30 years later, 'Crimson Tide' is still one of my favorite Denzel movies — you'll even put down your phone

When they say "They don't make movies like this anymore," they're talking about "Crimson Tide." Which is all the more surprising because there's no reason a movie like this couldn't be made today. Starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman, this action thriller doesn't reinvent the wheel. But it expertly balances dealing with weighty themes — namely, nuclear war — while still being a propulsive war movie clocking in at under two hours.

But if you look inward, you know that today this movie would either be a CGI-heavy spectacle or pair a movie star with an up-and-comer who may or may not have it. Given that it's about potentially launching nuclear missiles at Russia, you could even argue it wouldn't be made today, and if it did, it'd surely be a three-hour epic rather than a mere 116 minutes.

Thankfully, though, in 1995, the legendary director Tony Scott teamed up with iconic producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer to make "Crimson Tide," and now, over 30 years later, it's the movie I'm revisiting for week 16 of my Denzel Watchathon, and I'll freely admit, it's the best movie yet.

If you want to watch this movie before you read on, I have to warn you: "Crimson Tide" isn't currently streaming on any of the best streaming services. Nor is it streaming on any of the best free streaming services. Instead, you'll need to buy or rent "Crimson Tide" from Amazon or the digital storefront of your choice. I promise you, though, at just $3.99, it's a better value (and better movie) than any movie you can go see in theaters this weekend.

Malcolm McMillan

Malcolm has been with the Streaming team at Tom's Guide since 2023, reviewing dozens of movies each year so you don't have to watch the bad ones.

'Crimson Tide' is exactly what an action thriller should be

If you are new to this ongoing series, I'm currently watching every one of Denzel's 52 movies in his filmography, one per week, throughout 2026. I started with 1981's "Carbon Copy," and I'm ending with last year's "Highest 2 Lowest." Some I've seen before, some I'm seeing for the first time. "Crimson Tide" is definitely the former.

This movie works on so many levels, and I forgot just how gripping it was until I rewatched it this week. The stakes of a global nuclear conflict are set right from the beginning in a well-crafted (fictional) CNN news report that serves as an exposition dump.

We get a bit of calm before the storm for the next few scenes, but from the moment Denzel's Lt. Cmdr. Ron Hunter first questions Hackman's Captain Frank Ramsey's orders, it's clear that things are about to go from bad to worse.

For those of you who know nothing about this movie, it's centered around a very real conflict in Chechnya following the collapse of the Soviet Union. This conflict leads the fictional Vladimir Radchenko to splinter from the Russian government and take over a nuclear missile base, which causes the U.S. to scramble nuclear submarines for a preemptive attack, including the USS Alabama.

That's the stakes this movie begins with, and it reminds you of it as it goes along. From the beginning, there's a very real expectation that Hunter and Ramsey will have to start a nuclear conflict. Adding to the tension, they both have to agree to launch their sub's nuclear warheads. If they don't, then the missiles stay unlaunched, which could give Radchenko a chance to nuke the U.S.

There are moments of true action thriller tension. There's armed conflict and a naval battle between the Alabama and a Russian sub hijacked by Radchenko's rebels. But most of the gripping tension that will have you on the edge of your seat is this building realization that Ramsey will gladly launch the nukes to protect the U.S., and that Denzel is hoping for any reason not to start a nuclear holocaust, a phrase his character uses multiple times.

Verdict: 'Crimson Tide' will have you on the edge of your seat right up until the end

Crimson Tide (1995) Trailer | Gene Hackman | Denzel Washington - YouTube

Watch On

Between the duel between the Alabama and the Russian sub and the brewing conflict aboard the submarine between its captain and its executive officer, you'll have no problem setting the phone down to watch this hour-and-56-minute-long thriller.

Annoyingly, the movie does have one flaw that the plot relies on to bring the story to its conclusion. I don't want to spoil it, and you may miss it or disagree with me about it being a flaw. But it's a weak point in an otherwise masterfully crafted blockbuster. And even despite this complaint, "Crimson Tide" remains one of my favorite movies — let alone Denzel movies — to this day.

Buy or rent "Crimson Tide" from Amazon

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