The Hunt for Red October and Crimson Tide

I made a mistake.



I did something I shouldn't have.


I FUCKED up.



I watched The Hunt for Red October right before Crimson Tide.


*Deep Breath*


That was a mistake. It was my mistake, and my mistake alone. The thing is, I love Crimson Tide. It's a stylish Tony Scott action/thriller with Gene Hackman (HACK-MAN) and Scott's frequent collaborator, Mr. Denzel Washington. The movie is a well made popcorn flick with a cast that is simply too incredible to name everyone here (Long Live Steve Zahn), and the back and forth between Hackman (HACK-MAN) and Washington is just some plain ol' good shit.

I actually hadn't seen Tide in a number of years, and I'm not sure I had ever actually watched my Blu Ray copy (Blu Ray baby), and for whatever reason, I had the worst itch to watch some 'Dad' thrillers. I had just recently purchased The Hunt for Red October, so this seemed like an ideal time for a double feature (The Fugitive is next!).

For reasons unknown, I had decided to watch Red October first. Could it have possibly been the fact that the movie had just turned 30? Perhaps.  Or could it have possibly been that I had purchased it on 4K Blu Ray and I'm a little bitch when it comes to that? Yes. So Red October was first.

Jesus Christ, what a fucking masterclass in action filmmaking.

John McTiernan had just put out Predator three years prior, and Die Hard a year after that. Red October was his follow up to both films. 

Let that sink in. Three action masterpieces within 3 years of each other. One after another. McTiernan was, simply put, working on another level at that time. His sense of geography is akin to Spielberg, every action is clear, every cut is precise. He cuts back and forth between different locations on a submarine, back and forth between CIA offices and Naval ships. It's never once confusing, something that has plagued action films in subsequent decades.

The pace of this film moves at lightening speed, which is all the more impressive when you realize there really aren't any traditional action scenes. No fist fights. Maybe a few bullets are shot. But it's all just a game of cat and mouse between Alec Baldwin and Sean Connery. And it's fucking exhilarating.

Speaking of Connery. Holy Shit. What a commanding performance. I didn't realize it until this viewing (and I hadn't seen this since maybe junior high), but this is how I've always pictured Sean Connery. His sense of honor, a little bit of rebellion, authority. When ever I thought of Connery, I was thinking of him in Red October. Which is insane. James Bond. The Untouchables. The Rock. Indiana Jones' Dad. But my mental image of Sean Connery was him in this movie. He was so good, it actually imprinted on my brain.

But McTiernan. Man. One particular sequence involving a deep ocean canyon and a cocky Connery is an absolute all timer. The man just knew exactly how to get the heart racing, and like his previous films, knew exactly how to cast and create iconic characters. This man basically molded my action childhood, and I feel ashamed that I hadn't revisited this one sooner.


Crimson Tide never stood a chance.


Anywho, I'm gonna do this more. I recently published another post, it's a little personal (ew), but its there if you wanna poke this brain. Like I said, I think I'm gonna watch The Fugitive soon, so I'll be back on here to talk about that ASAP (or whatever the hell else I decide watch if anything).

BYE