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Based on a book by Ernest May, the film is set in October 1962 when the cold war between
Communist Russia and the United States was at its coldest. It focuses specifically on the thirteen days when the Cuban missile crisis made the world teeter on the brink of
World War III. As the tag line goes: "You'll never believe how close we came to Armageddon…"
President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood) is shown spy plane photographs of medium range
ballistic missiles being installed in Cuba which can destroy US cities and all defense installations in a matter of minutes. He summons the advisers to a series of conferences
to discuss the options: to destroy most of the missiles immediately and to invade Cuba or to tread the path of diplomacy even as the US must make friend and foe think that she
can lead and also protect US cities. The tension mounts as the president has to make the decision before the missiles become operational in a few days.
The film is not a documentary but it is made like a very good one. It is a lucid retelling of
a crucial historical "moment" made very compelling and suspenseful by its simplicity and restraint. It is like an old fashioned movie devoid of high tech pyrotechnics and
other trendy stylistic flourishes but it succeeds in conveying the tenor of the times and the gravity of the situation. The brisk pacing helps build the tension: the soft blue
greys and dominant subdued colors clothe the film with a somber, serious mood. Mostly based on historical records and transcripts of tapes from the President's Oval Office,
David Self's dialogue has the ring of authenticity. Best of all, the acting gives life to figures and names of Kennedy's modern day Camelot who now all belong to history:
Adlai Stevenson, Robert McNamara, Dean Rusk, Ted Sorensen, Pierre Salinger, Robert Kennedy and others. To his credit, Kevin Costner as White House adviser Kenny O'Donnell
downgrades his superstar status to give a subdued but subtly effective supporting performance. Bruce Greenwood does not particularly resemble Kennedy but he is able to portray
the aura of this popular figure. Agonizing in his moments of doubt and desperation, he comes across as human rather than the larger than life legend. Moral to the core, he can
be hardnosed and expedient. Steven Culp as Atty. General Robert Kennedy gives a convincing performance as the president's reputed "hatchet man."
This movie is as timely as today's headlines. Right now, America grapples with the same
issues. In 1962, it was the threat of missiles. Today, it is the threat of terrorists. How do we respond to the threat today? Would the military option solve the problem? Is
there any other option? Can we negotiate with fanatical terrorists? Can a war be just? Can a war be limited? Are we close to Armageddon? If the film encourages the viewer to
think seriously about these life and death issues, then perhaps it will have earned its place among the memorable ones.
(Date reviewed: October 12, 2001)
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