Should I Check This Out - The Hunt for Red October (1990)

In memory of the late Tom Clancy who passed away today, aged 66, I review one of his best pieces adapted to the screen, John McTiernan's The Hunt for Red October.

Starring a young Alec Baldwin as CIA analyst Jack Ryan, he is faced with the task of deducing whether one of the USSR's best submarine captains, Marko Ramius (Sean Connery), who's in control of one the deadliest submarines ever built, is defecting or about to start a war as he heads towards the USA.

In comparison with Clancy's later adaptions with Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck, this is probably my favourite because of the rising tension, nice storytelling and great performances. Connery, while not always known for holding an accent (The Untouchables), is great as the Russian captain, receiving a BAFTA nomination. The supporting cast are also very good which includes Sam Neil. Scott Glenn, James Earl Jones, Tim Curry and Stellan Skarsgård, while Baldwin successfully brings across the charismatic, fresh-faced Ryan whose caught between two strong opposing forces while having to keep a cool head.

While the sound of a submarine thriller might not carry across much excitement today, once the film starts, it quickly wraps you in with its smooth pacing and interesting story as it cuts between the Russian sub and America. McTiernan wastes no time in putting you amongst the crews of the claustrophobic submarines in this 134 minute long film, filled with the usual 'brace for impact!' moments that are done so brilliantly well executed here. Amongst the tense moments of action, there is also great drama, particularly between Connery and Neil as the two work together under difficult circumstances.

Despite its age, this is still a very good looking film, with nice cinematography and (Oscar nominated) editing. The submarine action scenes themselves are also great fun to watch, with no strings attached or any dodgy CGI to be seen.

McTiernan successfully created a great boys-own action film, complete with a great script and cast. If you haven't seen any Clancy adaptions so far, here is a good place to start. And with a great selection of books, I'm sure we expect more adaptions to follow, as Kenneth Branagh's Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit arrives later this year.

Tom Clancy 1947 - 2013