don't you think?"Jeffrey Pelt, "Listen, I'm a politician, which means I'm a cheat and a liar, and when I'm not kissing babies I'm stealing their lollipops. But it also means that I keep my options open."

This is a movie that pretty much takes place totally on submarines, and that's the dilemma of movie making. It's really close to impossible to get any good film making quality this way. You can't make it exciting. It's a dull milieu. You can't get atmosphere on a submarine. The old movie and TV series "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" did all they could, but in the end they had to rely on characters. When you deal with a plodding "cold war" style of plot, you really set yourself backwards. There is nothing that can be done to save this dull effort. It is not possible to stay awake in one sitting. It can't be done. This is even worse due to all the clichés that can be mustered up, and the dull characters you can't possibly care about.

Movie Review: "The Hunt for Red October" (1990)The very first Tom Clancy (1947-2013) Hollywood movie adaptation is a rocking blast of a motion picture.Director John McTiernan fully focuses on bringing the essence of an 387-page strong novel from 1984 to the screen, righteously turning down the job at "20th Century Fox" concerning "Die Hard 2" starring Bruce Willis.Thanks to leading actor Sean Connery as Russian submarine Captain Ramius and sublime supporting cqst from Sam Neill, Scott Glenn to James Earle Jones as U.S. Admiral, "The Hunt for Red October" is motion picture entertainment throughout.Actor Alec Baldwin pushes pencils and envelopes as soon-after iconic character of C.I.A. clerk turning operative Jack Ryan gets his moments of suspense in central usually interior meeting room ambience.Then Jan de Bont as director in charge of photography, including magnificient intense submarine interiors, when Hollywood major "Paramount" gratefully thanks producer Mace Neufeld of creating a modern action-thriller classic.Copyright 2018 Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC

I am a little familiar with the novels by Tom Clancy. Then again, all I seem to really know is that they feature a guy named Jack Ryan. It was great to be introduced to this uh, franchise via this film. I admit that it was a little boring. It did have more action at the very end. What I really like is the cast in this movie. We get great actors like Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, James Earl Jones, and Tim Curry!I knew that was Sam Neil. Everyone recognizes him from "Jurassic Park". I still think he looks like Christopher Hitchens. What's great is how these actors and characters play off each other so well and give such strong perfomances. Everything is portrayed in a very realistic manner. While I didn't find it a classic as many people do, it's still quite good. ***