Formulaic and predictable, but solid enough

Rating: 7/10 (13 January 2003)

This movie wasn't ever going to be a "major motion picture" event. It had an old storyline and the plot developments were about as predictable as you can get. If you are going to do a story that people know the outcome to, you had best make that story only incidental to the "real" plot. Titanic did this, making the sinking of the ship secondary to the love story/triangle between DiCaprio, Winslett and Zane.
There was some attempt to do this with the character development between Ford and Neeson, but it was all so predictable that it never really worked to push the sub disaster into the background. Also, I was never really convinced by the way Ford ended up the hero. SPOILERS AHEAD. He'd commanded the sub like an idiot beforehand and the friction between him and Neeson built nicely until.....mutiny! Neeson staunchest supporter and the boat's political officer wrest control from the maniacal Ford and what does Neeson do? He frees Ford and imprisons his buddy and the political officer? To me that didn't come across as a loyal officer supporting his superior and the chain of command (as it seemed intended to) Instead it came across as Neeson's character realising the s*** was on the fan and not wanting to take control of the situation. In short, showing his loyalty by keeping Ford in charge to take all the crap that was sure to come of the situation.
To summarize then, this film has:
The obligatory sub disaster. The crazed captain who redeems himself. The coward who redeems himself by saving the boat. The heroic crew who are loyal to the Motherland. etc. etc.
Despite all this, the movie is entertaining enough, but not really one that you'll watch again and again. Although, I would like to know what happened to the crewman who jumped overboard from the sub and made a swim for the American destroyer. Did he make it? Did he drown? Did he become an American citizen? Was he handed back to the Russians?
Oh well.