Baltic Storm (2003)

People are voting emotionally.

Must See Movie...

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

I watched the first half of this, but could not go on. It was too bad. The only thing that was interesting in it, were the real (actual) news clips from the time. And you can watch those on the internet if you like.EVERYTHING was bad. The script, the acting (several of the main actors were clumsy and amateurish), and the idea in itself of making a disaster movie without a substantial budget and modern technical effects. I am not saying that a disaster movie with expensive technical effects necessarily has to be a good movie, but the opposite is simply not possible. It felt like filmed theatre more than a movie, but when you are watching a play you are "in it" - I mean you realize that your imagination must fill in what is not possible to realize on a scene. From a movie you expect much more.But the worst of it was of course, that a movie like this is offensive against the families and friends of the disaster victims. One can make movies about the Titanic, but to make a movie about a disaster that happened only nine years ago (I mean when the movie was released), when memories are still fresh and almost all the grieving people are still alive, is only disgraceful.About the spy story, I am quite sure that there is nothing in it. It has been proved that the catastrophe was caused by bad upkeep of the Estline fleet, and a lack of routines for regular overhaul. Trying to find a more "exciting" explanation is only silly and immature, and can only cause more distress for everybody.This movie left a bad taste in my mouth.

Clossius says that "Baltic Storm" is banned in Sweden. That is not correct! Instead you can buy the film almost everywhere, like in gas stations, shopping malls, internet (of course) and so on. Often to a very low price because this movie is so BAD and nobody wants to see it, despite all the tricks to keep up the interest. The movie only appeals to conspiracy theorists, psychos and other persons living in la-la-land and those who "knows the truth". Working on a museum with the Estonia disaster as a theme I have meet them all! I have heard about every theory that exists like cocaine-smuggling, weapon-smuggling, biological warfare, nuclear smuggling, red mercury, aliens, the Russian- the American- the Estonian- the Swedish- and the Finnish intelligence, often in different combinations.Some normal persons have asked why we don't show the film? A question only asked by them who haven't seen this terrible nonsense movie. Once again, "Baltic Storm" is not banned in Sweden. It has some entertaining qualities but what a hell is Donald Sutherland doing in this movie?

I have to admit, I picked this movie just for the cast, and while Sutherland, Scacchi, and Prochnow were - as usual - great performers, the rest of the movie was such a let down. It feels like it was put together by a team of adolescents with low level scripts, that is, scripts lacking any depth, awful photography and editing, and hilariously lousy score! I can't believe I was able to watch this seemingly long movie until the end... the sad thing is, this could have actually been a great political thriller given the interesting plot. All the potential was there to make it a hit; that is, two main ingredients are there: a great story of national conspiracies, and a great core cast (even though many other actors are pretty much soap opera quality). But maybe I'm missing something; until then it's still not worth more than a 3 in my opinion.

The sinking of the ferry Estonia in the Baltic Sea in 1994 was traumatic for the whole of Scandinavia: over 800 dead but through their relations and connections with friends so so many more suffered emotionally. The official report was never satisfying, especially the failure of security system for the bows and the suspicions of a cover-up from events unexplained and the decision not to bring Estonia up from the seabed. The film Baltic Sea is a serious valid alternative to the report. Secret service relations between Sweden and Estonia, with miserable consequences, are now well known, so is also the smuggling of WMD from the former USSR to the West, and the US and NATO's roles in trying to contain it, and so is also Sweden's "secret" ties with Nato and the US military. The acting out of these forces is very gripping, probably more so for non-Scandinavians who are less emotionally involved.