Under the direction of Kathryn Bigelow, “K-19: The Widowmaker” thrusts viewers into the tension-filled environment of the early 1960s. The film, based on true events, features Ford as Captain Alexei Vostrikov and Neeson as his first officer, Mikhail Polenin. They helm K-19, Russia’s first nuclear-powered submarine with intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities, a formidable presence on the global stage. As the submarine faces a catastrophic mechanical failure that threatens a nuclear meltdown during its maiden voyage, Vostrikov and Polenin are caught in a dilemma between following orders and preventing potential global disaster.

This lesser-known slice of history, vividly brought to life on screen, stands as one of Harrison Ford’s most underappreciated films and a testament to Hollywood’s storytelling prowess.

In its pursuit of authenticity, “K-19: The Widowmaker” was crafted with input from actual Russian submarine veterans, as reported by The Guardian. Despite these efforts, the film drew criticism from the survivors of the real incident, who felt misrepresented by the cinematic portrayal.

Based on the true story of Russia’s real nuclear-powered submarine of the same name, “K-19: The Widowmaker” strove to be as accurate as possible. To do it, they had the script reviewed by real Russian submarine veterans, as chronicled by The Guardian. Unfortunately, those who survived the incident weren’t happy with the changes made and how they were depicted in the film.

On top of harboring some of the worst on-screen accents of all time, many, such as retired K-19 captain Yury Mukhin, found that the film shined a poor light on the crew. “Everyone is drinking, the officers and the sailors … They drink heavily, and they drink constantly. The only activity which distracts them from this is fighting.” In contrast to the movie’s depiction, the real world sea-faring soldiers were far more honorable according to Mukhin, who continued, “It portrays us as ill-educated, ill-disciplined, and impolite, when in reality K-19 was the most advanced submarine in the Soviet Union, and the navy recruited its best men to serve on board.”

Despite demands for script changes and even total rewrites, “K-19: The Widowmaker” was produced with only minor alterations. Despite the controversy, many retired sailors attended the premiere in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and the film even received a standing ovation.