K-19: The Widowmaker film review

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K19: THE WIDOWMAKER

The travails of getting K-19 to the screen were almost as ill-fated as the maiden voyage of the Russian nuclear submarine the film is named after. When the Kursk tragedy occurred during the film's production, it seemed the parallels between the two incidents might render the project as exploitative or at the least inappropriate. But with the respectful period of time that elapsed before its release, the film has gained a greater poignancy. "Inspired by actual events," K-19 is an effectively taught if somewhat rigid drama that provides a chilling insight into the horrors faced by the crew of a stricken submarine.

Director Kathryn Bigelow and cinematographer Jeff Croneweth have done a good job conveying the claustrophobic setting, using shots that jostle through the narrow corridors and press up tight against the actors. But despite being so close to those involved in the unveiling action, K-19 gives all but the most cursory study of the people behind the frightened expressions. Instead it focusses on the chain of events that nearly led to a Russian confrontation with America during the height of the cold war.

In 1961, Russia, desperate to show they possessed some answer to US naval superiority, were anxious to launch their most sophisticated nuclear submarine yet, the K-19. To oversee the sea trials, the government installed the obdurate Captain Vortrikov (Harrison Ford) over the head of the crew's normal commander, the more popular and compassionate Captain Polenin (Liam Neeson). A series of accidents resulting in the death of 10 people, even before K-19 had been launched, caused it to be rechristened The Widowmaker.

Ignoring warnings from Polenin that the sub isn't ready, Vortrikov shows more concern for party policy than his men's safety and declares, "We deliver or we drown." After a series of rigorous tests at sea, his doomed prophecy threatens to come true as one of K-19's nuclear reactors springs a leak. All eyes turn toward the newly installed reactor officer Radtchenko (Peter Sarsgaard), who is asked what will happen if they can't fix it? His quivering response is "Hiroshima." K-19's most harrowing scenes involve the various attempts to repair the reactor, with certain exposure to radiation awaiting those assigned to the task.