Honest cinematography, story and acting.

Rating: 7/10 (13 May 2003)

When I heard that Mr Costner was making a film about the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis - I was terrified, more terrified than if a Nuclear ICBM was 80 miles from my home. I was expecting Costner to assume the lead role of President John Kennedy - I was wrong. Mr Costner handed that role to Bruce Greenwood (a fine choice for his voice alone,) and became Kenny O'Donnell - special aide to the president (a little similar to his role in JFK.) This film unlike many other Hollywood adaptations (Cough 'U-571' Cough) was fairly historically accurate and presented at a steady, unrushed pace. I misjudged this film before seeing it.
The reels of celluloid arrived at cinemas gradually, sticking around for merely a week or so. This film had a target audience - those with an interest in historical events and their consequences, no those who went to see Hanks in 'Apollo 13' hoping for action but instead getting three hours of grey suits, grey expressions and grey acting. This film too is predominately grey (the colour of 1960s politics,) and if you don't like it - tough. This film is a drama to be shown in History classes globally for content - not to be converted into mugs and fluffy pyjamas with matching trading cards. This review may appear to poke fun at America - this is not the case, it highlighted how the UNITED States were and can still be, if only they settled for reality instead of enforcing artificiality upon the world - a world which in October 1962 we almost lost.
Watch this film, try to enjoy it, remember it is not - nor never was it intended to be a huge Box-Office smash - just a truthful preservation of the facts which all too many are keen to forget.