The Hunt for Red October

E

McTiernan is a master, and this film is just oozing style through every orifice. Sure, it's a silly Tom Clancy adaptation, but the performances are stellar and McT's personal study in cinema gives him an edge over other action directors. 'I cut my teeth in european films'; tell that to Joe silver or Luc Besson.

Palmat

This film combines two things I really like in movies, submarines and the cold war. What this movie might lack in originality it makes up for in thrills and excellent direction by McTiernan. The cast is also convincing and I have yet to find an actor here that does not sell his role. The production design is excellent and really makes us believe that we are in the middle of the action. All in all a great movie!

Ethan

My all time favorite submarine movie. Sean Connery is still badass even if his Russian accent sounds a little Scottish. As a matter of fact, John McTiernan was pretty liberal with his actors when it came to having the proper accents. All that aside this movie is still pretty badass.

João Eça

In one of the last scenes Sean Connery (a soviet) and Alec Baldwin (an american) talk about fishing and childhood. That's the most interesting scene of the film, because nations and politics aside both characters discover humanity in each other. Not enough to save a routine war flick full of McTiernan's frantic and annoying camera movements.

Dave

This would be my favorite McTiernan movie and deserves a place in my 90s list. Even if I am a sucker for Cold War movies, regardless, this is just an incredibly well-made film. I won't try and compare to some other lauded sub movies, but I do know that in terms of personal enjoyment, this one ranks above all those others.

mjgildea

3 1/2 out of 5 stars. For a movie my dad dragged me to when I was 15 it holds up well. Nearly 25 years later I can definitely appreciate The Hunt for Red October much more. Connery is a goliath, dwarfing everyone else who shares a scene with him. Baldwin's impressions were funny but he's definitely miscast here. McTiernan's direction is intermittently iffy for me but it works here. Second viewing was much better.

Dan Kenneth Gigernes

Sean Connery as a Soviet Submarine captain was a masterful casting choice to be honest in this which was the first Jack Ryan movie - excellent for it's time and Alec Baldwin does a good job as the lead. A supporting cast full of my favorites help. Exciting nail-biting moments and an interesting plot which is now more like an interesting historical document since it was set so close to the fall of the Soviet Union.

Victoria L.

Even though the cast is "heavy", the cinematography is as good as it could be at the given time and one could easily put a full stop right there, I got the impression that the story was somewhat insulting to both parties and eventually its audience. As if warfare is a fun game on the hands of likeable characters that we should look upon or even sympathize with.