The Mancave Movie Review Podcast · Steve Michaels/Jeff Muncy

CRIMSON TIDE

March 8, 2025·2 hr·5 clips

Steve Michaels opens episode 356 with *Crimson Tide* and says the discussion is happening in honor of Gene Hackman. He calls Hackman iconic and legendary, and the group treats the movie as a very good one. Denzel Washington comes up quickly as the other major pillar of the film. Viggo Mortensen gets mentioned as an early appearance before most people knew who he was. James Gandolfini is part of the supporting lineup too. George Zunza and Matt Craven round out the names the hosts keep returning to. The panel talks through the movie as a battle of wills. They focus on the command structure and the uncertainty hanging over the submarine. One of the main points is how the characters are pushed into impossible decisions. They note how the film gives Zunza more to do than you might first expect. The conversation drifts into other roles from his career, including *Basic Instinct*, *Salem's Lot*, and *Law & Order*. The show moves loosely from one actor to another when a performance lands. They also circle back to Hackman's broader run of movies. The film's geopolitical stakes stay in view throughout. One of the clearest ideas in the conversation is that the movie shows why rules and checks and balances matter. The hosts treat the thriller setup as more than plot mechanics. They see it as a warning about what happens when too much power sits in one place. The ending lands with a salute to Hackman and thanks to the audience for sticking with the show. The whole thing sounds like a room of longtime movie people remembering, comparing, and arguing in real time.

As heard by us

A Gene Hackman tribute that turns Crimson Tide into a debate about tension, command, and checks and balances.

This Man Cave Movie Review episode frames Crimson Tide as both a tribute to Gene Hackman and a discussion of why the film still lands. The focus stays on Hackman, Denzel Washington, the supporting cast, and the tension built around command and checks and balances.

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Why you'd press play

Play this for a Hackman-forward, talky Crimson Tide hangout.

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