Loved and trusted by his men, respected as the most experienced submarine captain in the Soviet Navy, Captain Mikhail Polenin (Neeson)
is removed from command of K-19 when the Soviet leadership decides he isn't readying their flagship sub fast enough for her maiden voyage.
In his place, the naval brass summons Captain Alexei Vostrokov (Ford), a strictly "mission-oriented" officer with an iron will, who takes
K-19 out to sea precisely on schedule on June 18, 1961.
Polenin, due to his practical knowledge of the sub, remains on board as Vostrikov's executive officer, and the two clash repeatedly.
Once under way, Vostrikov tests K-19 and the crew to the utmost degree, conducting drill after drill, driving the submarine and the men
to the edge by plunging toward maximum diving depth. At last the mentally, emotionally and physically taxing sea trials end with the
successful launch of a test missile.
Then a fateful order comes from Moscow: K-19 is to head westward to take up its Cold War patrol station a mere 400 km off the U.S.
coastline. Unaware that the submarine has been crippled, steadfast Captain Vostrikov obeys the Motherland, taking the K-19 and his
men to what could be their last voyage. For on July 4, 1961, with the patrol mission scarcely under way, a disaster of global magnitude
strikes: the atomic submarine's reactor cooling system springs a leak, and the reactor core slowly heats up. If it reaches 1,000 degrees,
the reactor could melt threatening the crews lives. Worse still, if the reactor erupts, it could set off missile warheads, and a nuclear
explosion so close to a NATO base it could trigger World War III.
Canadian Connection: Partly filmed in Toronto, Ottawa and Winnipeg.
This has got to be one of my most favorite movies! The actors fit the part perfectly even if their accents are anywhere less than perfect. The plot is suspenceful and it`s even hard to believe this actually happened in real life. I must have seen this movie over 5 times and it still brings tears.
Fantastic Movie! Very moving and suspensful! Loved the way it was told from a Russian point of view. Loved all the actors. Ford, Neeson & Sarsgaard were all wonderful! One of my favorites! Deeply moving the way the movie ended. My Grandfather and Great Uncles were Soviet Navy Captains so I got to see what they saw when they were on a submarine! 5 Stars! -MD
I was a young Doc (Lieutenant-Surgeon) in a warship in 1975-76 at Brazilian Navy and I knew a little bit about submarines and others vessels. In my humble opinion "K-19-Widowmaker" is a drama based in a true story and the movie is very good. Indeed, I have liked a lot. Capt. Gottlieb