The Command (2019): Cast, Ratings & Box Office
The Command is a 2019 action thriller directed by Thomas Vinterberg, starring Bjarne Henriksen as Russian Rescue Ship Captain, Max von Sydow and Colin Firth. It runs 1 hour 57 minutes and earned $6.8 million worldwide. Critics gave it 72% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 57m (117 min)
- Director
- Thomas Vinterberg
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Belga Films
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Command About?
The premise of The Command without spoilers.
While submerged in the Barents Sea, the Russian submarine Kursk suffers a devastating explosion, leading to a desperate race against time. Twenty-three crew members are trapped within the crippled vessel as a large-scale rescue operation is launched. Facing dwindling hope and critical time constraints, the survivors struggle to stay alive while rescuers work to reach them in the depths of the ocean.
The Command Cast & Characters
Bjarne Henriksen leads the cast as Russian Rescue Ship Captain, with Max von Sydow as Vladimir Petrenko and Colin Firth as Commodore David Russell. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg; 14 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Thomas Vinterberg
- Bjarne Henriksen as Russian Rescue Ship Captain
-
Max von Sydow as Vladimir Petrenko -
Colin Firth as Commodore David Russell -
Matthias Schweighöfer as Pavel Sonin
Also Starring in The Command
· 10 more- August Diehl Anton Markov
- Léa Seydoux Tanya Averina
- Joel Basman Leo
- Matthias Schoenaerts Mikhail Averin
- Michael Nyqvist
- Peter Simonischek Admiral Vyacheslav Grudzinsky
- Steven Waddington
- Zlatko Buric
- Magnus Millang Oleg Lebedev
- Artemiy Spiridonov Misha Averin
More from Thomas Vinterberg
More films directed by Thomas Vinterberg, best-rated first: Another Round, The Celebration, The Hunt and Far from the Madding Crowd.
The Command Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Command 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. Our Echo Score gives it 69/100, strongest in art & craft (75) and weakest in story & flow (60).
The Command Echo Score Breakdown
Overall, The Command delivers a focused yet restrained portrayal of a submarine disaster, balancing committed acting with a tension-filled structure. The film’s disciplined pacing and authentic production design ground the narrative in a believable world, and the musical score underscores key emotional beats. However, the plot often adheres to familiar survival-drama conventions and visual choices remain modest rather than bold. As a result, the movie offers a competently crafted experience that resonates intermittently but rarely transcends genre expectations.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 75
In terms of art and craft, The Command demonstrates solid production design and careful editing but rarely achieves striking visual moments. The submarine sets feel authentic and editing supports the tension, yet the color palette remains subdued and the cinematography avoids bold compositions. Overall, the film’s craftsmanship is competent and maintains atmosphere without fully capitalizing on more dramatic visual potential.
- Character & Emotion 70
When it comes to character and emotion, performances are consistently committed and lend credibility to the submarine ordeal. Lead and supporting actors convey frustration and fear with restraint, though some character arcs lack depth and secondary figures remain underdeveloped. Emotional resonance peaks in key tragic moments but occasionally feels muted. The net effect is a believable ensemble that could benefit from richer characterization.
- Story & Flow 60
In terms of story and flow, the film follows a conventional survival drama structure with intermittent tension. The pacing is measured, building suspense effectively in set-piece moments, yet several narrative beats feel predictable and anticlimactic. The screenplay touches on procedural bureaucracy but does not always integrate these sequences smoothly. As a result, story engagement fluctuates, delivering compelling scenes alongside more routine developments.
- Sensory Experience 75
Regarding the sensory experience, Alexandre Desplat’s score enriches the atmospheric tension with subtle thematic motifs, while sound design accentuates claustrophobic elements. Visual cohesion is maintained through a muted color scheme, though this choice limits moments of visual dynamism. Overall, the film offers a polished audio-visual environment that effectively supports the narrative mood without pushing stylistic boundaries.
- Rewatch Factor 65
With respect to rewatch factor, The Command has enough narrative tension and authentic performances to merit a second viewing, particularly for those interested in submarine dramas. However, its conventional structure and muted visual impact may diminish replay appeal. While certain sequences hold lasting impact, the overall experience is unlikely to offer new insights on subsequent viewings for most audiences.
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Rotten Tomatoes 72% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 60%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
TMDB 56% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.2 /5
13 ratings
See on Letterboxd
The Command Box Office
The Command grossed $6.8 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$6.8M
- International
- $6.8M
The Command Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Command.
The Command Also Known As
21 alternative titles, including “Kursk: The Last Mission” and “Atrapados: Una historia verdadera”.
- Also known as
-
- Kursk: The Last Mission
- Atrapados: Una historia verdadera
- Kursk - Niemand hat eine Ewigkeit
- Курск
- Kursk: Η Τελευταία Αποστολή
- Курск - проклетство дубине
- גיבורים במצולות
- 潛行浩劫96小時
- Kurszk
- 쿠르스크
- 库尔斯克
- 庫爾斯克號:深海救援, კურსკი
+9 more Show fewer
- Курськ
- Kursk: A Última Missão
- Kurska
- کورسک
- Kurskas
- Kursk: Chiến Dịch Tàu Ngầm
- คูร์สหนีตายโคตรนรกรัสเซีย
- 潜水艦クルスクの生存者たち
- Comanda
Seen The Command?
The Command FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Command, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Command?
The Command runs 1 hour 57 minutes (117 minutes).
When was The Command released?
The Command was released on June 21, 2019.
Who directed The Command?
The Command was directed by Thomas Vinterberg.
More films by Thomas Vinterberg Who is in the cast of The Command?
The Command stars Bjarne Henriksen as Russian Rescue Ship Captain, Max von Sydow as Vladimir Petrenko and Colin Firth as Commodore David Russell, among 14 credited actors.
How much did The Command make at the box office?
The Command grossed $6.8 million worldwide.
How is The Command rated?
The Command has 72% on Rotten Tomatoes, 56% on TMDB and 3.2/5 on Letterboxd.
Does The Command have a post-credit scene?
No. The Command has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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