Baltic Storm

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?

This music is totally out of touch with the film, showing up now and then as wagnerian bombast and Lone Ranger hurry-up, otherwise nonexistent. The acting, outside of the two principals, is nonexistent. It would have been an excellent student film. The Russian soldiers are just models trying to act. The constant interruptions with wow-explosive-camera angles and monocolor clips of pieces of people were quite irritating, but that's just a personal feeling. The story line isn't worse than others, actually not worse than most, completely ignoring logic and reason and reality. At least nobody walked in front of a machine gun for three minutes without being hit. The three top-level bad guys were campy.

In 1994, the ferry MS Estonia sank and took over 800 lives in the process. For years, there were various theories as to what happened and why and by the time this movie was made in 2003, the actual reasons for the sinking were not 100% clear. Now, however, they have a much clearer idea...and the conspiracy theory this film promotes turns out to be a lot of hogwash. However, the film also purports to be the truth...and I wonder how many folks believe this wild tale.

When the story begins, you can see it's NOT an especially good movie technically speaking. Despite having some prodigious talent in the three leading roles, much of the rest of the production looks and sounds cheap. Bad narration, terrible music, awful edits and bad acting (apart from the three leads) make this a film which not only is inaccurate with its assertions about the accident but is also a bad film.

My recommendation is that you skip the movie and just read up on the accident. You'll learn far more than you would watching this movie.

International political intrigue at its very best! BALTIC STORM is a very well directed movie that lives up to it's title. The storyline is inherently interesting and the plotlines masterfully woven in a way that keep you guessing throughout. The acting is very strong, especially from Donald Sutherland. If you're a fan of Costa-Gavras or just in thrillers in general, definitely check this one out!

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.