The Hunt For Red October3 Out Of 5The Hunt For Red October is a plot driven thriller feature about an underwater and unspoken battle between two nations that is tossed by a man with broken agendas. Despite of all the chalky and cheesy material, the plot is surprisingly mature than one would expect especially in its final act. It still doesn't suggest in any way that the writing is smart or even gripping, in fact it is the weakest link of all in its initial stages. By now, it is clear that the makers took way too much time to set in the plots and characters to its palpable surrounding where most of the act is saved by the star power and the presence of it that is immensely articulative like surfing on water. Another one of its strength would be the ability to manipulate multiple characters on screen like a puppet with a mystic air presence among them that breeds nothing but uncertainty to the viewers. The camera work is appreciative and nicely done but isn't attractive or pleasing to encounter. The adapted screenplay is not one of its pros, although its execution by the director McTiernan surpasses the shallow script in here. Connery's cunningness is challenged equally by Baldwin's attentive and humble nature along with an amazing supporting cast like Glenn, Neill and Jones. An unexpected final act, a bit western-y dialogues and the tense environment with which it feeds itself are the high points of the feature. It is rich on technical aspects like sound effects and editing whilst falls flatly on background score and visual effects. The Hunt For Red October is a neat and clean hunting for its tendency to keep the screen lit with light and breezy theme despite of being a dark nature.

The first Tom Clancy novel to reach the screen was this tightly constructed, marvellously suspenseful exercise in pure nail-biting tension. At this point, its director, John McTiernan, was having a career high, moving from one kick ass movie to another (his previous efforts, of course, being "Predator" and "Die Hard"). McTiernan clearly had a great knowledge of how to keep movie watchers on the edges of their seats. It helps keep the material fascinating and exciting even with a seemingly bloated run time of two and a quarter hours. And thanks to the performances of a top cast that play their roles with conviction, "The Hunt for Red October" always maintains its grip on you. The story does have the potential to be confusing, but McTiernan and company keep it right on track throughout.A veteran Soviet sub commander, Marko Ramius (ever-commanding Sean Connery), is taking a cutting edge, gigantic machine on its maiden voyage. The Red October has an innovative propulsion system that can make it impervious to sonar, so this could be big, big trouble. The problem is, does this renegade officer actually have intentions to start a war with the U.S.? C.I.A. analyst Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin, the first actor to play the role on screen) seems to think otherwise. He's actually met Ramius, and claims that he came to understand him very well. He believes that it's very likely that Ramius and his fellow officers actually plan to defect.Many familiar faces play roles big and small - among them, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, James Earl Jones, Joss Ackland, Jeffrey Jones, Fred Dalton Thompson, Courtney B. Vance, Richard Jordan, Peter Firth, Tim Curry, Stellan Skarsgard, Timothy Carhart, Ronald Guttman, and Tomas Arana (with 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' actress Gates McFadden in a cameo as Ryans' wife). They all lend a great deal of gravitas to the proceedings.But a great part of the effectiveness lies in various technical achievements (aside from some dodgy effects work) and the ability of McTiernan to keep people on their toes. The action is first rate, and the crew impressively handles the challenges of working in confined locations on these submarines. Expert cinematographer and production designer Jan de Bont and Terence Marsh help to make the picture look impressive at all times. And Basil Poledouris' score adds to the tension without ever becoming TOO intrusive.This represents a real high water mark for submarine pictures, not that there weren't already some very good ones in the past (ex. "Run Silent, Run Deep", "The Enemy Below"), and so far has been followed by these Jack Ryan thrillers: "Patriot Games", "Clear and Present Danger" (both with Harrison Ford as Ryan), "The Sum of All Fears" (with Ben Affleck), "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" (with Chris Pine), and an upcoming television series (with John Krasinski).Nine out of 10.

Plot; A Soviet Captain attempts to defect w/his state of the art submarine while his American counterpart and a CIA analyst try to discover his intent before it escalates into a military confrontation. Based on the Tom Clancy novel, it's the first big screen adventure of the Jack Ryan character most famously played by Harrison Ford, but played here by Alec Baldwin. Directed by John McTiernan (Predator, Die Hard), it's a technically well crafted film that steadily builds in intensity w/a solid payoff in the white knuckle third act. As I said, Harrison Ford is the most famous of the Jack Ryan's, but I'd rate Baldwin as the best. He doesn't get much to play w/here from an acting standpoint, but what he gets he takes and makes better, showing a glimpse of what's kept him steadily employed (If not exactly always on the A-list) in a fickle town for over 30 years. Sean Connery plays the Soviet sub commander, and though he's similarly not given much to work w/from a character perspective, he certainly does it w/that magnificent Connery machismo. The supporting cast is truly exceptional, w/James Earl Jones, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, Tim Curry(?!), Joss Ackland, Courtney B. Vance, Stellan Skarsgard, Richard Jordan and Fred Thompson in what must be the biggest sausage party in cinema history. Will likely have anyone from the ADD generation checking their Instagram feeds before the 15 minute mark, but for everyone else it's a solidly built cinematic ship.

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