submarines

• Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson (1999)

  [8/10]

  "An excellent character-based novel, with fun technology thrown in. Far better and more satisfying than Snow Crash."

• Down Periscope directed by David S. Ward (1996)

  [6/10]

  "A fairly formulaic underdog-overcomes-all-odds movie with some good acting and better-than-average action."

• U-571 directed by Jonathan Mostow (2000)

  [6/10]

  "Mostow has created a good action picture with cardboard characters and a cliched plot. He spends too much time in the first half of U-571 trying to show the realities of submarine life and neglects details that would make the audience care about the characters."

• Under Siege directed by Andrew Davis (1992)

  [6/10]

  "Under Siege provides some good bone-crunching, blood-spattering fun that mostly outweigh Seagal's bad acting and some weak plot points."

  Average score: 6.50