3 Good 3 Bad: Underwater Action Submarine Movies

Adventures on the high seas make for some of the most fun at the movies, but going under the waves often leads to a mix of unpredictable fare. Submarine movies are a rather confined genre that don’t lend themselves too much in scope (see what I did there?). Either way, this hasn’t stopped Hollywood from churning out all kinds of underwater escapades, most set in war of course, though a few have used these behemoths in other creative ways. This list in no way aims to tell you which is the absolute greatest or worst, though it will separate three that rose from the depths and three that sank.

The Hunt For Red October

Can’t really do a list on submarines and not start here. While there have been plenty of sub movies before this John McTiernan-directed epic, this movie is considered one of the best ever made. Starring a young Alec Baldwin as the first of movie iterations of Tom Clancy‘s Jack Ryan, it follows the efforts of the United States in determining if a Russian submarine commander (played by Sean Connery) has in fact stolen a new Soviet boat and is heading to the shores of America to start World War III … or is in fact defecting. Taking place almost entirely on submarines, this is a techno-thriller with great action and even better dialogue. Not to be missed. Read more here.

Down Periscope

Sure, it’s a comedy, and yeah, it’s meant to be goofy, but a parody of submarine movies would seem to have a lot more going for it than this. Starring Kelsey Grammer and Lauren Holly, the story centers on an unorthodox commander (Grammer) who gets one last chance with a sub, an old clunker from decades before he needs to whip into shape in order to prove himself again. Laden with a cast of obvious misfits and whackos, they head to sea to compete against a much more powerful nuclear boat in a war-game that sees the crew bond under silly situations. With a miscast Grammer and a string of whiffs that don’t bring any laughs, the movie is a seriously failed attempt at a target rich with potential. To the scrapyards.

Crimson Tide

As we mentioned not too long ago, Gene Hackman is just great in anything he does, elevating any movie in which he’s cast, including this bombastic thriller from the late Tony Scott. Co-starring Denzel Washington, the two leads play sub commanders at odds over orders received while running deep that the world is at war and they must fire their missiles. Problem is, the second confirmation message is cut off and a debate rages on what to do next. It’s smartly written and the excellent performances give this a real shot of adrenaline. Taking advantage of the tight spaces and already tense-heavy atmosphere, the movie is a sweat-inducing adventure with some serious questions to be asked. Plus, it’s just plain fun.

The Neptune Factor

You’ve probably never heard of this crusty gem from way back, and don’t stress too much that you haven’t. This 1973 thriller from director Daniel Petrie is, on paper, a sure thing, but in execution, a letdown. With science on its side, the story sees an underwater research facility about to send its crew to the surface when a massive earthquake sends the operation tumbling into a trench. Too deep for regular subs to reach them, a new experimental mini-sub (one of many on this list) is sent in on the dangerous mission, and soon discovers the survivors are not alone. There are monsters in the deep. And they are hungry. Starring Ben Gazzara and Ernest Borgnine, this slow moving big budget film is saddled with woefully bad special effects (shot using small models in a large fish tank) and very little momentum. While the cast is game, with the lovely Yvette Mimieux doing what she can, this is no Fantastic Voyage.

Das Boot

What many consider the epitome of submarine movies, this classic is still one of the best ever in the genre, a great mix of adventure and drama. Set in World War II, the film follows a desperate crew of a German U-boat, trying to survive in impossible conditions under rules and policies that have many questioning the purpose of their missions. Praised for its intense realism and impressive set design, the film greatly captures what life must have been like in these hellish conditions. Nominated for six Academy Awards, the movie is still a nail-biting watch, humanizing the men who sacrificed themselves for a cause they couldn’t understand or believe. One of the best anti-war movies ever made.

Submarine X-1

Sticking with World War II, this 1968 action movie stars James Caan as a Canadian sub commander, one of only a few men who survived a battle at sea, losing his submarine but able to swim ashore. He’s soon back in action, leading a group of small experimental subs in a mission to take on a German battleship. A product of its time, Submarine X-1 is a flat and lifeless adventure with dismal special effects and a leading man with no presence at all, which is too bad given the plot based on actual events, though significant changes were made, including the names of the ships. A completely out of context score tries hard to give it some punch but is distractingly over-the-top and it’s not long before this vehicle takes on water and disappears into oblivion.

BONUS: The Abyss

Okay, technically not a submarine movie, there is a sequence featuring a Navy sub and plenty of action involving mini-two-man subs so it’s getting on the list simply because the Director’s Cut of James Cameron‘s 1989 epic The Abyss is really great. Really great. Centered on an experimental oil drilling station that’s underwater, they are employed to become a deep sea rescue team that finds a lot more than it bargained for while exploring a deep trench. Watch this movie. It’s got a terrific plot, an sensational cast, and pulse-pounding action. Here’s our favorite moment.