KURSK

France/Belgium, 2018, 117 minutes, Colour.

Matthias Schoenaerts, Lea Seydoux, Peter Simonischek, August Diehl, Max von Sydow, Colin Firth, Magnus Millang.

Directed by Thomas Vinterberg.

Kursk is an international dramatisation of an accident with a Russian submarine, 2000. (Interestingly, there had been a 1997 American film, Hostile Waters, with Martin Sheen and Rutger Hauer as American and Russian submarine Captains and the consequences of an accident at sea).

The cast is also international, a focus on Matthias Schoenaerts embodying the Russian crew, Lea Seydoux as his wife, ultimately leading the wives in protest against the authorities, Max von Sydow as the stubborn and uncomprehending Russian superior, Colin Firth as a British naval expert with Russian contacts, and the possibility of British collaboration to save the Kursk.

Direction is by Thomas Vinterberg, Danish, who began with the Dogme declaration and principles for filmmaking, Festen, but who continued to make films in Denmark as well as internationally, Dear Wendy, Far from the Madding Crowd, and working with Mads Mikkelson, The Hunt and the Oscar-winning Best Foreign Language Film, Another Around.

The film spends some time focusing on the Russians themselves, their camaraderie, the relationship with naval administration, their being exploited, and the details of their behaviour during and after the accident.

Kursk takes its place as one of the many classic films about submarines, Morning Departure, K-19, Crimson Tide, Hunt for Red October…

1. Based on actual events? 2000?
2. An international collaboration, Danish director, International stars? The Russian background, notices and signs in Russian? English-language? The musical score?
3. The ship itself, its condition, carrying the torpedoes, maintenance, errors, the leak? Reporting? The captain’s decision? The explosion? The consequent explosions?
4. The tone of the opening, they’ll son, holding breath underwater? Indication of the theme? The presence of the boy, with his mother, the countryside, farewelling his father, the bond with his father? His father and the photos, memories of his son sustaining him? The news of the disaster, at the meetings, his refusal to shake hands with the Russian official? The final gift of his father’s watch?
5. The establishing of the characters, the situation of the wedding, the camaraderie? The harsh realities of non-payment? Protests? Official responses? Pawning watches, paying for the champagne? The ceremony, the speeches, the good spirit? In view of the impending disaster?
6. Tony, relationship with her husband, love for her son, pregnant? Domestic scenes, the wedding? The farewell? Her concern, getting the news, with the other wives, going to the meetings, asking questions, harsh reactions? Standing up to the authorities? The final grief? Funeral? Walking with her son on the cliffs? The portrait of the other wives, the wife went past experiences, finally her outburst, the injection and her being sedated and carried out?
7. On board, camaraderie, the sense of duty, expertise? The explosion, the consequences, the number of deaths? Fire, floating? Mikhail and his authority, expertise, command of the men? The decisions, consolidation, exploration? The young man and his fears and Mikhail reassuring him? The explosive – the later explosion? Surviving, the man becoming upset, trying to open the hatch, Mikhail overcoming him? Oleg and his telling the story of the polar bear, morale? Hearing the rescue, the hatch not connecting? Mikhail and his companion, the water, the cold? The men dying?
8. The authorities, competent and incompetent? The new hatch, its inadequacies, the two failures? The admiral, his concern, being relieved from his duties? Coming in at the authorities, press conferences, the criticisms by the wives? Seen on television?
9. Russian secrecy, selling off submarines, no maintenance? Unwilling to have international help? Official statements at conferences? Cover-ups?
10. The Russian admiral, his friendship with David Russell, his being prevented for communicating? Eventual contact? His concern, grief?
11. The British, David Russell, efficient, knowledge of what was happening, offering to help, the Americans and the French? Being put on hold? Going to the accident scene, the plea to the authorities, putting off the decision? Whether the British could have saved the men or not?
12. The aftermath, the authorities, dealing with the wives and families?
13. The film’s criticism of authorities, lack of maintenance, inefficiencies, cover-ups?