One of the year’s best films, 'Crimson Tide' is director Tony Scott’s most accomplished film to date. Is it any wonder it was such an enormous hit? After all, it features state-of-the-art special effects, a taut screenplay with an uncredited punch-up by none other than Quentin Tarantino, awesome sets, slick cinematography, a powerful, haunting score by Hans Zimmer, and stellar lead performances from two Oscar-winning actors (and an unbilled cameo by a third).
You all should know the story by now: Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington are the captain and executive officer, respectively, of the nuclear submarine USS Alabama. They are given orders to launch a preemptive strike against rebel Russians who have threatened to destroy American cities. But an incoming message pertaining to their battle orders gets cut off, and the two clash over the validity of their first-strike orders. The stage is set for the most tense battle of wits and wills in recent years, as Hackman and Washington square off, with the fate of the world literally hanging in the balance.
The beauty of 'Crimson Tide' is that the suspense level never falters, even though it’s pretty obvious where the film is heading, and what the outcome will eventually be. This is a testosterone movie, and those expecting an ounce of subtlety should look elsewhere. But this is also the quintessential Hollywood popcorn movie, made by filmmakers at the height of their craft. It’s a highly-tuned, well-oiled machine that may not be terribly original, but is definitely a terrific, high-impact joyride of white-knuckle thrills and excitement.
Hollywood Pictures Home Video has issued a superb THX widescreen edition of the film. The film is letterboxed to its Panavision ratio of 2.35:1 (and believe me, Tony Scott demonstrates once again that he really knows how to take full advantage of the widescreen format). The sound is top-notch, with a constant low-frequency bass rumble during the sub interior sequences that will convince you you’re actually under the sea. (One gripe: at one moment during the resolution, the music suddenly gets louder, something that I did not notice when I saw the film three times in theaters last summer.)
The sub interiors are bathed in a wash of reds, blues and greens, and this could have been troublesome; however, the image here is razor-sharp and the colors are great (particularly, the reds are remarkably free of the "bleeding" usually expected in the transfer to home video). Only occasional shots of green text screens from computer terminals appear mildly fuzzy and distorted.
Given the ever-increasing momentum and tension of the narrative, the side breaks chosen are perfect. The 116-minute film is wisely divided onto three sides. And it may not have been immediately obvious to critics and viewers in theaters last summer, but 'Crimson Tide' has a "real-time" minute-for-minute second act (a gimmick that is the selling point for the current theatrical release 'Nick of Time'). Director Scott unavoidably misses a step as the climactic showdown approaches, but other than this one moment, 'Crimson Tide' maintains the integrity of the real time motif, and this, as much as the powerful performances, only serves to heighten the suspense yet another notch.
Following the film on side three are both the theatrical trailer (the teaser is not here though, if I dare to nitpick) and a 20-minute making-of featurette. These extra goodies, combined with the THX certification and the disc’s Dolby AC-3 encoding, make its $45 price tag a real bargain. Surely, this is a demonstration disc that will really impress.
Vital statistics: Hollywood Pictures Home Video; 3 sides; CLV; Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1); Stereo Surround; THX; AC-3; Chapter stops; $44.95.
S. Damien Segal.
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