K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

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 ...

sunmeilan 31.01.2006 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

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 ...

Luigi 29.07.2002 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

...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 ...

wampyrii 26.10.2002 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

Every now and then, a film comes along that gives disappointing results but is actually a marvellously made film, and no doubt leaves everyone involved with it bitter at the poor showing from the public to watch it and publicise it. In 2002, director Kathryn Bigelow teamed up with actors Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson to make a film based on one of the closest scrapes in Cold War history. A true story is always hard to convert into a cinematic success, ...
...Cold War, the Russians believed that the US were on the verge of striking against them with a nuclear attack. To counter this and possibly prevent it, they constructed a nuclear submarine and sent it to rest in the waters off New York, just out of US jurisdiction. Captain Mikhail Polenin was originally chosen as the man to lead this mission, and he was heavily involved with the construction of the sub and the politics and finer details of the mission. ...

pmcds 10.11.2008 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

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 ...

C_C_Ryder 01.11.2002 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

***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 ...

razmao 28.12.2002 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

K19 is based around a true story about the first russian nuclear submarine and how it suffers a leak in the nuclear reactor which threatens the crew and the world. The story was well adpated and you get the idea what happened when this incident happened. Location filming in russia and out in the ocean was brilliant and added to the authenticness of the film. The acting by Harrison Ford was brilliant. His russian accent was good and he performed a ...
...performance. The way he challenges the captain is great but Liam's russian accent could be improved but it wasn't a bad attempt. The other actors had difficulty with the russian accent but they pulled off a good attempt. The model shots of the submarine were superb. Its hard to come by a film now a days which uses good models to create a proper effect. Also the use of a ex canadian destroyer and oberon class submarine and a ex russian juliet class ...

seadevil 01.01.2007 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

I hadn't heard of this film before my girfriend bought the DVD. To be honest she only bought it because it had Harrisson Ford in it but we are both glad she did. This film is a story about the old Russian government trying to get one over the USA by rushing through its new nuclear sub. Against their captains advice they send the submarine (K19) out on tests before it is ready. Harrison Ford is put on board to make sure that "The Mother Lands" ...
...the submarine but also the crew to their limits. Having survived the tests they are then informed that they are to sail into US waters to carry out further orders. This is when the fun really starts as the nuclear reactor on board starts to fail. I wont tell you anymore of the story because I would hate to ruin it for you. This is a must for anyone that wants a good film with a good story but isnt looking for lots of special effects. ...

Mozzer1969 08.07.2005 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)

The cast and acting are both very good and the portrayal of the characters is excellent. The suffering of those on board comes across to the viewer very strongly and you really feel for them. Sometimes, however, you feel that you can "foresee" what is going to happen as some scenes are built up and when something happens, it's almost as if you already know "whodunnit". The film also in some places tried too hard to get the message across and some ...

elainetalbot 28.10.2002 · Read full review
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Review of K-19: The Widowmaker (DVD)