Official Synopsis:
A stellar cast including Academy AwardŽ winner Denzel Washington (2001 Best Actor, Training Day), Gene Hackman (1971 Academy AwardŽ Winner, Best Actor, The French Connection; Enemy Of The State), Viggo Mortensen (The Lord Of The Rings trilogy), and James Gandolfini (TV's The Sopranos) resurfaces in a greater-than-ever Unrated Extended Edition of this intense hit thriller. In the midst of a global crisis, the USS Alabama receives unconfirmed orders to launch its nuclear missiles - signaling the start of World War III! The tension escalates as the sub's respected commander (Hackman) and his brilliant executive officer (Washington) clash over the validity of their orders...battling each other for control of the sub! As this epic struggle rages under the sea, you take command of edge-of-your-seat excitement and never-before-seen footage!
Our Take:
Crimson Tide is Jerry Bruckheimer filmmaking at its best. Some may see that as a bad thing, but I'm not one of them. Crimson Tide is a loud, explosive, intense action-drama, with strong characters, sharp dialogue, and some nail-biting suspense. It's also filled with patriotic anthems, keen cinematography, and a fairly simple plot stretched into a full-length movie. With Tony Scott at the helm, though, this is more than just a mindless action flick; top-notch performances from Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman ensure that.
It's funny to go back and watch movies that feature prominent actors before they were stars. Look for lead roles by Viggo Mortensen and James Gandolfini, smaller roles by Steve Zahn and Las Vegas's James Lesure, and a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance by a young Ryan Phillippe.
As is soooo often the case nowadays, there's nothing in this version of the film that required it being unrated. Maybe there's a few more swear words than the original had, but I'm pretty sure this iteration of the film could have easily garnered an R from the MPAA. But I guess in an age where the words "special edition" fail to excite consumers anymore, "unrated" is the new buzz word. Pity.
There are a few extra features on this new edition of the DVD.
* The Making of Crimson Tide (20 minutes) - A pretty solid making-of feature from the time of the movie's release.
* Deleted Scenes - Three deleted scenes running about three minutes total.
* All Access: On The Set of Crimson Tide (10 minutes) - Cast member George Dzundza takes viewers on a tour of the submarine in this archival featurette. Includes lots of on-set footage and interviews with cast and crew.
While this isn't the special edition DVD it could be, it is an improvement over the original bare bones release. Crimson Tide is still a great flick, and watching Hackman and Washington go at it never gets old.
Overall Picture:
Movie: B+
DVD: B
- Mike Spring
Editor
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