Best Submarine Movies, TV Shows & Books
From the claustrophobic intensity of Das Boot to the Cold War intrigue of The Hunt for Red October, submarine entertainment spans every genre. Here is your definitive guide to the best submarine films, television series, documentaries, and books.
Best Submarine Movies — Ranked
Das Boot
1981 — Dir. Wolfgang PetersenThe definitive submarine film. Follows the crew of U-96 during a patrol in the Battle of the Atlantic. Shot with claustrophobic intensity in a full-scale U-boat interior set, the film captures the terror, boredom, and camaraderie of submarine warfare with unmatched authenticity. The director's cut (209 minutes) and the mini-series version (293 minutes) are considered superior to the theatrical release.
The Hunt for Red October
1990 — Dir. John McTiernanSoviet submarine captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) attempts to defect to the United States with the revolutionary Typhoon-class submarine Red October, equipped with a silent "caterpillar drive." CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) must convince the US military that Ramius wants to defect, not launch a nuclear attack. Based on Tom Clancy's bestselling novel.
Crimson Tide
1995 — Dir. Tony ScottDuring a Russian nuclear crisis, the captain (Gene Hackman) and executive officer (Denzel Washington) of the USS Alabama clash over whether to launch nuclear missiles after receiving a fragmentary order. A tense examination of command authority, the nuclear chain of command, and the terrifying responsibility carried by submarine commanders.
K-19: The Widowmaker
2002 — Dir. Kathryn BigelowThe true story of the Soviet nuclear submarine K-19's 1961 reactor disaster. Harrison Ford plays the captain who must decide between sacrificing his crew and risking a nuclear catastrophe near a NATO base. Liam Neeson co-stars as the ship's political officer. A harrowing depiction of Soviet-era submarine service and extraordinary human courage.
U-571
2000 — Dir. Jonathan MostowAn American submarine crew disguises their boat as a German U-boat to capture an Enigma code machine from a disabled German submarine. Stars Matthew McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, and Bill Paxton. While criticized for historical inaccuracy (it was the British who captured the Enigma machine), the film features excellent submarine action sequences.
Run Silent, Run Deep
1958 — Dir. Robert WiseClark Gable and Burt Lancaster star in this classic WWII submarine film about a commander obsessed with avenging the loss of his previous boat to a Japanese destroyer in the Bungo Strait. A foundational submarine film that established many of the genre's tropes.
Hunter Killer
2018 — Dir. Donovan MarshGerard Butler plays the untested captain of a US attack submarine who must navigate treacherous Russian waters to rescue the Russian president from a military coup. Features modern submarine combat tactics and Virginia-class submarine operations. A straightforward action thriller with impressive submarine sequences.
The Enemy Below
1957 — Dir. Dick PowellA cat-and-mouse duel between a US destroyer escort captain (Robert Mitchum) and a German U-boat commander (Curt Jurgens) in the South Atlantic. Both commanders develop a grudging respect for each other as the duel intensifies. Won the Academy Award for Best Special Effects.
Torpedo Run
1958 — Dir. Joseph PevneyGlenn Ford commands a US submarine tasked with sinking a Japanese aircraft carrier that is using a prisoner-of-war transport ship as a shield — a ship carrying the captain's own wife and children. An emotionally wrenching film that explores the impossible decisions of submarine warfare.
Phantom
2013 — Dir. Todd RobinsonEd Harris commands a Cold War-era Soviet submarine on a mysterious final mission involving a device that can mask the submarine's acoustic signature. Based loosely on the real disappearance of submarine K-129. Features a strong cast including David Duchovny and William Fichtner.
Operation Petticoat
1959 — Dir. Blake EdwardsCary Grant and Tony Curtis star in this comedy about a WWII submarine forced to take on a group of stranded Army nurses. The submarine ends up painted pink due to a paint shortage. One of the most successful submarine comedies ever made and proof that submarine films do not have to be grim.
Black Sea
2014 — Dir. Kevin MacdonaldJude Law plays a recently laid-off submarine captain who recruits a mixed British-Russian crew to salvage Nazi gold from a sunken U-boat in the Black Sea using a decommissioned Russian submarine. Paranoia and greed turn the mission into a claustrophobic nightmare.
Kursk
2018 — Dir. Thomas VinterbergThe dramatic retelling of the 2000 Kursk disaster from the perspectives of the trapped submariners, their families, and the Russian Navy's failed rescue attempts. Based on Robert Moore's book "A Time to Die." Colin Firth and Lea Seydoux star in a deeply moving film about bureaucratic failure and human courage.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
1954 — Dir. Richard FleischerDisney's classic adaptation of Jules Verne's novel. James Mason stars as Captain Nemo, the enigmatic commander of the advanced submarine Nautilus. Features the legendary giant squid attack scene. The first film to use CinemaScope for an underwater production.
Below
2002 — Dir. David TwohyA supernatural thriller set aboard a WWII submarine haunted by the ghost of its former captain. The crew must confront both a pursuing German destroyer and the dark secret of what happened to their previous commanding officer. An underrated genre-blending film co-written by Darren Aronofsky.
Submarine TV Series & Documentaries
Das Boot (TV Series)
2018-presentA sequel to the original 1981 film set during WWII. Follows a new U-boat crew alongside a Resistance storyline in occupied France. High production values and strong performances, though it divides fans of the original. Features extensive submarine interior sets and impressive maritime action.
Sky / Hulu
Vigil
2021-2023A British thriller set aboard a Vanguard-class Trident submarine. DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) must investigate a death aboard HMS Vigil while the submarine remains on deterrent patrol. Explores the tension between national security and criminal justice, with authentically claustrophobic submarine sequences. Season 2 moves the action to a different military setting.
BBC / Peacock
Last Resort
2012-2013The crew of the USS Colorado, an Ohio-class submarine, refuse a suspicious order to launch nuclear missiles and take refuge on a tropical island. Andre Braugher and Scott Speedman star. Despite critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase, the show was cancelled after 13 episodes — widely regarded as one of the best single-season TV shows ever produced.
ABC
Submarine: Hidden Hunter
2021A rare look inside the Royal Navy's submarine service, following crews through training and deployment. Features unprecedented access to Astute-class and Vanguard-class submarines. One of the few documentaries to show modern nuclear submarine operations from the inside.
Channel 5 / Discovery
Kursk: The Last Mission
2005National Geographic's definitive documentary on the Kursk disaster. Features recovered footage, interviews with survivors' families, and analysis of the torpedo explosion that destroyed the submarine. Includes the recovered notes written by sailors who survived the initial blast in the aft compartments.
National Geographic / PBS
What Makes a Great Submarine Film?
The submarine genre works because of inherent dramatic tension. A submarine is a sealed environment with no escape. Crew members are trapped together with their conflicts, fears, and the constant presence of death by drowning or implosion. The best submarine films exploit these elements ruthlessly.
Claustrophobia is the genre's greatest weapon. Das Boot's legendary depth charge scenes work because you feel the walls closing in. The camera angles, the dripping condensation, the groaning hull — these create a physical sense of dread that few other settings can match.
Sound as weapon is uniquely cinematic in submarine films. The ping of active sonar, the distant rumble of depth charges, the eerie silence of a submarine running quiet — these audio elements create tension in ways that pure visual filmmaking cannot. The audience holds their breath because the characters must hold theirs.
Command decisions carry ultimate stakes. A submarine captain's orders can result in the deaths of his entire crew or, in the nuclear age, the destruction of civilization. Films like Crimson Tide and The Hunt for Red October derive their power from these impossible choices, where right and wrong are far from clear.
Essential Submarine Books
Das Boot
The autobiographical novel that inspired the legendary film. Buchheim served as a war correspondent aboard U-96 during WWII. Raw, claustrophobic, and unflinching — the most authentic submarine warfare novel ever written.
The Hunt for Red October
The Cold War thriller that launched Clancy's career and defined the techno-thriller genre. A Soviet submarine captain defects with a revolutionary submarine. Clancy's meticulous technical detail set a new standard for military fiction.
Blind Man's Bluff
True stories of Cold War submarine espionage that read like fiction. Covers the Ivy Bells wiretapping operation, the recovery of K-129, and other declassified operations. The definitive non-fiction account of Cold War submarine operations.
Thunder Below!
Medal of Honor recipient Admiral Fluckey's account of commanding USS Barb in the Pacific during WWII. Includes the famous raid where his crew went ashore in Japan and blew up a train. One of the most exciting submarine memoirs ever written.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
The classic that imagined submarine technology decades before it existed. Captain Nemo and the Nautilus explored the world's oceans, fought giant squid, and visited Atlantis. Verne's vision directly inspired generations of submarine engineers and naval officers.
Stalking the Red Bear
A Cold War submarine captain's memoir of trailing Soviet nuclear submarines through the world's oceans. Captures the tension, skill, and danger of Cold War underwater espionage. Provides remarkable insight into the day-to-day reality of submarine operations.
SSN
Written to accompany the submarine simulation video game of the same name, this novel follows a US attack submarine through a series of engagements in a fictional conflict with China. A quick, action-packed read that showcases modern submarine combat.
A Time to Die: The Kursk Disaster
The definitive account of the Kursk disaster. Moore, a journalist who covered the tragedy, reconstructs the events minute by minute — from the torpedo explosion to the failed rescue attempts and the political aftermath. The basis for the 2018 film "Kursk."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best submarine movie ever made?
Das Boot (1981) by Wolfgang Petersen is widely regarded as the greatest submarine film ever made and one of the best war films in cinema history. The director's cut (209 minutes) or mini-series version (293 minutes) are considered superior to the theatrical cut. The Hunt for Red October (1990) is the most commercially successful and accessible submarine film.
Are submarine movies accurate?
The best submarine films consult with actual submariners. Das Boot is considered extremely authentic — the set was built to exact Type VIIC specifications. Crimson Tide accurately depicts many procedures. The Hunt for Red October had US Navy cooperation. However, most films compress time, exaggerate sound effects, and take tactical liberties for drama.
What submarine movies are available on streaming?
Streaming availability changes frequently. Das Boot, The Hunt for Red October, Crimson Tide, Hunter Killer, and the Das Boot TV series are commonly available across major platforms. Check your local streaming service for current availability.
Are there any good submarine TV shows?
Yes. The Das Boot TV series (2018-present) is excellent. Vigil (BBC, 2021-2023) is a gripping thriller on a Royal Navy Trident submarine. Last Resort (ABC, 2012) was critically acclaimed but cancelled after one season. For documentaries, Submarine: Hidden Hunter offers rare access to modern submarine operations.
What is the best submarine book?
For fiction, Das Boot by Lothar-Günther Buchheim and The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy are the classics. For non-fiction, Blind Man's Bluff by Sherry Sontag and Christopher Drew is the definitive account of Cold War submarine espionage. Thunder Below! by Admiral Eugene Fluckey is the most exciting submarine memoir.
More Submarine Entertainment
Looking for interactive submarine experiences? Check out our guide to submarine games and simulators, or explore the real stories behind the movies.