Crimson Tide (1995) Film Review: A Tense, Smart Thriller About Command, Judgment, and Nuclear Stakes

Crimson Tide is a 1995 American submarine action thriller directed by Tony Scott, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, and set aboard the US Navy ballistic missile submarine USS Alabama. What makes it endure is not explosions or spectacle, although the film has plenty of energy, but the moral pressure cooker at its centre. Put simply, it is a gripping story about what happens when two capable officers disagree on what the rules require, and the consequences of being wrong are unthinkable.

Plot summary

The film unfolds during political turmoil in Russia, as ultranationalists seize control of nuclear weapons and threaten the wider world. The USS Alabama is deployed as part of America’s nuclear deterrent, with Captain Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) in command and a new executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington), joining the boat.

Ramsey is confident, battle tested, and intensely committed to decisive action. Hunter is equally committed to duty, but he is more procedural, more cautious, and more insistent that immense power must be exercised with absolute certainty. That philosophical split becomes urgent when the Alabama receives an Emergency Action Message authorising a missile launch. Before a follow up message can be fully received, communications are disrupted, leaving the submarine with an incomplete transmission and no clear way to confirm what national command actually intends.

Ramsey believes they must proceed based on what they have. Hunter argues that launching without confirmed, complete orders could trigger a catastrophic mistake. The disagreement escalates into a standoff over command authority, the chain of command, and what constitutes lawful action under extreme uncertainty. The film keeps you locked inside the submarine’s cramped spaces as external threats mount, time narrows, and the crew is forced to choose between competing versions of duty.

What works best

The best part of Crimson Tide is the Washington Hackman face off. Denzel Washington plays Hunter with calm intensity, never begging for sympathy and never turning the character into a simple hero. His authority comes from self control and clarity. When he pushes back, it feels rooted in principle rather than ego.

Gene Hackman is just as strong. Captain Ramsey is not written as a cartoon villain, and Hackman makes sure you never forget that. Ramsey is compelling because his worldview is coherent. He believes hesitation can be lethal, and he carries the weight of command like a man who has lived with hard decisions before. Hackman also brings a slight unpredictability, which keeps the tension alive even in quieter scenes.

Tony Scott’s direction is a perfect match for the material. The USS Alabama feels claustrophobic and mechanical, full of tight corridors and constant motion. The visual style and pacing push urgency without losing clarity. The movie rarely leaves the submarine, and that confinement becomes a feature rather than a limitation, because every conversation feels like it is happening with the walls closing in.

The script is sharp and confident. Officially, the screenplay is by Michael Schiffer, with the story credited to Schiffer and Richard P. Henrick. Critics and reviewers also widely note that Quentin Tarantino contributed uncredited dialogue polish, which helps explain why some exchanges have extra snap and personality.

Hans Zimmer’s score adds propulsion and intensity, and it has become one of the film’s most recognisable elements. The music does not simply decorate the scenes. It amplifies the feeling that time is running out and that every choice carries weight.

Conclusion and recommendation

Crimson Tide is one of the best mainstream thrillers of the 1990s because it takes a simple premise and treats it seriously. It asks a brutally hard question. When you have partial information and no time, do you act decisively or wait for certainty. The film refuses to make that question comfortable, and that is why it stays gripping.

Even if you have seen plenty of military movies, this one stands out for how much suspense it generates from procedure, responsibility, and human judgment. With powerhouse performances from Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman, muscular direction from Tony Scott, and writing that respects the audience, it earns its reputation.

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

(All views are my own personal thoughts and reflections on movies and books that I read, on my blog Left Hand Column: Book and Film Reviews.)