60%Tomatometer 170 Reviews 52%Audience Score 25,000+ Ratings Follows Captain Alexi Vostrikov (Harrison Ford) who, at the height of the Cold War, is ordered to take over command of the nuclear missile submarine K-19, pride of the Soviet Navy. His assignment: Prepare the K-19 for sea and take her out on patrol -- no matter what the cost. But problems with the K-19 arise that may lead to a core meltdown and explosion that will certainly kill all aboard, and possibly trigger a nuclear war. Vostrikov must choose between his orders and the lives of his men. Read MoreRead Less
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K-19: The Widowmaker
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K-19: The Widowmaker
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Critics Consensus
A gripping drama even though the filmmakers have taken liberties with the facts.
Stanley Kauffmann The New Republic Why did movie moguls think that this was the right moment for a tale of unflinching loyalty to the Soviet Union? Mar 5, 2013 Full Review Empire Magazine Rated: 2/5 Mar 30, 2003 Full Review Jason Best BBC.com The movie's true hero -- or heroine -- is Bigelow, who once again proves herself one of the very best action directors around. Rated: 4/5 Sep 26, 2002 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Not to be confused with K-9, K-2 or even K-PAX, the fact-based K-19 is nevertheless strictly DOA and should be KO’d ASAP. Rated: 2/4 Apr 2, 2024 Full Review Leigh Paatsch Herald Sun (Australia) Does a competent job of creating the same sense of creepy claustrophobia that made classic sub actioners like Das Boot, Crimson Tide and The Hunt For Red October so memorable. Rated: 3/5 Aug 4, 2020 Full Review John J. Puccio Movie Metropolis ...takes its place among a small group of undersea motion pictures. Unfortunately, it takes its place at the end of the line. Rated: 5/10 May 7, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews
Audience Reviews
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Walt S I thought this was a solid film, sort of a Das Boat meets Chernobyl. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars03/20/24 Full Review Laura L Great movie! Great cast with Harrison Ford (as Cpt. Vostrikov) and Liam Neeson (as Officer Polenin). They make a great team interpreting the captain and the main officer on the first Soviet Union nuclear submarine that had an accident and they were all in danger of irradiations. The movie successfully contrasts the difficulties of making the right decisions under great life-threatening pressure and the easiness of judging the gravity of a situation from a warm office and in circ*mstances that aren't life-threatening. Rated 5/5 Stars •Rated 5 out of 5 stars02/27/24 Full Review David H Everytime I've watched this movie i thoroughly enjoy it, although the Russian accents are a bit iffy. Rated 4/5 Stars •Rated 4 out of 5 stars01/29/24 Full Review Ramez G Movie: K-19: The WidowmakerSummary: The movie K-19 is based on a real-life incident that happened to the Soviet nuclear-powered submarine K-19 in 1961 during the Cold War era. The movie starts when the Soviet navy has finished working on the submarine and was considered set to sail and "defend the Motherland." The under trained and under equipped crew set sail for a mission in the Northern Atlantic Sea led by their determined captain, Nikolai Zateyev. After the first couple of days at sea, the tough captain decides to conduct rigorous and challenging drills and tests. This sends the crew, as well as the submarine, to the edge, making everyone on board uncomfortable with his way of leading the crew. A couple of days later the nuclear officer on board notices that one of the cores' temperature is starting to rise unexpectedly. After some thorough examination he discovers a coolant leak that will lead to a global scale nuclear explosion, 20 times bigger than Hiroshima. The crew then tries their best to prevent that nuclear meltdown while navigating under the treacherous waters of the North Atlantic.Analysis:Unlike most war or military related movies, the biggest takeaway in K-19 is not the politics. While it did have a political side, it focused more on leadership and the relationship between a highly decorated, tough captain and his crew. One of the most memorable scenes from the film is when the captain, who hasn't shown a shred of emotions since the beginning of the movie, cries when one of his crew members dies tragically, burnt from radiation for his heroic act to save everyone. This implies character development. The captain at the beginning of the movie was ordering his crew, but at the end he was asking them, thus showing the viewer what is the meaning of true leadership: that is not to treat your followers as servants, but rather befriend them. Only then you will establish true trust.The movie also focused on the psychological side of living under the sea, especially on board a 5000 ton chunk of metal that is powered by a malfunctioning nuclear reactor. The way that the crew reacted while their captain conducted dangerous drills and tests that could crush the hull or give their position to the enemy, conveys to the viewer the true depth of the situation.The true psychological horror starts when the crew gets sent one by one into the nuclear reactor with minimal protection in a desperate attempt to repair the reactor. It leaves the viewer speechless at the courage of the crew.Another key theme of the movie is the consequences of the Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States. The film highlights the attempts of the captain to avoid any possible conflict between his submarine and the US navy as almost any move could be interpreted as an act of war, that will surely have undesirable outcomes on both sides. The movie serves as a powerful reminder of the power of diplomacy in resolving issues on a global scale.Critique: I believe that K-19 has everything to make a great wartime movie, highlighting themes of leadership, sacrifice, and the consequences of Cold War tensions. The director played a great role in representing the Soviet side of the Cold War, while the acting was striking, with the captain played by Harrison Ford and the executive officer played by Liam Neeson. The music also played an important role in setting the mood, fluctuating between calm as the event became relaxed, and intense as the events spiraled out of control. I love military/war movies, and I give K-19 5/5 as one of the best all time war movies. Rated 5/5 Stars •Rated 5 out of 5 stars02/17/23 Full Review Kyria D Set during the cold war, K-19 is a gripping military and disaster drama. Fantastic acting between Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. Many of the smaller roles are also wonderfully portrayed. Based on real events. Rated 5/5 Stars •Rated 5 out of 5 stars01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member The funniest movie ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL, ages 13+ are allowed. Rated 5/5 Stars •Rated 5 out of 5 stars01/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating
Cast & Crew
Kathryn Bigelow Director Harrison Ford Captain Alexi Vostrikov Liam Neeson Captain Mikhail Polenin Peter Sarsgaard Reactor Officer Vadim Radtchenko Joss Ackland Marshal Zelentsov John Shrapnel Admiral Bratyeev
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Movie Info
SynopsisFollows Captain Alexi Vostrikov (Harrison Ford) who, at the height of the Cold War, is ordered to take over command of the nuclear missile submarine K-19, pride of the Soviet Navy. His assignment: Prepare the K-19 for sea and take her out on patrol -- no matter what the cost. But problems with the K-19 arise that may lead to a core meltdown and explosion that will certainly kill all aboard, and possibly trigger a nuclear war. Vostrikov must choose between his orders and the lives of his men.
Director
Kathryn Bigelow
Producer
Kathryn Bigelow, Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Christine Whitaker, Edward S. Feldman
Screenwriter
Christopher Kyle
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
First Light Production, New Regency Pictures, Palomar, National Geographic Society
Rating
PG-13 (Disturbing Images)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 19, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$35.2M
Runtime
2h 18m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
On 19 April 1990 the submarine was decommissioned, and was transferred in 1994 to the naval repair yard at Polyarny. In March 2002, she was towed to the Nerpa Shipyard, Snezhnogorsk, Murmansk, to be scrapped.
The facts, ma'am. Just the facts. July 19 marked the first major motion picture release by the National Geographic Society. K-19: The Widowmaker is based on the true story of a near-disaster aboard the Soviet Union's first nuclear ballistic submarine.
K-19 was dismantled at Murmansk Nerpa shipyard some time after 2003 and only the shell of the sail was spared, sitting in a parking lot next to the shipyard for years.
The film was shot in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Toronto, Ontario; Gimli, Manitoba; and Moscow, Russia. The producers made some efforts to work with the original crew of K-19, who took exception to the first version of the script available to them, and who called for an end of Russian cooperation with the filmmakers.
An epilogue reveals Vostrikov was acquitted, but the K-19 crew was sworn to secrecy and Vostrikov never given submarine command again. All seven men who went into the reactor chamber died of radiation poisoning, and twenty others later died from radiation sickness.
Vasili Arkhipov, the brigade chief of staff, experienced a moment of clarity. He perceived that there was no war. The Americans wouldn't waste their substantial resources fixating on a diesel submarine if a full-blown war had broken out. They either would kill the sub or abandon it without a second thought.
What happened to the captain of the K19 submarine? - Quora. Captain 1st rank Nikolai Zateyev was awarded the Order of the Red Banner after the events of 1961. After getting treated for radiation sickness, he was made the deputy commander of a submarine division.
Even so, at least 23 crew members are known to have survived the explosions, only to die of carbon monoxide poisoning as the vessel's oxygen ran out; Russian and Norwegian divers were able to recover four of their bodies on breaching the hull a month and a half after the incident.
K-19 was the first submarine of the Soviet Union's Project 658, the first generation of Soviet nuclear submersibles that carried an armament of nuclear ballistic missiles. The vessel was quickly built, due to US submarine developments during the Cold War.
On Thursday, the Missouri retired aerospace engineer fought back tears as he was notified that a submarine wreck, discovered off the coast of Japan last year, is what remains of the USS Albacore – one of 52 Navy submarines lost during World War II, according to Naval History and Heritage Command, or NHHC.
The ex-USS Menhaden (SS 377) earned unique fame as the Navy's "yellow submarine" during the early 1980s. The Balao-class submarine USS Menhaden (SS 377) was not always yellow. Commissioned June 22, 1945, USS Menhaden did not see combat during World War II.
Scorpion was believed to have been lost on 27 May 1968. She is one of two nuclear submarines the U.S. Navy has lost, the other being USS Thresher. She was one of the four submarine disappearances in 1968, the others being the Israeli submarine INS Dakar, the French submarine Minerve, and the Soviet submarine K-129.
"K-19: The Widowmaker" remains an amalgamation of the brave actions taken by the men aboard the ship and a dramatized conflict between the leaders of the submarine. As with any Hollywood dramatization of real events, the line between reality and fiction is often blurred.
This is a good movie. Not the best ever made, certainly, and not even the best submarine movie I've ever seen (I'd rank "U-571" and "Run Silent Run Deep" ahead of it) but still it was worth watching. Overall, I'd rank it as a 7/10.
What happened to the captain of the K19 submarine? - Quora. Captain 1st rank Nikolai Zateyev was awarded the Order of the Red Banner after the events of 1961. After getting treated for radiation sickness, he was made the deputy commander of a submarine division.
The reactors were mothballed in Severodvinsk by filling them with a preservative based on furfural, which was forecast to seal the spent nuclear fuel against sea water for as much as 500 years. In 1965, after the reactor compartments were thus sealed, they were dumped in the ocean.
Before those orders could be carried out the flooding reached a point beyond recovery and on 6 October 1986 the K-219 sank to the bottom of the Hatteras Abyssal Plain at a depth of about 6,000 m (18,000 ft). Britanov abandoned ship shortly before the sinking.
However, when the submarine section was about halfway up, it broke apart, and a portion plunged back to the ocean bottom. Crestfallen, the Glomar crew successfully hauled up the portion that remained in the capture vehicle. Among the contents of the recovered section were the bodies of six Soviet submariners.
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