Overlook the Accents and Get the Point!

Rating: Null/10 (21 July 2002)

Having just arrived home from the final showing of K-19, I have to admit that my mind is still in overdrive. The acting was excellent, the cinematography was superb, and the direction was wonderful; even the underwater CGI was well done, something I haven't seen since Red October and U-571.
In the lead roles, Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson are excellent as the two captains clash over command styles and beliefs. Ford comes off very believable as the hard-nosed commander who still has faith in the Communist party, while Neeson portrays well the part of a captain who believes in his crew and sees many flaws within the System. Their clashes are tense, but the underlying respect these two characters share shows through in each encounter.
Behind them, the crew provide a diverse backdrop. They are portrayed as people who the viewer grows to care about; you want to see them survive, and you grow to recognize their heroism, despite the odds against them. Granted, there is something a bit cliche about the one man who dies, leaving behind the love of his life... but even that is interwoven so seamlessly, you *feel* empathy for him.
Going into this movie, I had heard many disparaging comments concerning the accents used in the film. No, Harrison Ford is not Russian. Nor is Liam Neeson. But, like Sean Connery, they have overcome any speech issues and given us Russian sub officers to care about. And if you get hung up on the accents, you miss the strength of this film: the story and the acting.