The Hunt for Red October

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The Hunt for Red October

PG

1990

2h 15m

Mystery & Thriller

Action

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

76 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Based on the popular Tom Clancy novel, this suspenseful movie tracks Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius as he abandons his orders and heads for the east coast of the United States. Equipped with innovative stealth technology, Ramius' submarine, "Red October," is virtually invisible. However, when an American sub briefly detects the Russians' presence, CIA agent Jack Ryan sets out to determine Ramius' motives, fearing he may launch an attack on the U.S.

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Critics Consensus

Perfectly cast and packed with suspense, The Hunt for Red October is an old-fashioned submarine thriller with plenty of firepower to spare.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

02/11/2015

3.5/4

Clancy is known for writing difficult books, but the movie makes plausible a preposterous situation because of Baldwin's convincing, low-key approach to being a film hero.

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Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

02/11/2015

You may not be limp from accumulated tension when this hunt is over, but its cautiously upbeat global message leaves a satisfying glow and it operates with a crackerjack premise.

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John Hartl

Seattle Times

02/11/2015

3/4

An exciting techno-suspense thriller with a hollow center.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

06/22/2023

2.5/4

...a consistently watchable yet erratically-paced drama...

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

11/12/2022

It's a tad obsolete, but that does not impede it from being tremendously dynamic and entertaining. [Full review in Spanish]

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

08/25/2022

7/10

As an espionage thriller, I must say, it has a tension that runs against the clock like a torpedo under the sea as it outlines its plot of diplomacy and naval strategy in the twilight of the Cold War. [Full review in Spanish]

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AC C

@Mon_Alisa 4d

Wow! Sean Connery and an amazing cast, massive sub, close call suspense. Great watch.

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Antoni W

@Antonir Aug 21

I hadn't heard of this movie before watching it but it is GOOD

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Max M

@Househuntermax Jul 31

Everything an action thriller should be. Fast paced, top notch acting, grand and cinematic. Jan DeBonts camera work is second to none. Classic absolutely must see. (Pay no attention to the accents, or lack thereof)

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Farah R

@Farah Jul 28

This well-acted spy thriller is suspenseful but very boring. The narrative is hard to follow and, as the scenes became repetitive, my mind kept wandering. I see why it’s widely considered a classic, but the slow tension and heavy technical dialogue requires lots of patience.

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Romas M

@Romas Jul 27

Greetings from Lithuania. "The Hunt for Red October" (1990) is an excellent submarine movie. It is a Jack Ryan movie but for me this installment was never about him - it is a submarine movie trough and trough, and one of the best one. The cast was exceptional bunch of starts and great character actors: Sean Connery (in one of his best roles), Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, Stellan Skarsgård - this is a brilliantly staged, acted and directed movie. Editing was top notch. Sound design was and still is incredible, you really get the sense being in a submarine (of course watching movie on good home theater sound system). It is superbly paced movie - at running time 2 h 15 min it never draggs and is involving from start till finish. Writing was great, smart and believable. Overall, "The Hunt for Red October" is one one of the 3 - 4 films that John McTiernan has ever directed. This is a tense, smart, involving and amazingly crafter thriller that keep one engaged. Great movie.

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Gabriel K

@GabeKnowMovies Jul 10

Very good writing and plot! Though, it can be a bit confusing at times.

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John McTiernan

Director

Sean Connery

Captain Marko Ramius

Alec Baldwin

Jack Ryan

Scott Glenn

Captain Bart Mancuso

Sam Neill

Captain Vasily Borodin

James Earl Jones

Admiral James Greer

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Synopsis

Based on the popular Tom Clancy novel, this suspenseful movie tracks Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius as he abandons his orders and heads for the east coast of the United States. Equipped with innovative stealth technology, Ramius' submarine, "Red October," is virtually invisible. However, when an American sub briefly detects the Russians' presence, CIA agent Jack Ryan sets out to determine Ramius' motives, fearing he may launch an attack on the U.S.

Director: John McTiernan
Producer: Mace Neufeld
Screenwriter: Larry Ferguson, Donald Stewart, John Milius
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 2, 1990, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 21, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $119.1M
Runtime: 2h 15m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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