K-19: THE WIDOWMAKER
Released: July 19, 2002
Director Karthryn Bigelow wrapped up her 1995 futuristic thriller "Strange Days" and started working on "The Weight Of Water", which stars Sean Penn, Elizabeth Hurley and Sarah Polley. Strangely enough, the film was ready for release in 1999 yet the studio shelved it. So she got right back in the director's chair and started working on "K-19: The Widowmaker", a story about Russia's first nuclear ballistic submarine, which suffered a malfunction in its nuclear reactor on its maiden voyage in the North Atlantic in 1961. The submarine's crew, led by the unyielding Captain Alexi Vostrikov, races against time to prevent a Chernobyl-like nuclear disaster which threatens not only the lives of his crew, but has the potential to ignite a world war between the super powers. Harrison Ford plays Captain Alexi Vostrikov, who is given command of K-19 over former captain Polenin as played by Liam Neeson. Tensions mount as Han Solo and Qui-Gon Jinn duke it out underwater as their ship begins spreading radiation amongst the crew, often with horifying results. Kathryn Bigelow, former wife of James Cameron, shares many of her former husband's strict rules regarding attention to detail and unique vision. She directed such impressive movies as "Near Dark", "Point Break" and "Blue Steel". She's a master at bringing a story to a tightrope razor's edge tension and "K-19" is no exception. Her desire to research the true story led her to many trips to Russia before filming began and building a scale version of the sub faithful to the original, even if it made shooting in cramped quarters the norm. Where the dud "U-571" sank submarine movies to great depths, "K-19" effortlessly takes it to the bottom of the ocean and back up to sea level because Bigelow knows her subject matter. She stamps it with her technically skilled style and infuses everything with an emotional kick that can only come from a great director. Not only that, but it's an American movie that gives a human face to the Russians at a time when the US is seemingly hated by all other nations. Like "Enemy At The Gates" which featured no American characters, "K-19" is an engrossing tale, made all the more powerful that it is true and that it was not made fully public until just recently. It's also the first major movie from the National Geographic magazine and you know they'd only lend their name to a movie if it was respectful and accurate of its subject matter. Oh, and her 1999 movie "The Weight Of Water" looks like it will finally get released in November 2002 - two Bigelow movies in one year, what a treat!
138 Minutes
National Geographic/Paramount