preview

Morality in The Hunt for Red October Essay

Good Essays

Morality in The Hunt for Red October

While hundreds, even thousands of excellent movies have been made over the years since motion pictures were invented, there are some movies that stand out among the best. There are various reasons for these standouts, sometimes incredible acting, sometimes impeccable story lines, but in many cases, it is the issues addressed by the movie. Most of the greatest movies contain commentaries or analyses of certain issues, be they moral, social, or otherwise. John McTiernan directed one of these films, The Hunt for Red October, based on the similarly titled best-selling novel by Tom Clancy. The Hunt for Red October, a product of the anti-communist attitudes of the 1980’s, is …show more content…

The officers of Ramius’ crew have also had to make their own moral decisions as they assist Ramius’ defection. They, too, have had to follow the beliefs of right and wrong instead of the morality that has been given to them by their naval superiors.
There is also a moral decision to be made by the KGB agent loyal to the Soviet Union on Ramius’ submarine, the cook’s assistant Loginov. When he discovers that Ramius is intending to defect, he makes the decision to attempt to stop Ramius, even at cost of his own life. The fact that he is against the hero of the movie, Ramius, does not mean that he is evil, although he is seen as such for purposes of the movie. His decision comes from his belief that what Ramius is doing is morally wrong. He believes that defection is treason, and is unacceptable under any circumstances, and he believes that it is his job to prevent this treason. His decision comes from his own moral beliefs, and therefore cannot be labeled as wrong. His beliefs are simply different from Ramius’.
The Russians are not the only characters that must make moral decisions. The other main character of the movie, Jack Ryan, must face his own moral decisions. To begin, he must decide whether to follow the advice of the military council, or to follow his belief that Ramius is trying to defect. His decision will impact Ramius’ decision, since if no one believes

Get Access