The Hunt for Red October is the first film adaptation of one of Tom Clancy's pulp novels. I've read a couple of Mr. Clancy's novels and can safely say they are not Shakespeare-class writing. Besides, who says the book is always better than the film?

Hunt for Red October established the recurring film character of Dr. Jack Ryan, CIA analyst. This time, Alec Baldwin portrayed Jack. In the next two films, Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, Harrison Ford played a little more warm and fuzzy version of the same character.

Red October is the next generation Soviet nuclear submarine. In addition to its normal nuclear propulsion, it has a silent jet drive called a "caterpillar." This silent drive is designed to allow the Soviets a first strike capability against the USA.

Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) is chosen to take the ship out for her maiden voyage, a shakedown cruise to test out her capabilities, which are highly classified. Little do the Soviets realize that Ramius is going to abscond with the sub and make life interesting for both the Russians and Americans with the nuclear-armed warship.

Fortunately for the world, Jack Ryan hypothesizes that Ramius wants to defect and convinces the powers-that-be to allow him to link up with Red October. To allow this to happen, almost the entire power structure of the United States must be turned topsy-turvy. Meanwhile, they also have to find Red October before the entire Soviet Navy which has been ordered to sink it. Notwithstanding these "minor" difficulties, with sufficient suspension of disbelief the viewer is led on an entertaining hunt both under and over the high seas for the missing sub.

While I certainly do not sympathize with Alec Baldwin's public political stances and have been anxiously awaiting news that he has departed forever the good old USA, along with Barbra Streisand and other left wing loud mouths who promised to leave America if Al Gore lost, he did a creditable job as Jack Ryan, a rare combination of bookworm and man of action. Even more powerful was Sean Connery as the Soviet submarine commander Marko Ramius who hijacked the latest technology submarine to exchange for political asylum in the good old USA. Connery displayed the gravity that an old salt should have even though his Russian accent was non-existent. Supporting cast was also superb, including James Earl Jones, Sam Neill, Scott Glenn, Richard Jordan, Tim Curry, and Courtney B. Vance, a standout as the American SONAR operator who learns to track the almost-but-not-quite silent Red October.

The script, despite its complexity, showing the story from both Ryan's and Ramius's viewpoints (as well as a few others'!), was handled well. Dialog between Ramius and Ryan when they finally met was riveting. Similarly good were the exchanges between the National Security Advisor and the Russian Ambassador.

The costuming and sets were above average with the high tech submarine interiors very convincing, however, the exterior shots of the submarines when underway were shot as huge blobs that only became recognizable when they had receded into the distance. This long time-wasting photographic technique was used a little too often by the director, John McTiernan, possibly because the underwater shots were models, as usual in submarine photography, and not especially convincing. Otherwise, photography by Jan de Bont is very good. Basil Pouledoris' score was also well mated with the visuals.

This is probably the best film adaptation of a Clancy novel, though the viewer must make a conscious effort to suspend disbelief for the numerous insurmountable complications that arise that are nonetheless, somehow, surmounted.




Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening