(4 / 5)
A back to basics nail-biter.
If you enjoyed The Great Escape (1963) you’ll feel right at home with this. This man-on-a-mission adventure thriller features a bunch of men on a submarine – enough to shamelessly fail any Bechdel test anyone cares to throw at it.
Robinson (Jude Law) is a Scotsman who has just been fired from his unique and highly-skilled position as captain of under-sea salvage. In order to continue providing for the welfare of his son, he agrees to command a highly lucrative but challenging mission to retrieve some yet unspoken for gold bars from one of Hitler’s u-boats which is buried beneath the Black Sea. He brings with him a motley crew of British and Russians with expertise in their respective fields, including a psychotic Australian diver thrown in for good measure. To add some extra tension, Robinson also chooses to bring along a young inexperienced lad called Tobin at the last minute, to make up the numbers.
The drama begins when Robinson reveals that the profits are to be shared equally amongst the crew, and talk starts to brew over the possibility of eliminating other crew members in order to increase one’s own share.
Law is surprisingly authentic in his role as a tough and hardened captain, however I do think he would be even more suitable as the next James Bond (Why has he not been chosen to replace Daniel Craig yet?).
Overall a very enjoyable film and even quite touching at the end. I’m surprised that it’s currently only 6.4 on IMDB, I thought it deserved more. It’s a thumbs up from me! Black Sea premieres in Sweden on April 10.