K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER - Thoughts & Reviews

[Strider]

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

http://us.ent4.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_pictures/k_19__the_widowmaker/_group_photos/harrison_ford2.jpg

Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm unsure about this flick. I've read several reviews that are far from being positive.

"K-19: The Widowmaker", however, looks fairly interesting. And I really can't pass up a movie with Harrison Ford in it. I think he's one of the best actors living. And plus, the guy doesn't come out in many movies anymore.

Next weekend, I will probably check this film out. But I'm not going into the flick with high expectations. I'm not really expecting anything, to be quite honest.

Alright guys, what are your thoughts on this latest submarine flick? Also, please post your comments and reviews right here on this thread.

Strider

[bluegopher]

What's the pre-release buzz on this film? Is it supposed to be any good from what you have heard?

[thompsoncory]

I saw this movie in June and it sucks!!! Please, spare yourself from this awful film. It is the most boring of the year so far, and the acting isn't even that great. It is being advertised as an action movie but there are a total of TWO scenes which involve action in any way. The rest is a bunch of boring dialouge.

Read my entire review at:
www.geocities.com/thompsoncory/K-19.html (http://www.geocities.com/thompsoncory/K-19.html)

[This message has been edited by thompsoncory (edited 07-14-2002).]

[Michael Corleone]

This looks like like every other Submarine film that has come out, but I'll still see it. I'm not a fan of action movies, so this one should be just what I like, hopefully.

[Strider]

Here is James Berardinelli's review for K-19: The Widowmaker.....

*** out of **** stars

"K-19: The Widowmaker is a war movie without a war, or at least without a hot war. Like Crimson Tide and Thirteen Days, the film uses the backdrop of a potential nuclear holocaust to generate a powerful sense of escalating tension. And that's not the only common ground. As with Crimson Tide, the majority of the movie takes place in the belly of a submarine with the threat of mutiny in the air, and, as with Thirteen Days, the events depicted herein are based on a nearly catastrophic incident from the 1960s.

Most submarine pictures, including the greatest of the sub-genre, Das Boot, use the claustrophobic setting of the submerged vessel as an opportunity to ratchet up the suspense level during battle scenes. Indeed, there are times during Das Boot when the tension is almost unbearable. However, in K-19, there are no battles - neither of the sub-to-sub nor the sub-to-surface variety. The movie finds other ways to fray our nerves, such as setting up a situation in which there is a leak in the boat's nuclear reactor, and, if the men can't find a way to repair it or get off the ship, they will all die of radiation poisoning. And, as long as the reactor is non-functional, their engine is down and they can't move fast enough to reach a safe harbor.

Harrison Ford, whose stern demeanor is perfect for this part, is Captain Alexi Vostrikov, the man brought in to command the flagship of the Soviet submarine fleet, K-19. It's 1961, and the USSR is convinced that America is planning a first strike. By situating K-19 off the North American eastern seaboard, the Soviets believe they can nullify the United States' superior weapons advantage. Vostrikov has a difficult assignment. K-19 has been rushed into action, so all of its systems are not in perfect working order. And the crewmembers, except for one officer, Vadim Radtchenko (Peter Sarsgaard), are loyal to the former Captain, Polenin (Liam Neeson), who remains on board as the Executive Officer. When Vostrikov's fondness for taking seemingly unnecessary chances creates unrest amongst the crew, rumbles of a mutiny begin.

K-19 contains a number of scenes that are obligatory in any submarine movie - a dive to crush depth, an uncontrolled rise to the surface, and exercises that presage real emergencies (in particular, fire fighting drills). The strained relationship between Vostrikov and Polenin is as important as any other aspect of the movie. Their interaction undergoes a number of shifts and changes, some of which seem motivated more by a necessity of the plot than by an element of one or both of their personalities. Nevertheless, they progress from wariness to open distrust to respect - a fairly common arc in movies of this nature.

K-19 also offers a fair dose of politics circa 1961. The film does a good job recreating the sense of global paranoia that existed during that time - how the Soviet submariners were expected to give up their lives rather than accept help from "the enemy" because the Americans could not be allowed to examine K-19. Better to die a "noble death" for the sake of the USSR than to follow the path of a traitor and surrender. This is the choice Vostrikov and Polenin recognize they may have to make once the crippled reactor goes critical on the western side of the Atlantic Ocean.

A significant portion of the running time concerns the sometimes heroic, sometimes cowardly efforts of the crew to repair the reactor. Doing so requires teams of men to be exposed to naked radiation for 10-minute intervals without radiation suit protection (there are no suits on board). It is a fatal prospect, and the death is neither quick nor painless. Once Radtchenko sees the condition of the first two men after their time by the reactor, he panics. Unable to go in, he is replaced by another man who suffers horrible radiation burns in his place.

From a pacing and structural standpoint, K-19's greatest weakness is the ending. Not only does it dally for too long as the result of a superfluous epilogue, but it seems determined to tack on a "feel good" moment where one isn't really appropriate. There is nothing in the movie's final ten minutes that adds anything of substance to what has previously transpired. Otherwise, however, the film is well paced. For two hours, there won't be much checking of watches.

It is interesting to note that the director of K-19, which most people would consider to be a "man's movie", is a woman. Of course, Katherine Bigelow is no ordinary female filmmaker. Her resume, which includes titles like Strange Days and The Weight of Water, is devoid of anything remotely resembling a "chick flick", and she was once married to James Cameron. Her cast accomplishes what they're supposed to do. Ford and Neeson give effective, restrained performances, and Peter Sarsgaard does just enough with his character to earn our sympathy.

K-19 will not go down in the annals of cinema as one of the great submarine stories, but it is an engaging and exciting narrative of Man confronting the Demons of his own fear and paranoia. This isn't so much a tale of the fight against nature, but the fight against a dangerous technology that is imperfectly harnessed and understood. It also causes us to reflect on the follies of human rivalry. And, even though the era of K-19 has long since passed and the Cold War has faded into the history books, Man has not changed, and those Demons still exist in this world, although in a different form. K-19 may not have been designed as a cautionary tale, but, amidst the action and suspense, it serves that purpose."

Well, it sounds like "K-19" may be good after all.

Strider

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This flick looks some what interesting.I have no intention of seeing Eight Legged Freaks,or Stuart Little 2.So I'll go see this movie.

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[This message has been edited by blankpage (edited 07-16-2002).]

[Scrunch]

I liked Liam and Harrison. Parts got to me and parts bored the heck out of me. I just don't understand the how to's of a lot of submarine workings so a lot went over my head in this movie.

We almost took my 10 year old nephew but I'm glad we didn't. Parts of this were really disturbing to me.

Wish we'd waited for video...

[Lennis]

Well, I thought it was a great film. And I knew going in that it wasn't going to be an action film. A slow but thoughtful submarine movie is what I expected, and that is what I got.

I am wondering, though... in the trailer I seem to recall a shot of a torpedo in the water, but I don't remember seeing that in the movie. False advertising, maybe?

My first impression: ***1/2 out of ****

[Strider]

K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

Rated PG-13 for Disturbing Images

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson.

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0267626/K19-C13-23A.jpg

The film focuses on the true story of Russia's first nuclear ballistic submarine, which suffered a malfunction in its nuclear reactor on its maiden voyage in the North Atlantic in 1961. The submarine's crew, led by the unyielding Captain Alexi Vostrikov (Harrison Ford), races against time to prevent a Chernobyl-like nuclear disaster which threatens not only the lives of his crew, but has the potential to ignite a world war between the super powers.

Along with such summer films as "Insomnia", "Minority Report", and "Road To Perdition"... "K-19: The Widowmaker" is another breath of fresh air, and a departure from the mindless entertainment that is crowding your local mutli-plex theaters.

"K-19: The Widowmaker" is a great film that focuses on a very interesting part of history. It tells the tale of the journey of all these men who were willing to sacrifice everything, including their lives for their country. The film does a wonderful job of making the viewer care for each and every character... and that is something that is rare in movies. It is rare when we deeply care for any of the characters that are in the film.

Harrison Ford proves once again why he is one of the greatest actors living today. He delivers another electrifying performance in this film. It's really a damn shame we don't get to see him in more films. Liam Neeson, and the rest of the cast deliver solid performances as well.

After the film was over, and the credits started rolling... I came out of the film feeling touched, and I came out of the film having gained so much respect for all these courageous men who truly loved their country, and were willing to sweat, bleed, and die for it. And I feel this way not only for these men, but for anybody who is willing to do such a thing for their country as well. "K-19: The Widowmaker" is a great film.

Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Grade: 9/10

Strider

[This message has been edited by Strider (edited 07-21-2002).]

[LAW]

SPOILERS with the ending
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I didn't think the whole "LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN" ending was appropriate. Also it was good when Liam and Harry were at odds, but by the end they were jerking each other off so much, it just killed the tension which is the most enjoyable aspect in a sub movie. On a whole it wasn't terrible, but it will go away quickly. (About 30-40 minutes too long.) The theater wasn't even a 1/4 full today.

[Scrunch]

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I got a kick out of the ending just for seeing how everyone was aged.

[Lennis]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by LAW:
SPOILERS with the ending
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I didn't think the whole "LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN" ending was appropriate. Also it was good when Liam and Harry were at odds, but by the end they were jerking each other off so much, it just killed the tension which is the most enjoyable aspect in a sub movie. On a whole it wasn't terrible, but it will go away quickly. (About 30-40 minutes too long.) The theater wasn't even a 1/4 full today.</font>

I don't know what it is with people who think a movie is ** minutes too long. Personally, I'm glad to have something other than a 90 minute product placement to see. Some stories, like K-19, need a lot of time to tell their tale properly. Good storytelling is not interested in shrinking itself to fit into other peoples schedules.

[The Handeman]

Hey people The Handeman here and this is my review of K19, well heres the thing i watched it fell asleep for half the movie i was tired http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif sorry but thats me the one thing i wanted to bring to the attention of everyone IF NO ONE HAS ALREADY that i found a good of continuation on the film yay! i rarely catch goofs but this one i caught quite easily you will notice that when Harrison Ford takes off his heavy coat near the beginning of the film he has a certain amount of stars (2 or 3) and after he is promoted or whatever it was he did that should have given him more stars he actually had less (now let me tell you that im actually a little unsure of the goof's happening seeing im not sure if that was actually supposed to be that way) but if someone sees the movie and gets back to the site post if im correct or if there is anything wrong with the features i am speculating thank you

The Handeman

also i gave this movie a 5 seeing i actually fell asleep for half the movie

[The Handeman]

Ok disregard the comments i made last post i saw the movie again and i realize what the mistake was here it is: When Harrison Ford takes off his overcoat with the epillets (spelling) he has 3 stars on the shoulder of the overcoat BUT! he has only 2 on the epillets (spelling) on the shoulder of his uniform! dear watson ive done it!

The Handeman

[bskutle]

"K-19: The Widowmaker"- B+
(#10 "Must-See" for Summer 2002)
"Das Boot" is still supreme among submarine movies, but Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, and director Kathryn Bigelow (best known for 1995's provocative "Strange Days") do themselves proud in this compelling action drama, inspired by the true story of a Russian nuclear ballistic sub that- on its maiden mission in 1961- is plagued with problems enough that could signal the start of World War III. It doesn't really go anywhere "Crimson Tide" and "The Hunt for Red October" didn't as far as Cold War politics, but the real life origins, clarity of Bigelow's direction, and conviction of Ford and Neeson's acting make it a smart, suspenseful summer entry.