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Crimson Tide

Crimson Tide (1995)

tomatometer

87

Average Rating: 7.5/10
Reviews Counted: 45
Fresh: 39 | Rotten: 6

Boasting taut, high energy thrills and some cracking dialogue courtesy of an uncredited Quentin Tarantino, Crimson Tide finds director Tony Scott near the top of his action game.

92

Average Rating: 8/10
Critic Reviews: 12
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 1

Boasting taut, high energy thrills and some cracking dialogue courtesy of an uncredited Quentin Tarantino, Crimson Tide finds director Tony Scott near the top of his action game.

audience

78

liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 59,124

My Rating

Movie Info

Two leaders with different philosophies about battle and leadership wage war with each other in this tense military thriller. Capt. Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) is the commanding officer of a nuclear submarine, the U.S.S. Alabama. Ramsey is a distinguished veteran near the end of his career, and he leads his men with an iron hand; as he puts it, "We're here to preserve democracy, not to practice it." Ramsey is assigned a new second-in-command, Lt. Cmmdr. Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington); Hunter is

R,

Drama, Action & Adventure

Michael Schiffer, Richard P. Henrick

Feb 3, 1998

Buena Vista Internationa

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Cast

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All Critics (48) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (6) | DVD (26)

This is a boy's movie all the way.

March 26, 2009 Full Review Source: Variety
Variety
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The screenplay may be credited to Michael Schiffer, but the punchy dialogue has Quentin Tarantino written all over it. The cast has a ball.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
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Isn't there something awfully satisfying about the throbbing missiles and cathartic explosions that constitute this film's main excitement? Maybe so, but nothing else here delivers a comparable thrill.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comments (2)
New York Times
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Crimson Tide has everything you could want from an action thriller and a few other things you usually can't hope to expect.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
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Nope, this picture doesn't bear thinking about, but, if you resist that nasty temptation, setting all your mental gauges at Dead Slow, the flow of the action will see you through.

April 12, 2002 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail
Top Critic IconTop Critic

If ever a picture crackled, Crimson Tide fits the description.

February 13, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

War Games in the water; older teens and up.

December 18, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media

A big, bold Hollywood movie that won't be winning any awards for subtlety but can't be denied its popcorn appeal. [Blu-Ray review]

March 9, 2008
Groucho Reviews

A respectable entry in the 'sub' genre, largely due to Hackman and Washington's performances.

February 8, 2008 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

Why now? Don't ask; just shut up and enjoy the ride.

June 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Movie Habit
Movie Habit

I don't know what the full Naval procedure is to launch nuclear weapons, but I hope to God it's more structured and fail-safe than what we see in this film.

June 8, 2006 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | Comments (4)
7M Pictures

A riveting, high-testosterone nail-biter.

May 30, 2006 Full Review Source: FulvueDrive-in.com
FulvueDrive-in.com

...despite the coincidences and the melodrama, especially in the second half, the stars manage to make it all seem fairly credible. (Unrated Extended Edition)

May 18, 2006 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

...the thrills remain authentic, even though we know exactly how the plot is going to turn out.

May 18, 2006 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

Considerably more intelligent than most of Jerry Bruckheimer's productions -- and Hackman's just awesome.

May 14, 2006 Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com
DVDTalk.com

If this film is based on real events, we're all doomed.

November 10, 2004
MovieCrypt.com

Quentin Tarantino contributes some priceless dialogue, but the wearying pattern of mutinies and counter-mutinies ultimately sinks it.

October 29, 2004 | Comment (1)
Flipside Movie Emporium

Audience Reviews for Crimson Tide

Crimson Tide is a film directed by Tony Scott and anyone who has seen films by Scott knows that they are over stylized, hyper-edited and just plain patriotic films with corny dialogue and overblown music. Crimson Tide is no different. At times it feels like an ugly military propaganda-film that is cloaked as a statemet against nuclear guns. It also does not help that Crimson Tide is a film whic is cheesy as hell. There moments so corny that i had to roll my eyes while watching it.
While there are actors as capable as Denzel Washington, Viggo Mortensen, Gene Hackman and James Gandolfini involved here, they still cannot escape the weakness of Michael Schiffer's screenplay. The dialgoue is mostly very bad and the twists just plain ridicilous with all the typical cliches of this kind of film. It all gets coated with seriously terrible and overblown score by Hans Zimmer. There is nothing wrong in Zimmer as a composer but here he just shoots for the money with big and patriotic score.
Basically Crimson Tide is like a Top Gun but this time underwater. It is a film made by men for men who like to see men fighting against another men and like Top Gun, it all just ends up being something closer to an unintentional comedy than really thrilling thriller. Don't waste you time or money for this. Instead go and see The Hunt for Red October.
January 7, 2012
emilkakko

Super Reviewer

Where would we all be without the good US of A to save the world at the drop of a hat huh. This time its the proud US Navy that gets to show us their stuff and stop those pesky Russians once again, darn pesky Russians.

A Bruckheimer/Simpson production and boy can you tell, a veritable feast for the eyes with the standard graphic novel-like adaptation imagery that looks glossy, sharp and always exciting (with the assistance of some guy called Michael Bay). All together these three guys created some memorable action flicks that really are the true meaning of blockbuster.

'Crimson Tide' is no exception, well maybe one small exception, and that's the fact this film is probably the most sensible, realistic action flick they've created. Now if you will, this is my little videogame analogy of these flicks. Most of the Bruckheimer/Simpson flicks are what I would call 'arcade' type action flicks, they're big, loud, flashy and give plenty of bang for your buck.
'Crimson Tide' is more of a 'simulator' action flick in the simple fact its more realistic with deeper tension. This of course would be down to the brilliant direction of Ba...errr Scott who knows his way around a good looking military action flick.

So in short the visuals here are crisp, smoky and sweat inducing in nice shades of green, blue and red. Life aboard a sub has been created seriously well and you really get that tight feeling as the camera peers down steel tubes and stairwells. Despite the fact almost the entire film takes place in the sub you never once lose interest as we go from action stations against Russian subs to one mutiny after another as Washington faces off against Hackman.

This of course leads me to the cast which is really superb here. Even the small fry roles played by small fry character actors are decent. The big guns naturally fire on all cylinders, Hackman is pretty intimidating as the sub Captain whilst Washington easily gains your support as the 'good guy' of sorts. Supporting roles are also solid with Gandolfini in his usual slightly nasty persona, the guy who likes to make his presence known, and Mortensen as the guy torn between his captain and friend.

Nice early build up into the film as we gather the crew and see what each are like. There isn't too much in special effects either as most of the action is simply viewing the crew and sub innards as each suspenseful situation looms, kicks off and passes. Brave move that pays off as you would expect lots of fancy CGI sequences. Finally a stirring moving bold musical score to really bring home the seriousness and heroism of the story...less you forget this is an AMERICAN military thriller damn it!!

So end of the day yes you know how it will all end, pretty obvious of course. You know which man will stand tall and victorious by the end credits. You know there will be a change of character by the loser and you know there's bound to be a scene where men get trapped in the bowels of the sub and must be sacrificed to save the rest of the crew. Many typical scenes where the crew must decide who is in charge and if they're doing it the right way, the Navy way, the American way...cue rousing musical score and close ups of sweaty stern jawed faces.

I like to think of this as Scott's grown up follow up to 'Top Gun' (had to mention it). All the hallmarks of a slick military action flick but much more sensible without 80's pop music and male posing. I saw this opening night at the cinema (ye olde 'Warner Village' cinema's) back when I was a young teen and liked it, I still like it now, what more can I say!?.
September 19, 2012
phubbs1

Super Reviewer

    1. Capt. Frank Ramsey: What'd you think, son? That I was just some crazy old coot, putting everyone in harm's way as I yelled 'YEE-HA!'?
    – Submitted by Scott G (22 months ago)

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Foreign Titles

  • USS Alabama (FR)
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