9 STORY PLOT POINTS FORCRIMSON TIDE (1995)

THE SETUP

1. LEAD IN: Civil war has erupted in Russia and a Russian extremist has gained control of nuclear missiles and threaten America’s safety. However, the extremist don’t have the launch codes.

2. THE INCITING INCIDENT: Leaving their families behind, submarine commanders, Denzel Washington (2nd in command) and Gene Hackman (captain), set sail to defend America from to the unstable situation developing in Russia.

3. PLOT POINT 1: The submarine submerges into the ocean and goes on the mission. A fire breaks out in the galley and Denzel contains it. The fire can flare back up, but Hackman runs a nuclear missile readiness test. One of the crew members dies from the fire. Denzel and Gene Hackman have their first disagreement.

THE CONFLICT

4. MARKER 1: The extremist have the launch codes and the submarine is being prepared for pre-emptive nuclear attack. Hackman and Washington continue to look at every situation that arises with a difference in opinions. Washington makes an important ally, Cobb.

5. MIDPOINT: An enemy submarine has been detected and is coming their way. The US submarine receives two orders from National Central Command. The first order is to fire their nukes on the Russian extremist, before they have a chance to fire their nuclear missiles at the U.S. The second order is incomplete because the incoming Russian submarine attacks them and damages the submarine’s radio. Hackman decides to to launch their nuclear missile as ordered in the first message. Denzel disagrees because the second message is incomplete and could possibly be a retraction of the first order. Denzel prevents Hackman from launching the nuclear missile by placing Hackman under arrest wit the help of his ally, Cobb. XO becomes captain and Hackman is contained in his state room under guard.

6. MARKER 2: The crew of the submarine is divided between Hackman and Denzel. The communication

system has to be repaired to receive the entirety of the second message from National Central Command. The Russian submarine has returned and has lunched its torpedoes. The torpedo of the Russian submarine misses and Denzel blows up the Russian submarine. The US submarine is damaged and Denzel has to make a hard decision to save the U.S. submarine.

7. PLOT POINT 2: Naval officers loyal to Hackman plan to take back the submarine. They gain access to weapons stored on the ship and forcefully break Hackman out of his state room. Hackman assumes control of the submarine by force.

THE END

8. THE CLIMAX: Denzel and Hackman have a final standoff. Hackman gives Denzel three minutes for the submarines’s communications system to be restored. The radio is restored and the second message comes through that resends the first message. Nuclear Holocaust has been averted. Denzel’s decision not to fire is vindicated and the Hackman goes to nurse his ego.

9. RESOLUTION: The Russian extremist rebellion has been quelled. The Naval Tribunal deliberates over the actions of both, Denzel and Hackman. The Tribunal come to the decision that both men were right and wrong. Why couldn’t you guys just get along?