Kursk

Right now you can watch Kursk in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Philo and History Vault — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 712 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Matthias Schoenaerts sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

There is a reason Kursk keeps coming up in conversation. Kursk treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. Barents Sea, August 12th, 2000. During a Russian naval exercise, and after suffering a serious accident, the K-141 Kursk submarine sinks with 118 crew members on board. While the few sailors who are still alive barely manage to survive, their families push for accurate information and a British officer struggles to obtain from the Russian government a permit to attempt a rescue before it is late. Matthias Schoenaerts and Léa Seydoux lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2018. What makes Kursk hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Kursk. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Matthias Schoenaerts anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.