K-19: The Widowmaker

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Jerod S Ford and Neeson made a cold war sub movie worth watching. Radiation poisoning was painful to watch. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/11/25 Full Review Brad M Good movie. Def. Worth a watch. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/12/24 Full Review Walt S I thought this was a solid film, sort of a Das Boat meets Chernobyl. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/20/24 Full Review Laura L Great movie! Great cast with Harrison Ford (as Cpt. Vostrikov) and Liam Neeson (as Officer Polenin). They make a great team interpreting the captain and the main officer on the first Soviet Union nuclear submarine that had an accident and they were all in danger of irradiations. The movie successfully contrasts the difficulties of making the right decisions under great life-threatening pressure and the easiness of judging the gravity of a situation from a warm office and in circumstances that aren't life-threatening. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/27/24 Full Review David H Everytime I've watched this movie i thoroughly enjoy it, although the Russian accents are a bit iffy. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/29/24 Full Review Ramez G Movie: K-19: The Widowmaker Summary: The movie K-19 is based on a real-life incident that happened to the Soviet nuclear-powered submarine K-19 in 1961 during the Cold War era. The movie starts when the Soviet navy has finished working on the submarine and was considered set to sail and "defend the Motherland." The under trained and under equipped crew set sail for a mission in the Northern Atlantic Sea led by their determined captain, Nikolai Zateyev. After the first couple of days at sea, the tough captain decides to conduct rigorous and challenging drills and tests. This sends the crew, as well as the submarine, to the edge, making everyone on board uncomfortable with his way of leading the crew. A couple of days later the nuclear officer on board notices that one of the cores' temperature is starting to rise unexpectedly. After some thorough examination he discovers a coolant leak that will lead to a global scale nuclear explosion, 20 times bigger than Hiroshima. The crew then tries their best to prevent that nuclear meltdown while navigating under the treacherous waters of the North Atlantic. Analysis: Unlike most war or military related movies, the biggest takeaway in K-19 is not the politics. While it did have a political side, it focused more on leadership and the relationship between a highly decorated, tough captain and his crew. One of the most memorable scenes from the film is when the captain, who hasn't shown a shred of emotions since the beginning of the movie, cries when one of his crew members dies tragically, burnt from radiation for his heroic act to save everyone. This implies character development. The captain at the beginning of the movie was ordering his crew, but at the end he was asking them, thus showing the viewer what is the meaning of true leadership: that is not to treat your followers as servants, but rather befriend them. Only then you will establish true trust. The movie also focused on the psychological side of living under the sea, especially on board a 5000 ton chunk of metal that is powered by a malfunctioning nuclear reactor. The way that the crew reacted while their captain conducted dangerous drills and tests that could crush the hull or give their position to the enemy, conveys to the viewer the true depth of the situation. The true psychological horror starts when the crew gets sent one by one into the nuclear reactor with minimal protection in a desperate attempt to repair the reactor. It leaves the viewer speechless at the courage of the crew. Another key theme of the movie is the consequences of the Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States. The film highlights the attempts of the captain to avoid any possible conflict between his submarine and the US navy as almost any move could be interpreted as an act of war, that will surely have undesirable outcomes on both sides. The movie serves as a powerful reminder of the power of diplomacy in resolving issues on a global scale. Critique: I believe that K-19 has everything to make a great wartime movie, highlighting themes of leadership, sacrifice, and the consequences of Cold War tensions. The director played a great role in representing the Soviet side of the Cold War, while the acting was striking, with the captain played by Harrison Ford and the executive officer played by Liam Neeson. The music also played an important role in setting the mood, fluctuating between calm as the event became relaxed, and intense as the events spiraled out of control. I love military/war movies, and I give K-19 5/5 as one of the best all time war movies. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews

K-19: The Widowmaker

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