Overview
A tense standoff at sea escalates into a battle of wills and ideologies.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- propulsive
- claustrophobic
- action movie night
- military thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Tony Scott's taut, high-energy direction, forceful dialogue, suspenseful submarine action, and the commanding performances of Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The USS Alabama's submerged interior turns the command dispute and missile crisis into an enclosed pressure cooker.
Hunter and Ramsey clash over whether to follow a partially received launch order or restore communications first.
Damaged communications prevent the officers from receiving an entire message during a nuclear crisis.
Ramsey's self-made naval career conflicts with Hunter's college education and less extensive combat experience.
Films like Crimson Tide, and why
The Hunt for Red October
shares submarine warfare, claustrophobic military tension, command conflict, and morally consequential decisions under pressure
Das Boot
shares high-stakes submarine suspense, crew loyalty tested by crisis, and grounded military procedure
Fail Safe
shares a tense chain-of-command thriller built around nuclear danger, political uncertainty, and competing interpretations of orders
A Few Good Men
shares psychologically intense military drama, institutional authority clashes, and ethical conflict surrounding catastrophic force
Movie Details
- Director
- Tony Scott
- Release Date
- 1995-05-12
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (2080)
Cast
- Denzel Washington
- Gene Hackman
- Matt Craven
- George Dzundza
- Viggo Mortensen
- James Gandolfini
- Rocky Carroll
- Jaime Gomez
- Michael Milhoan
- Scott Burkholder
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Crimson Tide about?
- A nuclear submarine's captain and executive officer wage a perilous battle over an incomplete launch order as global catastrophe looms.
- What is Crimson Tide like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Crimson Tide as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Crimson Tide violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Crimson Tide as moderate.
- What did critics think of Crimson Tide?
- Critics broadly praised Tony Scott's taut, high-energy direction, forceful dialogue, suspenseful submarine action, and the commanding performances of Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman.
- Which films are like Crimson Tide?
- Films with a similar feel include The Hunt for Red October, Das Boot, Fail Safe, and A Few Good Men.
- How long is Crimson Tide?
- Crimson Tide runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Crimson Tide?
- In United States, Crimson Tide streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
