Black Sea

Black Sea is about a group of men who have given everything to their jobs, only to be discarded away. These men then get a submarine to find a U-Boat containing Nazi gold.

Going in to the movie with that description and only having seen one trailer, I had low expectations for this. However, this movie was a lot better that I thought it would be despite the events of the movie being predictable to a certain extent.

The story goes as expected apart from I couple of things which I didn't see coming (which is always nice). The characters were a bit lacking. Apart from a couple, most were under-developed. And my main issue with the most of the characters is that I didn't really care most of them. As for the Scottish accents, it was easy enough to understand, but then again, I live in Scotland. The movie does have a good share of awesome and very entertaining scenes though.

In saying that, I still enjoyed the movie as it has a decent story and conclusion, despite lacking a bit in the character department.

All of the classic drama/suspense elements are there; intrigue, plotting, betrayal, redemption, class conflict, heroes, bad guys, the mandatory weasel...and a pretty darned cool submarine.

They really didn't break any new ground but there is certainly room for another, 'Holy crap...we're really deep underwater in a tin can' movie.

Unlike 'The Hunt for Red October', this movie was mostly dark with intermittent moments of hope but little humour...which is OK since as a pure drama, things moved along nicely. Good acting, dialogue and direction gave this film a finished and crafted look and feel.

Jude Law gave a truly gritty performance, which I really doubted he had in him. I expected some of the more typical smart mouthed, foppy behaviour we've come to expect from Jude, but he fit right in with the other rough and tumble members of the crew.

It's well worth seeing on the big screen but you better hurry...tonight I was completely alone in the theatre...which means a lot of people are missing out on some fine entertainment, and it probably won't be around much longer.

Greetings again from the darkness. One of my first favorite TV shows as a little kid was "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea". Each week I sat wide-eyed in front of the tube (yes, it was actually a cathode ray tube back then) anxiously awaiting underwater adventure. It wasn't until later that I discovered Irwin Allen's 1961 movie of the same name, and more importantly, Jules Verne's novel "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea", which featured the wild exploits of Captain Nemo and the Nautilus. Since then, count me in for just about any movie based aboard a submarine (Down Periscope being a rare exception).

Director Kevin MacDonald is best known for his excellent 2006 film The Last King of Scotland (with Forest Whitaker's Oscar winning performance as Idi Amin). This time he works with a script from playwright Dennis Kelly to deliver a gritty, tense thriller that is lacking any traditional Hollywood fluff … it's a down and dirty look at greed, desperation and the survival instinct.

Inherent to a story based aboard a submarine is the immediate and constant threat of claustrophobia and death. This one adds another element of danger by blending a crew of Russians and Brits with the goal of bringing back millions of dollars in gold locked away on a sunken German U-Boat in the Black Sea waters. Lest you think the Russians are just another group of southern California actors faking the accent, director MacDonald confirmed that he cast actual Russian actors – including Grigoriy Dobrygin (A Most Wanted Man), Konstantin Khabenskiy (one of the most popular actors in Russia), and three others named Sergey, which MacDonald acknowledged contributed to on-set confusion. This decision elevates the onboard tension between adversarial characters to an armrest-gripping level. Yet another slightly psychotic Ben Mendelsohn (Animal Kingdom) role doesn't hurt, either.

Jude Law continues the second phase of his career – far removed from his pretty boy early films – as a tough, revenge-seeking sub captain fired by his long-time employer. Should you doubt Law's acting range, I would recommend not just this film, but also last year's Dom Hemingway (a wild ride). Law's performance here is very strong as he transforms from a p.o.'d former employee to an eye-on-the-prize, win-at-all-cost treasure seeker. The onboard tension mounts every time there is interaction between the Russians and Brits, and Law's character attempts to mediate. The progression of this three-way dynamic is fascinating to watch as it unfolds.

To provide that true underwater feeling, MacDonald filmed some scenes onboard an old Soviet submarine that is moored in the River Medway in Kent (UK). We never have that feeling of Hollywood soundstage; instead we as viewers share in the tight space and constant dread. This combination of characters, setting and mission deliver an intense thriller that is sure to please, and feels uncommonly welcome this early in the year.

The pinnacle of submarine movies is Das Boot (1981), a must-see for any movie lover. Other popular sub films include Crimson Tide (1995), The Hunt for Red October (1990), and K-19: The Widowmaker (2002), and for those of us who are fascinated by life (and possible death) under the sea, we gladly welcome a new entry to the sub-genre, especially one as well made and tension-packed as Black Sea.

"I know a way to not be like this. I know a way to get money." Captain Robinson (Law) is a submarine captain who has just been told he is no longer needed. When he tells his crew about this they are wondering what the next step in their lives will be. The idea comes up about trying to salvage a sunken sub full of Nazi gold and they agree to look for it. What starts off as a way to make money becomes something so much more. This is a movie that I can not do justice to in a review. The movie is nothing amazing and is not a classic but this is one of the biggest surprises I have seen in a while. I was sucked in right away and was interested and intrigued all the way until the end, which seemed to come almost too soon. This movie takes all the great aspects of a heist movie and moves the setting to a claustrophobic submarine. I could go on about how much I liked this movie but I will just say this is one you have to see to understand. I recommend this. Overall, nothing that will win awards or become a classic, but it was entertaining and very much worth your time. I really enjoyed this. I give it a B+.

As a former submarine sailor I watch every submarine picture that is exhibited. None are exactly as it was or is. Most are a lot of fun to watch. This movie was very good as it entertained and kept you on the edge of your seat. This is a good escape from all the movies that are all explosions, blood and gore, fantasy, and vampire trash. This has a believable storyline even if the FX are a little unbelievable. You should watch this movie and enjoy it. Jude law is surprising in the role of the Capt. and is a great deal different than previous movie roles for him. The clash of personalities adds to the excitement through danger and mechanical malfunctions.