Thirteen Days

Rating: 6/10 (1 December 2010)

I knew the leading actor of the film, but I had no idea what it was going to be about, only that the critics give it four stars out of five, so it sounded good enough to try, from director Roger Donaldson (Dante's Peak, The World's Fastest Indian). Based on the true events, in October 1962, USAF U-2 surveillance has discovered that the Soviet Union are taking nuclear ballistic missiles in Cuba, with the potential to kill up to 80 million Americans and destroy large bomber bases if put in operation. As President, John F. Kennedy (Racing Stripes' Bruce Greenwood) and his advisers, including Kenny O'Donnell (Kevin Costner) must come up with a strategy to combat the situation against the Soviets. Kennedy tries to stay calm and strong against the threat, but his advisers in the Pentagon are saying that he should consider a military strike on Cuba, which would cause an invasion. It is Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara (Dylan Baker) that devises the plan to create a blockade by the navy so Cuba and the missiles cannot reach the country. The Russians however ignore the blockade and to get involved themselves, and things start getting worse, but communications with the threatening countries after thirteen days do in the end come to a settlement. Also starring Steven Culp as Robert F. Kennedy, Michael Fairman as Adlai Stevenson, Henry Strozier as Dean Rusk, Frank Wood as McGeorge Bundy, Kevin Conway as General Curtis LeMay, Tim Kelleher as Ted Sorensen, Len Cariou as Dean Acheson and Home Alone 3's Olek Krupa as Andrei Gromyko. Costner, who you may remember was also in JFK, does do alright despite his rather silly Alabama style accent, Greenwood looks a little old to play a convincing Kennedy, but he does do well, and there are some small gripping moments that do reflect the realistic events during the Cuban Missile Crisis, it is I suppose a worthwhile historical drama. Good!