Every Kathryn Bigelow Film Ranked From Worst To Best

This solid submarine thriller is based on a decades long hushed incident that took place during the Cold War. The arduous research and perfectionist eye for authentic detail are apparent in every frame. Sure, the script can feel a little Hollywood, yet it got the stamp of approval by the Russian military - a rare case of them collaborating with Western filmmakers.

The painstaking process is sadly hampered by one near fatal flaw; the entire movie is delivered in English with painfully mock Russian accents.

Harrison Ford certainly can’t handle the challenge. Pity, playing a headstrong Captain whose stoicism has fatal consequences, it's an interesting subversion of his heroic traits, with him and Liam Neeson’s constant head-butting making for tense macho drama.

The 'accent effect' also trickles to the decent supporting cast too. It’s a shame Bigalow wasn’t allowed to pull a Letters From Imo Jima and film with a native cast in their natural language, but sadly she doesn't hold a Hollywood royalty pass like a Clint Eastwood.

Still, about the halfway point the drama and conflict of the piece become so compelling, accented by Bigalow’s dynamic camerawork, you'll give it a pass. Its turning point a harrowing set-piece, featuring fresh-faced crew members emerging from a damaged nuclear reactor as limping diseased shells of their former selfs. It's a horrifying scene and some of the most powerful imagery the director has executed.