K-19: The Widowmaker (Wide Screen)

Advantages: Based on a true story, devastatingly addictive
Disadvantages: Horribly depressing

Introduction I usually stay well clear of anything that involves nuclear power or war when it comes to films. But sometimes I have to let my boyfriend choose what we watch and this time it was his turn. I got a book ready, not really expecting to want to watch the film; but surprisingly found it very addictive. The film is set in 1961 during the fight for world supremacy between the US and the Soviet Union over nuclear power. If you prefer comedy ...
...it is a very good film with some powerful performances from all involved - definitely recommended. The director Kathryn Bigelow is one of the few female directors to have hit Hollywood. She is an artist by trade and directed the music video for the New Order song Touched by the Hands of God. The plot The men on board the first Russian nuclear submarine K19 are preparing for a mission to test their nuclear weapons. Those in power decide that the ... Read review

Advantages: Fast paced, good performances from Ford & Neeson
Disadvantages: Appears to end abruptly

Introduction When the trailers for this film came out a couple of months ago, I must say that I was looking forward to it with much anticipation: one of my all-time favourite films is “The Hunt for Red October”, another excellent Russian submarine movie. (Coincidentally with a character latterly played by Harrison Ford – Jack Ryan, a role he assumed from Alec Baldwin). Although the movie was released in the USA on 19 July, I’d not had the opportunity ...
...the cinema (Carmike, Morgantown, W.Va.) to be packed with Harrison Ford fans, but noted that the theatre was barely half-full. “Good,” I thought, “more room for me!” The film is based on an actual event (aren’t they all?) in 1961, when JFK is the U.S. President and Nikita Khrushchev (Pron. CROOS-choff) is the Soviet Premier; a hastily-put-together nuclear submarine suffers a disaster in one of its reactors. But for the brave action of eight of its ... Read review

Advantages: Liam Neeson & Harrison Ford are superb, tension by the bucketload, fascinating viewing
Disadvantages: A little bit too Hollywood at least once, the human tragedy angle seems a little stunted, a little US bias and probably not too accurate historically

...be my only criticism of K-19: The Widowmaker, because there is a very real human tragedy here for the Russian people and yet, it chooses to gloss over that in preference for what might have been, in other words, in favour of concentrating on American interests. Men died during this incident, but they are faceless crew-members in this movie rather than 'real' people. Gripes aside, it offers everything else you'd expect or desire from a submarine ...
...fascinating all at once. K-19: The Widowmaker may not rival the supreme master of the genre Das Boot, but there is more than enough tension, coupled with some superb performances and of course, the rather scary prospect of how close to global catastrophe we came to make it compelling viewing. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the two hours it runs for literally flew by...but it drops a star for a wishy-washy moment of pure "Hollywood" which I can't elaborate ... Read review

Advantages: Realism, i.e. story, characters, performances, underwater effects.
Disadvantages: The actors' Russian accents

I was quite skeptical about Hollywood's ability to treat such a subject without distorting it or exaggerating it as they usually do. Perhaps the fact that K-19 is actually directed (very well) by a woman, Kathryn Bigelow, helped matters considerably. The accident which struck the Soviet nuclear sub in 1962 is portrayed generally accurately and fairly (in the view of its surviving crew, if you saw 'The True Story of K-19' on the History Channel last ...
...ill-fated boat and the dedication of the crew to repair a reactor leak at the cost of their own lives. A nuclear explosion in the Atlantic was, thus, averted but the heroes of the venture still suffered in the hands of their commanders even if officially nobody was found to blame apart from the 'system' (when there are too many to blame, then there's nobody to blame). More importantly, 'K-19' destroys the American grotesque myth according to which ... Read review

Advantages: almost real,
Disadvantages: music too loud, bad accents

***Introduction*** K19 – The widowmaker is based on a true story that happened during the cold war period. It was widely assumed that a war between the two super powers was inevitable. Not only the United States had five times greater nuclear arsenal than the soviets, but also it had the capability to destroy most Russian cities including Moscow and Leningrad. To neutralise this threat Soviet Union decided to build it’s first nuclear ballistic ...
...K19, the pride and joy of the Russian government and the flagship for the navy. What happened to K19 was kept a secret for 28 years, until the collapse of communism. The film is based on the life of Alexei Vostrikov, captain of K19, who sadly passed away before the film went into production. The film is directed by Katherine Bigelow (ex Mrs James Cameron). ***The Plot*** The film starts at the testing stage of the K19, although minor works are ... Read review