Classic Cold War submarine thriller Crimson Tide will be broadcast on ITV4 tonight, December 28, at 9.05pm. The 1995 film, directed by the late Tony Scott, stars Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman as officers locked in a tense standoff aboard a nuclear submarine.
The plot is loosely based on real events during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, specifically the actions of Soviet submarine B-59. Washington's character, Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter, is inspired by Soviet second-in-command Vasily Arkhipov, who averted a potential nuclear launch.
Produced on a budget of $53 million, the film grossed $157.4 million worldwide. It earned three Academy Award nominations for Film Editing, Sound, and Sound Editing. Hans Zimmer won a Grammy for the main theme score.
The supporting cast includes Matt Craven, George Dzundza, Viggo Mortensen, James Gandolfini, and Lillo Brancato. Uncredited additional dialogue was contributed by Quentin Tarantino, who had previously worked with Scott on True Romance (1993). Washington reportedly clashed with Tarantino over what he considered racist dialogue, but the two later reconciled.
With an 89% critics' approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is widely praised. One reviewer called it "a whale of a movie, an intense and heartstopping adventure." Another described it as "perfectly-paced high stakes drama with a brain." Audiences have also lauded the performances, with one viewer noting, "Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington at their best."
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed in a 2025 interview that a sequel is in development, with hopes that Washington will reprise his role. Crimson Tide airs tonight on ITV4 at 9.05pm.
