The Best Submarine Movie Of All Time Isn’t Streaming Anywhere
The Hunt for Red October is not currently available on any subscription streaming service.
For five days last week, the world held its breath as rescuers attempted to find the Titan Submersible which went missing shortly after the beginning of a dive that was meant to take those on board to the ocean floor where the legendary Titanic was laid to rest. Sadly, the search would uncover that an implosion had happened, killing those inside in a matter of seconds. With so many people talking about the deep sea quest, there’s been an uptick of audiences looking for submarine content to feast their eyes on, but unfortunately, The Hunt for Red October isn’t streaming anywhere.
According to Just Watch, the Joel McTiernan-helmed spy thriller can’t be found on Peacock, Max, Hulu, Showtime, or even Netflix with rentals being your only way of hoping to catch it. While Tom Clancy’s hero Jack Ryan may be all the rage right now with Prime Video’s John Krasinksi-led thriller heading into its fourth season, The Hunt for Red October gave the book series the boost that it needed to become an on-screen hit.
Signing on big names for what would become a critically acclaimed feature, the production stars Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, James Earl Jones, Scott Glenn, and Sam Neill.
Set during the dark and dangerous days of the Cold War, The Hunt for Red October tells the story of a Soviet naval captain who, along with his officers, wants to lay his title down and switch sides to the United States. A packaged deal, the merging of the Soviet men would also mean that their Typhoon-class submarine would be gifted to the U.S.
Stepping in to test his theory that the Russians indeed intend to defect, Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) must move quickly in determining whether the Soviets are truly friends or just wolves in sheep’s clothing.
While it may look as though they’re really filming on submarines, it turns out that the magic of Hollywood is to thank for the realistic portrayal of the vessels in The Hunt for Red October.
Still, the sets were crafted to be just like submarines, including the tilting that reportedly made members of the cast seasick. Unlike the interior shots, the crew did take advantage of access to ships for the multitude of deck scenes.
The attention to detail shouldn’t come as a surprise as The Hunt for the Red October tapped legendary cinematographer Jan de Bont to make those larger-than-life action and submarine scenes come to life. The visionary also holds credits as the eye behind classics like Cujo, Basic Instinct, Die Hard, and Lethal Weapon 3 and also served as the director for blockbusters Speed and Twister.
Likewise, director Joel McTiernan has an impressive lineup of recognizable titles over his filmmaking career having backed both Predator and Die Hard.
A favorite between fans and critics alike, The Hunt for Red October was nominated for three Academy Awards with the team taking home the title of Best Sound Effects Editing. It would also nab three BAFTA nominations as well as a slew of other critical acclaim. The adventurous spy thriller became such a hit with fans that it earned the greatest celebration of all – a PC and Nintendo game.
Already considered to be a box office success following its opening weekend, The Hunt for Red October cashed in a whopping $200.5 million against its $30 million budget. One of the top earners of its time, the title still has a loyal following, leading Paramount to release a 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and digital copy for its 30th anniversary in 2020.
While Netflix may be taking advantage of the new press surrounding the Titanic (perhaps in a move that’s a little bit too soon), The Hunt for Red October is doing no such thing by keeping itself off of streaming platforms.
The A-list cast alone would draw in impressive viewership numbers for any streamer, not to mention the recent interest in not only submarines but also the world’s ongoing obsession with anything Tom Clancy-related.
For now, those eager to see the action play out between Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, and the rest of the stellar call sheet will need to bust out their credit cards and rent it from an array of platforms including YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play.
