The world goes to war - almost...

Rating: 5/10 (31 January 2005)

THIRTEEN DAYS
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS
(Color & black and white)
An account of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, during which President Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) and his closest advisers struggled to avoid a potential nuclear conflict following the discovery of Russian missiles in Cuba.
A step up from the likes of SPECIES (1995) and DANTE'S PEAK (1997) for director Roger Donaldson, this compelling drama distills the essence of the Cuban missile crisis into a tightly-packed narrative framework, toplining Kevin Costner as special assistant Kenny O'Donnell, whose presence is depicted as central to the outcome of proceedings. Strong B-list actors Bruce Greenwood and (especially) Steven Culp are superb as the Kennedy brothers, determined to find a political solution to the unfolding situation, despite unrest among their military advisers. David Self's script allows a few domestic interludes, to emphasize the effect of the disaster on ordinary lives, and Donaldson keeps things moving swiftly along, clarifying a wealth of details with economy and grace. All the key incidents are reproduced, including a nail-biting moment following the introduction of a US-sanctioned blockade of Cuba, when American warships prepare to fire on Russian tankers steaming toward the exclusion zone. How much of this is strictly accurate, and how much is emphasized for dramatic purposes can't be guessed, but THIRTEEN DAYS does a fine job of educating viewers unfamiliar with this momentous historical incident.