Extraordinary courage in a nightmare situation

Rating: 8/10 (2 August 2008)

The really scary thing about K-19 - aka the widow maker - is that it is based on fact.
In the years before I was born this Soviet hotel class submarine came close to nuclear meltdown after the failure of a major coolant system. With no backup the crew had themselves to perform a repair to avoid disaster.
Sadly most of these crew perished very soon after due to massive irradiation.
K-19 tells the story of these amazing men in a very serious situation. The meltdown of a nuclear reactor is a bad thing (remember Chernobyl?). The sub itself might have been "cursed" but you really have to admire the courage of the crew.
Unusual casting for a movie about Russian submariners but it mostly works. I can watch Harrison Ford or Liam Neeson in anything - the supporting cast is also great - Joss Ackland makes an appearance too.
Highly recommended as a movie about brave souls that died to avert a major nuclear incident - and possibly another world war.