Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
Tony Scott was a prolific and talented filmmaker with a diverse array of credits to his name. His 2012 death by suicide sent shockwaves through the film industry. I still shudder to think that his life was cut tragically short, but I take some comfort in the fact that the filmmaker left behind such an impressive cinematic legacy. He sat at the helm of iconic action films like Top Gun and The Last Boy Scout in addition to directing a number of other noteworthy projects. In fact, he even tried his hand at genre fare with the erotic horror thriller The Hunger.
Scott also had the opportunity to direct the great Denzel Washington on a number of different occasions. In fact, he helmed no less than five Washington pictures, including films like Man on Fire, Déjà Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123, and Unstoppable. As luck would have it, the first film the pair worked on together has landed on streaming after an extensive absence.
In case you haven’t guessed, I’m talking about Crimson Tide. The film is now available to stream on Paramount+. Crimson Tide sits as the most celebrated of the various Washington/Scott team-ups. This submarine-set thriller was a hit at the box office and an overwhelming success with critics. In fact, it even scored three Oscar nominations, including Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, and Best Editing. Critics praised the film for strong performances from Washington and the late Gene Hackman, as well as for a tight script and assured direction by Scott.
What is Crimson Tide about?
After the Cold War, a breakaway Russian republic with nuclear warheads becomes a possible worldwide threat. U.S. submarine Capt. Frank Ramsey (Hackman) signs on the relatively green but highly recommended Lt. Cmdr. Ron Hunter (Washington) to the USS Alabama, which may be the only ship able to stop a possible Armageddon. When Ramsay insists that the Alabama must act aggressively, Hunter, fearing they will start rather than stop a disaster, leads a potential mutiny to stop him.
It wasn’t just critics who were fond of this one. Movie lovers also connected with Crimson Tide, with many fans praising the palpable tension that never seems to let up.
You can see exactly what I mean below:
I recently watched Crimson Tide and now I can’t decide my most favourite Denzel Washington movie ever. Training Day and American Gangster are up there, but oh my word! Crimson Tide is probably the best movie I’ll watch in this decade, and we’re already halfway through the decade.
— Sammy The First🇳🇬🌠👑 (@Aghahowa_Sam) August 14, 2025
https://twitter.com/guywhoiswoke/status/1908821544513724586
Watched a few movies the past two days but none utterly captivated me like Tony Scott’s CRIMSON TIDE (1995). A boilerplate of a submarine thriller where the desperation of fixing a communication array creates so much tension I couldn’t look away for a second. pic.twitter.com/GHquiiOBgf
— Max Deering (@ODSTSpartan) December 27, 2023
Scott helmed the film from a screenplay by Michael Schiffer. Schiffer would later go on to write the George Clooney political thriller The Peacemaker.
So, now you know that Crimson Tide is available to stream on Paramount+. Hooray for good news. Stay tuned to the site in the near future for more updates on which films within your interest set are available to stream and where to find them.
Categorized: News
