Red October – Instant Classic that Spawned the Jack Ryan Franchise

Hunt For Red October | 1990 Classic Action Thriller
A Highline Journal Exclusive Movie Review by Daniel Magill

It’s popular these days to reminisce about the numerous great movies made during the 80s and 90s, what some call Hollywood’s peak. So many excellent films were cranked out in those years, you could confidently venture to a theater nearly every weekend and expect to find something good.

The Hunt for Red October was one of the greatest films from that era in the action-thriller genre. It features Sean Connery at the height of his stardom playing the Russian sub captain, a rising Alec Baldwin taking the role of Jack Ryan in the first film made based on the well-loved Tom Clancy character, and a host of other great actors including James Earl Jones, Tim Curry, Sam Neill, Scott Glenn, a young Stellan Starsgard, and even an ex-senator in Fred Thompson. 

Red October is that smart, high-concept, engaging thriller that appeals to viewers on every level that great movies do, something we just don’t see much anymore. It has beautiful visuals of submarine action. A terrific film score by Basil Poledouris. Humor from side characters including those on the US submarine Dallas and the pair of Russian and American political adversaries. Tension. Suspense. High stakes. Traitors. Questions of who to trust or believe.

But the best thing about this movie is the story. 

If it’s been a while since you’ve seen it, here’s the setup.

At the height of the Cold War, the Russians have developed a new submarine called the Red October that can run essentially silent, enabling them – in theory – to sneak past all the American sonar and sensor arrays right up to our coastline and attack us without warning. It’s a war-starter, and a war-ender, shifting the balance of power toward the Soviet Union.

The Americans, led by analyst Jack Ryan (Baldwin) get wind of this through spies and informers, but only after the sub has just launched, and they have no way to find it or track it. 

Ryan, in one of the more humorous moments in the movie, gets the idea that the Red October’s captain may actually be trying to defect to the US side and bring the boat with him. The problem is, no one else believes him, and even he can’t be sure. And even if he’s right, what can they do about it, especially once they discover the entire Soviet navy is searching for the same boat?

The US sub Dallas, captained by Scott Glenn, features an always-enjoyable journey into the intricacies of sonar, along with an array of likeable crew members, each with their own distinct personalities and character qualities.

And of course, you have the Russian crew of the Red October and its own crew of well-drawn characters, including the great Tim Curry and Sam Neill, whose ‘Montana’ monologue endures as one of the more delightful moments in film dialogue history. 

Connery excels as Captain Ramius, fully inhabiting the role and commanding the respect of all his men as well as the viewing audience. 

The film presents puzzle after puzzle and then takes us along as various characters must solve them, and the way the final resolution works out is the stuff of greatness that only a perfect film script can make happen. 

One reason you don’t see too many movies like this anymore is because what Red October achieves is incredibly difficult to deliver. It is quite impressive to see a film with so many distinct characters where every single subplot and arc pays off in satisfying – and believable – ways. 

This is basically a flawless film. 

If you haven’t seen it or it’s been a long time – watch it yourself or with your younger relatives who need to see what great movies are like. I showed it to my 11-year old son. He grew two inches taller before the movie was done.

Daniel Magill is the published author of the Readers Favorite 5-star sci-fi time travel thriller Future In Doubt and the Galactic War Virus series. He lives in Burien with his wife and kids.