Original subtitles

[breathing]

- [child gasps] - [water splashing]

[watch ticking]

[gasps]

[man] That's a new world's record for Misha Averin.

[Misha] Mom! Mom! I've done 57 seconds!

[Tanya] Nice.

- Bedtime. - No bed.

It's late. Misha!

[sighs]

Misha!

[Misha laughing]

Misha, it's not funny.

- Come here! - [Misha] No bed!

[Tanya] Misha.

Mikhail, grab him!

No bed. No bed, no bed, no bed.

[Misha] No!

[laughter]

[Tanya] Misha!

Come here! Couch! Couch!

Couch, couch, couch. Okay.

No!

Okay. I'm done with it.

[Mikhail] Come on, give Mommy a kiss. She's tired.

[Misha giggles]

Go to bed!

- No. - Misha!

- [Tanya] He hasn't called you? - [woman] No.

[children chattering]

- [Tanya] What a bastard. - [woman] Yeah, well...

I don't know. I mean, it's... it's been a day, but, still...

- Yeah, but I mean... - He should call, right?

He should've called, right? No? He should have called?

- [Mikhail] Hello. - [man] Sir.

- Morning. - Good morning, sir!

- [clanking] - [alarm sounding]

[chattering]

- This is all I've got. - [Mikhail] Thank you, Sergey.

He will appreciate it.

- Slowly. - Roger.

That's it!

Sorry, gentlemen. We have received nothing from Moscow.

[men groaning]

So, what are we supposed to live on?

[man] If I knew that, I would be living on it, too.

At least you have a deployment coming. You will get a sea bonus.

- Which will not be paid. - [men grumbling, murmuring]

Pavel!

We have to go! Come up!

Sergey gave us 800!

- She added more! - [Mikhail] She what?

She added more!

She said everything on the list or she'd kill me.

Um, another four cases of vodka, five more cases of beer,

eighteen rolls of crepe, balloons, champagne.

Shit!

Then cancel it!

Or marry me instead!

Who's got our money?

- [Mikhail] What? - Who's got our money?

[Mikhail] Anton.

It's not enough. It's not even close.

We'll be fine.

Oleg!

- [Oleg] I would marry me. - [Anton] Shut up!

[Oleg] No, seriously.

- I would be the perfect wife. - [Anton] Shut up, Oleg.

Give me the list.

- Hello. - [Mikhail] This is what we need.

This is the money. It's a bit short, but...

Forget it.

- I'll pay the balance next week. - Yeah, sure you will.

Or the week after, at the latest, I promise.

Cash and carry.

Come on, it's... it's my best friend's wedding.

[man] I think we're done here.

[Mikhail] Look, are you serious?

Yeah, I'm dead serious.

[Mikhail] I don't believe this.

- [Anton] Hey, Mikhail. Hey. - [Oleg] What?

[Pavel] No, no, no, Mikhail.

You see this?

What about this?

Submariner's watch.

[Oleg] Anything else you need?

Shoes, jackets, underwear?

Okay, wow.

[Pavel] That's great.

- [Oleg] Really nice! - [Mikhail] Looks good, huh?

That will make her happy.

[Anton] Okay!

[bells tolling]

[choir singing in Russian]

[priest chanting in Russian]

[speaking Russian]

- Hey! - [Mikhail] Can we have some vodka, please?

This is... This is... This is my watch we're drinking on.

How is it?

Should we start the dinner now or wait a little bit?

What happened to your watch?

No, no, no, don't worry! It's... It's a long story.

- We're all a bit naked. - Yes.

- What did you do? - What happened to them?

- We sold the watches. - Anton!

- You didn't. - You sold them? Why?

Well, because of... because of this!

And this! And this! And this!

And everything! Yes.

- Seriously? - [Pavel] We bought it.

- Thank you. - [Oleg] You're welcome, yeah.

[Pavel] Oleg, what's happening? Are you crying?

Look at him, he's crying! [laughs]

- He's crying. - I'm not crying.

What is the matter with you?

- Stop crying! - Come on!

- Let's get something to eat. - Yeah, let's eat. Oleg!

[Marina] Stop crying. You'll make me cry.

[Anton] Yeah, he's crying. I'm sorry, I'm really drunk.

Oleg, stop it.

Are you enjoying yourself?

Just for my wife, one more.

I have no idea.

Maybe it's the very barrenness of this place that brings us together,

but there is no denying that we are one.

And tonight, Pavel and Daria are one.

And as Pavel's best friend...

[Oleg] Oh, look who's crying now.

Shut up.

- [guests laughing] - Me? Me? What did I say? Huh?

[Anton] As Pavel's best friend, let me propose a toast...

to Pavel and Daria

and the half-dozen children they will have

that will take care of me, their Uncle Anton, in my old age.

- Cheers! - [guests] Cheers!

[applause]

[glass clanging]

And I would love to offer a toast to Daria.

As my lovely Tanya can attest,

life as a Navy wife is not easy.

Life here at the Northern Fleet is even harder.

And then imagine being Pavel's wife

- [laughter] - on top of that.

Imagine the agony!

But we make do.

And when things get at their worst...

what do we do?

[all] ♪ The sailor's band The sailor's band ♪

♪ Here's my heart And here's my hand ♪

♪ The sailor's band The sailor's band ♪

♪ Here's my heart And here's my hand ♪

♪ I think, I think I think, I think ♪

♪ It's time to have another drink ♪

♪ The sailor's band The sailor's band ♪

♪ Here's my heart And here's my hand ♪

[chanting in Russian]

[guests cheering]

Two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine,

ten, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,

17, 18, 19, 20!

- [guests cheering] - Twenty!

Yeah! [laughs]

[chattering, laughing]

- You're my best friend. - [Oleg] Yeah, I know.

[chattering continues]

[man] Good for you! Ten years! Ten years of luck!

[Pavel] It was... It was 20, not ten!

- Come with me. - What?

What...

What are you doing?

Shh.

You wanna go next door.

[Tanya giggles]

[Tanya] Stop.

- Can you feel him? - Mm-hmm, I do.

Sleep well, my love.

Sleep well, my forever.

[men chattering]

- Hi. - Morning, sir!

[chattering continues]

- Good morning. - Good morning, sir.

- [Oleg] Hey, ready to go fishing? - How are you?

[man] Sir, what are you gonna play on that TV?

[Oleg] We're gonna play some very serious shit.

[laughs]

- Wait, wait, wait. - Slowly!

- I got it! - We did it.

[laughing]

- [Mikhail] Have they started it? - [man] I don't know.

Alexi, what's going on?

You have to get back into shape, my friend.

Ah, shut up!

[rock music playing, faint]

- [chattering] - [rock music continues, louder]

- Alexi, how are you? - Good, thanks.

[Oleg] We were right there, in Moscow.

No, no, no! Look!

[Mikhail] No, leave the music, leave the music, leave the music!

[rock music continues playing]

♪ Say your prayers, little one Don't forget, my son ♪

♪ To include everyone ♪

Pavel.

Still married? After 24 hours?

[chuckles] So far, so good.

You're lucky she's so tolerant.

So, this is the Fat Girl?

Yeah. It's sweating.

Is it angry?

One hundred-thirty degrees. Within parameters.

Not angry, but irritated.

[Anton] Reactor's in 3/4 power state.

Temperature and pressure normal. Port and starboard TG's online.

Main engines ready.

[man on radio, indistinct]

Propulsion crew online.

Pre-sea and Harbor Station checks?

Complete and reported to maneuvering.

We'll need to keep an eye on the aft hydraulic system.

- Okay. - Instrument check.

Complete and correct.

[boy] Come on! It's going! Hurry up!

- [boy 2] Wait for me! - [boy 3] It's right there!

[chattering, shouting]

[shouting, cheering]

- Bye! - Bye!

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

[shouting, cheering continue]

[phone buzzes]

Thank you.

He's coming.

Be careful.

Admiral on deck!

Carry on.

Coffee.

Carry up the frigates and redeploy north 16.5.

Yes, sir.

[Admiral] Must I do everything myself?

No, sir.

A grand sight, isn't it?

Twenty years ago, for this exercise...

we had three times this number of ships.

Now half of them rust at dry dock.

[helicopter whirring]

Two-thirds of our submarines are being cut apart for scrap.

You remember the Kutuzov?

- My first command? - Mm-hmm.

It has off-loaded its missiles

and is delivering meat and vegetables to our base at Polyarny.

Now, if the Americans attack, the Kutuzov can throw cabbage at them.

[laughs]

Still, it's impressive.

More than enough to send a message to our enemies.

Now all we have to do is figure out who our enemies are.

Commodore Russell.

Deputy Flag Officer, Submarines.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

[chattering]

What's the word on the Russian exercise?

Fifty-seven surface ships, uh, three detected submarines.

An Oscar Il, the Kursk, departed Vidyayevo at 0720.

- Sonics? - Silent and invisible.

Oscar class.

Thank goodness the Russians don't have the money to build more of those things.

At least we could hear the Typhoons so we didn't bump into them.

Amazing to think that the Russians used to do one of these every year.

Right.

- Morning. - Morning, sir.

- Is Admiral Grudzinsky on site? - At sea and in command.

You know him, don't you, sir?

Met him. We fished. And drank.

[laughing]

Yes, too much in my case.

So, Admiral Grudzinsky, what have you got up your sleeve?

Officer of the Watch, take us to 28 meters.

Come right to zero-eight-five.

When you have caught the trim, come up to 20 knots.

Twenty-eight meters, zero-eight-five and 20 knots, sir.

- Table of arms? - Twenty-four SS-16 missiles.

Twenty-one L-55 torpedoes. And one HP practice torpedo.

- The Fat Girl. - Yes.

- Status? - Stable.

HPs, I hate them. Cheap and dangerous.

One-three-five.

I have no watch.

I'll be happy when it's time to say good-bye to it.

[Mikhail] Attention!

At ease.

The exercise will have three phases.

Test missile fired, test torpedo fired,

return to base undetected.

Reactor status?

Both reactors online, sir.

[Shirokov] Armaments?

Our test torpedo is currently stable,

but has a slightly elevated internal temperature,

indicating a possible hydrogen peroxide leak.

[Shirokov] Noted.

We'll get rid of it as soon as we reach her fire authorization window.

- Anything else? - No.

[Shirokov] Fall out.

Tube clear.

Prepare to load.

Sir, temperature spike. One-four-two, rising.

Command, priority comm. I need to speak to the captain.

[Shirokov] This is the captain.

Sir, our test torpedo is angry. One-four-two degrees and rising.

One-four-eight.

One-four-eight.

Request permission to fire prior to authorized window.

[Shirokov] Are we still below abort threshold?

Yes, sir.

[Shirokov] We're seven minutes from our fire authorization window.

And we're not in position. Permission denied.

Yes, sir.

By the book.

One-five-two.

Say your prayers.

I'm not a religious man.

[shouting]

[rumbling]

[alarm beeping]

- [Mikhail] Secure the compartment! - [officer] Secure the compartment.

Secure all hatches! All valves closed!

- Sir, what is it? What is it? - Secure the forward bulkhead.

Secure bulkhead doors! All valves closed!

Command. Command, this is Compartment Seven. Come in.

Command, this is Compartment Seven. Come in.

- Why isn't Command responding? - Because they're dead, that's why.

- Quiet. - Why are we not surfacing?

- Why do you think? - Quiet!

[Mikhail] Command, this is Compartment Seven. Come in.

Command, this is Compartment Seven. Come in.

[Niko] Sir, there is a fire in the torpedo room.

Detonation temperature?

I think the warheads explode at one... 180 degrees.

- How much? - 180 degrees.

[alarm beeping]

[beeping stops]

That's off the scale.

Wh-Wh... What are we going to do?

As we've trained. Secure comp...

[explosion]

- [screaming] - [screaming]

[screaming]

[electricity surging]

Go aft while you can! To Compartment Nine!

Pavel and Anton are forward!

[alarm blaring]

Go to Compartment Nine!

Leave him on the platform. Go to Compartment Nine.

Move on!

[Oleg] Anton! Anton!

Compartment Five, this is Compartment Seven. Come in.

Compartment Five.

Compartment Five, this is Compartment Seven. Come in!

[Oleg] Mikhail, they're gone.

Compartment Five, this is Compartment Seven. Come in.

[Oleg] Let's just go. Let's go!

[Anton] This is Five. Mikhail?

Anton, we're in Seven. What's your status?

[Anton] The reactor's melting down.

Emergency cooling is inoperative.

Get out of there!

[Anton] We can't leave, or it's Chernobyl.

We've got to activate convection cooling.

What's the water level?

[Anton] It's rising fast.

Mikhail?

Tell Vera I love her.

Good-bye.

Good-bye.

Move, move, move! Go to Compartment Nine!

Is anyone here?

[officer] Go, go, go!

[Leo] Peter, Peter? Peter!

Go right away.

- Right away! - [officer] Move, move, move!

[shouts]

[panting]

[officer 2] Leo, come on! Leo, let's go! Leo!

[Leo] Don't touch me!

Wake up! Wake up!

[Mikhail] Move it. Move it!

[panting]

Sir, do we exactly know what happened?

[Mikhail] Not sure.

So, why are we alive?

We are aft. That's why we're alive.

The explosion was forward, and we are aft,

so the bulkheads protected us from it.

[Leo] What are we going to do?

[Maxim] Let's use the hatch and get the hell out of here.

We're taking on water.

No. No, first things first.

We stabilize the compartment, we inventory our assets, and then...

then we evaluate our escape options.

- Does everyone understand that? - [all] Yes, sir!

Very good.

- Maxim and Niko. - Yes!

You shut down the compartment. Then you purge the main pipes.

- Then checklist from forward to aft. - Yes, sir!

- [Mikhail] Boris, you work on the pump. - Yes, sir!

Sasha, where are you? Get the hammer.

- We need to let them know we're alive. - [Sasha] Yes, sir!

[Boris] Okay, four strikes, repeatedly. Every hour on the hour.

Four strikes.

Five, four, three, two, one.

[hammer pounding]

[Hamil] Get me closer on the Barents Sea, northeast of Murmansk.

[man] Yes, sir.

- And bring up maritime traffic, please. - Yes, sir.

[Hamil] Bring it up now. And get me a satellite picture.

Get me a better satellite picture than that, please.

Yep, closer on that. What's that?

What do we have?

The Russian frigates are running grids

and the rest of the fleet is sailing in short radius circles.

Seismic events? Be more specific?

[officer] One small, one large, 3.9 on the Richter.

11:28 hours, two minutes apart.

Mother of God.

They've lost a submarine.

Get me the NORSAR seismic readouts for the Barents Sea.

- [man] Yes, sir! - David, ask the Americans

to reroute Satcom Three for photos of Vidyayevo

and the other Murmansk secondary ports.

Sir.

Bruce, place a call to Russian Northern Fleet headquarters.

- To? - Admiral Grudzinsky.

Should I clear that with NATO HQ first, sir?

If I wanted you to clear it first, I'd have told you so.

Yes, sir.

- Admiral on deck. - As you were.

Report?

Two acoustic events.

- How big? - Unclear.

Our instruments were pinned.

I need location and boat.

- The Kursk? - Get the Dronov ready to be sent down.

- Understood? - Yes, sir.

What are we hearing?

One explosion, then a second explosion,

which was really multiple explosions that landed almost simultaneously.

- Granit missiles? - It's more likely torpedoes.

Any word from the Northern Fleet?

Nothing yet. They haven't responded.

Survivors?

There were two explosions, very big.

The American satellite data shows the Russian rescue assets still docked.

- [Misha] Mom. - [Tanya] Yeah?

Good or bad?

They're small, but it's good.

Put them in the basket.

They're very small.

Baby mushrooms.

We can put them in the soup.

Let's go.

[Boris] The water is rising fast!

It's up 1.5 meters!

[Mikhail] We are trying to fix it!

[officer] Pass the wrench.

- [Mikhail] We need more cloth! - [officer] Leo, bring me the cloth.

[man] Get him some cloth! Get him some cloth!

[Boris] Okay, go get me the clamps! The clamps!

- Niko! Come on! - Okay, I got the clamps.

[grunting]

[gasping]

Damn it!

Boris, how're you doing on the pump?

- We need that pump now! - I'm on it, I'm on it!

We're connecting it to the reserve batteries.

- It's on. - [machinery whirring]

Get the milk and check if there is suction.

[Sasha] Pass me the milk.

[Boris] Check the suction!

[gasping]

That will slow it down, but it won't stop it.

Boris, make sure the pump stays on. We still have water coming in.

[Boris] Yes, sir.

[Mikhail] Niko, go find blankets. We need to stay warm.

[Niko] Yes, sir.

Prepare the oxygen generator as well.

Do not activate without me reviewing the procedure with you.

Leo.

What's going on?

- You're going to make it. - I'm scared.

Listen to me. Listen to me.

Imagine you're on the surface and your friends are trapped down here.

You would move heaven and earth to save them.

Nothing would be too much. Nothing.

- Nothing. - Right?

Everything we would do for them, they would do for us.

- Yes, sir. - Do you believe that?

Okay?

Yes, sir.

Any audio?

[man] Sir, it's... it's not working.

We'll get it fixed. We're almost there, sir.

My God.

Worse.

Much worse than I expected.

No one could survive that.

[sighs]

[sobbing]

[sniffling, sobbing]

It's the Kursk.

Something happened.

- What? - I'm sorry.

Ilina!

- Hi, Mom. - Hi.

- [Tanya] Anastasia! - I don't know what to do.

- What have you heard? - That they lost contact with it.

- When? How long has it been? - I don't know.

[woman] I heard it's on fire.

- [Anastasia] Who told you that? - Dasha.

[woman 2] Danil's sister said everything is fine.

- Are they trapped? - [Anastasia] Who knows?

[Marina] What are we doing?

[Tanya] Find Vadim.

I'll try headquarters, see if I can find out anything.

[Marina] Okay.

- We'll meet at Vera's! - Yes.

[Tanya] Don't worry. We're finding out what happened.

[people chattering]

- [woman] Where? - [man] Right here.

[chattering continues]

Has anything happened to the Kursk?

I-I don't know anything about that.

Have you heard anything? Can you tell me?

I can't tell you things I don't know.

Actually, even if I did know, I wouldn't be authorized to tell you.

I'm... I'm sorry.

Captain Timoshenko!

- Captain! - Yes.

We heard something happened to the Kursk.

I was just called here for a meeting, so excuse me.

[Daria] God forbid the Navy should tell us what's happening, right?

[Marina] This is bullshit!

So, what should we do?

[Oksana] We let the Navy do its work.

I mean, they will do anything in their power to get them home.

- But we need to know what's happening. - [Daria] That's... Yeah.

[Oksana] Well, 30 years ago,

when Anton was much younger than even Misha is now,

Anton's father worked on the Kiev.

There was a fire, on the submarine,

and she was on the bottom for... for three weeks.

I didn't know a thing.

The Navy protected me as it saved Vadim.

Their comrades will do their duty. Your duty is to wait and hope.

- Yeah. - [Vadim] Yeah.

- Yeah. - Coffee?

[Vera] I didn't say good-bye to Anton when he left.

I was mad because...

he swore he'd fix the broken window by the sink.

I didn't even kiss him good-bye.

Maybe that was our last moment together.

And I snapped at him.

He knew you loved him.

Knew?

He knows.

You have to stay strong.

- We have to stay strong. - Yeah, okay.

We have no choice.

[Tanya] Captain!

Go, Misha. Go sit over there.

- I'm Tanya Averina. - Yes, I know. I know Mikhail.

This is our only rescue ship, right?

If they were alive, you would be on your way.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

[inhaling, exhaling]

I have it.

[coughs]

No oxygen.

Central 02 is gone!

We have to start the oxygen generator.

Oleg, we need the cartridges to ignite the generator.

- I know. - [Mikhail] Oleg.

I know, I know.

[coughs]

Yes. Shit.

What's the matter?

- We don't have any cartridges. - [Mikhail] What?

We don't have any cartridges.

Are you sure? They must be somewhere.

- We looked everywhere. - They must be somewhere!

Sir, there are cartridges in Compartment Eight, in the lower section.

I gave them to Timur myself.

[Boris] Compartment Eight is flooded.

We can't go down there.

[generator powering down]

[Mikhail] Damn it. Boris.

Boris, get the pump running.

[Niko] Let me help you.

Ready.

[generator motor whirring]

Emergency power.

Fleet command, all engines stop.

[man] Audio test confirmed.

If there is anything to hear, let's make sure we hear it.

Cut the engines.

Confirmed.

[machinery powering down]

[systems powering down]

[man] Fifteen seconds.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two, on the hour.

Mark.

Are you sure the audio is working?

Yes, sir. We've got ambient sea noise and current flow.

Nothing.

[Boris] Mikhail!

Mikhail!

We're on the hour. Passed it.

- What? - We've passed it.

We need to do the strikes.

Oh. sorry, I... I sold my watch.

[pounding]

[pounding echoes]

[pounding echoes]

Yes!

- Get me the Rudnitsky now! - Standby. Get the Rudnitsky!

[ship horn blowing]

[knocking]

[knocking]

[knocking continues]

- [man] Tanya Averina? - Yes.

- I'm Kulkin. - Yeah.

They heard tapping on the Kursk.

Thank you.

Marina! Marina!

Daria!

Daria!

Marina!

- [Daria] What? - [Tanya] They heard tapping!

- What? - They heard tapping!

- Are you sure? - Yeah!

- They are alive! - Marina!

- They heard tapping! - What's going on?

They heard tapping! The rescue service is on its way!

- Tanya, are you sure? - Really?

- Yes! They are alive! They're alive! - They're alive!

[Bruce] Tony, get me a live feed from Vidyayevo satellite.

And keep an eye on all images from northeast of Murmansk.

It's the Kursk that's down.

A ship left Vidyayevo two hours ago with the rescue submersible on deck.

There are survivors.

[man] Which rescue submersible?

The Russians had three functional rescue submersibles.

The Mir was sold to an American company,

which uses it to take rich tourists down to see the Titanic at $20,000 a pop.

The A-32 is stuck in the Black Sea with stabilizer problems,

which leaves the Priz, which is a bucket of bolts.

I wouldn't trust it in a bathtub.

[man] Have the Russians requested our help?

I've put repeated calls in to Admiral Grudzinsky of the Northern Fleet.

No response. But he's no fool.

The Kursk has more secrets on it than any ship in their navy.

There's cryptography, propulsion, weapons systems.

They're not going to let us go anywhere near it.

We'll see. In the meantime, I want the LR5 prepped and loaded

and ready for air transport.

And I want a list of all dive platforms and saturation divers

from the North Sea to the coast of Finland.

[man] Yes, sir.

[car horn honking]

You'll wait in here, okay?

Hi.

- No. - Why?

I said no.

Let me begin by saying that I will make all efforts

to share with you available information.

That said, you must understand there are security issues

that may prevent certain information from being shared at this time.

So, the Russian Navy, and in particular the Northern Fleet,

has a long and proud history of defending our nation,

- and the brave sailors who's served... - What?

Captain?

Captain, excuse me for interrupting,

but we've been told that there is tapping from inside the Kursk.

- Is that true? - [women murmuring]

I cannot speak to that issue.

All I can tell you is that the Russian Navy,

- and in particular the Northern Fleet... - Why can't he say anything?

has a long and proud history...

I'm so sorry, Captain.

But we've all come here for some information.

I mean, can you tell us anything about the tapping, please?

[Tanya] Do you know their condition?

- How much air they have? - And what is being done to save them, sir?

[Tanya] Tell us!

- How long do they have? - [Daria] Please, anything.

[chattering, murmuring]

Please, sir.

- I'm sorry. I'm very sorry. - [Daria] No, please! No!

[Timoshenko] I'm very sorry, but I have nothing more to tell you.

[shouting, clamoring]

- [woman] What is going on? Tell us! - [Vera] When are they coming back?

- [Marina] Please! - [Tanya] Captain!

That's not the way you should have acted.

- They want you to trust them. - Yeah.

- [Tanya] What if I don't? - You should!

[Oksana] Excuse me.

[Tanya] Misha?

Is Dad dead?

I don't know.

You think he's dead.

I hope he's okay.

Me, too.

[water flowing]

Niko?

- Niko. - [Niko groaning]

Wake up. Wake up.

Do you hear me? You have to stay awake. Stay with us.

I have to go through the floor hatch.

- [Oleg] Can't be done. - [Mikhail] It has to be done.

We need oxygen.

[Oleg] You won't make it.

- Leo! - Yes, sir.

[Mikhail] Which locker did he put them in?

I don't know. I left before he stowed them.

- [Mikhail] You don't know. - Lower section!

It will take some time to find them. I need someone to come with me.

Sasha! Sasha!

Help me get the oxygen cartridges.

Leo, hurry up.

[Boris] This is a crazy plan. It's too far.

Give me your arm. Come on. Give me your arm.

All right!

[breathing heavily]

[grunting]

[grunting]

[Mikhail groans]

[shouting]

[all shouting]

Help him!

[Oleg] Get him out of the water! Get some blankets!

[Leo] Help me! Help me! Help me!

[Oleg] Come on!

Mikhail! Mikhail, look at me!

- [Leo] Bring him out! - Come on!

[Boris] Hold on, Sasha!

Come on!

Sasha! You're okay! You're okay, you're okay!

[gasping]

Look at me, look at me!

[Oleg] Where are the cartridges? Where are the cartridges?

[grunting]

[gasping, panting]

[shivering]

[grunting]

[Oleg] Two boxes? Ten cartridges each.

One down, nineteen to go.

What the hell took you so long?

- [all laughing] - Can you tell me that?

[Leo] And I forgot my trunks down there. Can you go back?

[all laughing]

[officer] Watch out!

Careful!

Easy! Watch it!

- Get the lifting slings! - [officer 2] Slow and easy!

[officer 3] We need five men portside for the maneuver.

[man on radio] Currentjust over one knot.

Battery level 85%.

Turnaround at 25%.

[pounding]

[pounding]

[pounding]

[pounding]

- [Mikhail] Leo. Go. - Yes, sir.

- [clangs] - Hey, be careful! Be careful.

- I know, I know. - Be careful with this one.

Yes, I know.

Listen to me. Have you done this in training?

In theory. But I was on a short schedule.

So you didn't.

No water on this one.

Are you listening? No water on this one.

No water.

Any contact with water, and it will explode.

- Yeah, big fire. - Do you understand?

- Big fire. And then what happens? - [pounding]

- No oxygen. - Exactly. We don't want that.

- Always hold it on the top. - Yes, sir.

Okay, take the cartridge.

[pounding]

Okay, put it in.

- [pounding] - Now bring it down. Lock it in.

[machinery whirring]

[man on radio] We'll approach it from just behind the reactors.

Then let the current push us backward toward the aft escape hatch.

[pounding]

[pounding]

[pounding]

[pounding]

[whirring]

[loud clank]

[Leo] What's that?

[faint rumbling]

- They're here! - [rumbling continues]

It's them.

- [clanking] - [laughs]

- [laughter] - [Oleg] Yeah!

- Yeah! - Whoo!

[all cheering]

Yeah!

Whoo!

- [pounding] - Shh!

Silence! Silence!

- Shh. Shh. Shh. - [pounding, shouting subside]

Let's listen, let's listen!

Let's wait.

[beeping]

- It's not connecting. - We're in position.

- It's not making a seal. - Why?

Battery is at 25%.

- [beeping] - Twenty-three.

- I'm not leaving until we seal. - Well, if we die, they die.

We recharge and we come back.

- Blowing ballast. - Blowing ballast on three, two, one.

[man on radio] Full ahead.

Come hard left.

- I can't hold it. I can't hold it. - Watch out! Watch out!

[loud thud]

They hit the rudder.

- They're surfacing! - [all] No! No! No!

[Mikhail] Yes! They're surfacing!

- They're surfacing! - [pounding]

You bastards! Come back!

[all] Come back! Come back! Come back! Come back!

Come back!

Come back! Come back!

Quiet!

- Quiet! - [pounding, shouting subside]

Please listen.

- They will try again! - [Leo] But, sir...

Trust me! They will.

But what if they still can't attach?

Let's swim to the surface, do speed ascents.

- No! - They're right above us.

[Mikhail] You've seen the rescue ship, right?

- Mikhail, we have to leave now! - [Mikhail] No!

The rescue ship has no decompression chamber.

You will die of the bends. You know that.

You go, you die.

We wait!

We can't wait.

We've done enough waiting. To hell with waiting!

[man shouting, faint]

What happened? Why couldn't you make the seal?

I don't know, sir.

This is supposed to be replaced annually.

God knows how old this is.

The tail is damaged.

- [Grudzinsky] So make the repairs. - Yes, sir.

Change out the batteries. Let's try again. Quickly.

We only have one set.

- Twelve hours to recharge. - No extra batteries?

We were ordered to sell them with the Mir.

They're at the Titanic.

[weeping]

So...

this little polar bear goes to his mother and says...

"I'm a polar bear, right?"

And she says, "Yes, of course."

And the little polar bear says, "Okay, thanks."

The next day,

the little polar bear goes to his mother again and says,

"Let me see if I got this right.

You're a polar bear, right?" And she says, "Yes, of course."

And then the little polar bear says, "And Dad's a polar bear, too, right?"

And she says, "Yes, of course."

And then the little polar bear says, "Okay, fine, just checking."

[man chuckles]

So, the next day,

the little polar bear goes to his mother again and says...

"I just gotta be clear here.

You're a polar bear, right?"

And the mother says, "Yes."

"And Dad's a polar bear, right?" And she says, "Yes."

"That makes me a polar bear, right?"

She says, "Yes."

Then the little polar bear says,

- "Then why am I so..." - [Boris] "So fucking cold."

[all laughing]

[Boris] I'm sorry, Oleg, it's just...

"Then why am I so fucking cold?"

[laughing continues]

[Leo] Hell yeah, it's cold!

What's taking so long?

[man shouting, faint]

And the collar?

We're hoping that heating it up will enable the oil to penetrate

and soften it enough to attach.

That's not reassuring.

Carry on.

[man] The batteries are nearly charged!

[thudding]

- [Mikhail] Leo! - [Leo] Yes, sir?

[Mikhail] Hammer!

Okay, okay.

[whirring]

[whirring stops]

[objects clatter]

[Denisov] What should I tell Moscow?

[Grudzinsky] I'll tell them myself.

[line ringing]

[woman] Emergency center.

This is Admiral Grudzinsky from the Northern Fleet.

I need to communicate with Commodore David Russell.

Royal Navy.

[woman] I'll put you through.

[phone ringing]

- Andrei. - [Grudzinsky] David.

- It's been too long. - It certainly has.

What can I do?

You've seen the Priz and the Mikhail Rudnitsky?

It's not built for the Barents Sea.

- It's built for carrying lumber. - Do you know how many survivors?

[Grudzinsky] Unclear.

Perhaps 20, 25.

How bad is it?

The compartments aft of the reactors appear intact.

But everything else is gone.

Is there any chance your superiors will let us in?

[Grudzinsky] Not until I try a sufficient number of times

to do the impossible with the inadequate.

[Russell] I understand.

If there's anything I can do besides standing by, let me know.

[Grudzinsky] There is one thing you could do.

And so we are offering immediate deployment of the LR5,

our state-of-the-art rescue submersible,

and anything else the Russians need.

[reporters clamoring]

And with Russian rescue assets apparently unable to reach survivors,

offers of international assistance are now pouring in.

Britain and France, Norway, and the United States

offering both technical help and rescue submersibles.

[Russell] And so we are offering immediate deployment of the LR5,

our state-of-the-art rescue submersible,

and anything else the Russians need.

[reporters clamoring]

It has a potential to be a unique moment of collaboration,

sweeping aside Cold War suspicions.

But so far, inexplicably,

there has been no clear response from either the Kremlin

or the admirals of the Northern Fleet.

[Petrenko] There are reasons to believe that the initial cause

was a collision with a non-Russian vessel.

With submarines as silent as they are, that is, of course, a constant danger,

made worse, of course, by the aggressiveness of NATO.

[reporter] How about the offers of foreign help? Are you gonna accept them?

[Petrenko] Um, that is unclear at this time.

- [reporter] One more question! - [news jingle playing]

[generator powering down]

- Have a look. - Yes, sir.

- Boris, check the batteries. - Yes, sir.

- Here. - [Leo] What is it? Hey.

Batteries are dead.

- That means the pump is out. - [Leo] What do you mean?

[Boris] Water will be rising soon.

[Leo] How much? What do we do?

[Mikhail] Settle down, settle down.

Save your strength, save oxygen.

Stay awake.

[shivering]

Maxim, what are you doing?

[Maxim] Let's leave. We need to leave.

We should have done this a long time ago.

Maxim, get down from there. Come back here.

Maxim, get down from there!

[Boris] Maxim!

Maxim, you're gonna kill everyone! Come back!

- Get down! Get down! - Stop it!

- Maxim! - Maxim!

[shouting]

Stop it! Stop it, stop it!

[screaming]

Stop it! Stop it!

Maxim!

- [Boris] Come back down! - Stop it, man.

[man] Maxim, we're gonna drown! Come on!

[choking]

[hatch closes]

[gasping, panting]

And that's why I believe we should accept the British and Norwegian offers of help.

The survivors are only in the aft section of the boat.

We can limit foreign divers and submersibles to that area.

[man] Those young men knew what they were signing up for.

Yes, sir. Those young men knew what they were signing up for

when they joined the Navy, but did their wives?

[man] You have your orders. No foreign interference.

Very well, sir. I understand.

[Daria] Marina!

[Tanya] Let's go down. Where is Vera?

[Daria] She'll meet us there. Yeah. Marina?

- [Marina] I'm coming! Two minutes! - [Daria] Hurry up!

[Timoshenko] Attention, everyone. Admiral Petrenko.

[Petrenko] I know this is a very difficult time for you.

Speaking for myself and the president,

I want to assure you that we are doing everything in our power

to bring up the men still on the Kursk.

To that effect, I will list the ships that are on the scene.

The flagship, Peter the Great.

The rescue vessel, Mikhail Rudnitsky...

Admiral. Admiral.

Uh... what is the status of the crew?

Are you in communication with them?

- [Marina] And who is alive? - [woman] Yeah, who is alive?

- [spectators murmuring] - [Tanya] A-A-Are they injured?

And what about the foreign help? Have you accepted it?

[Petrenko] If you let me continue, I will give you specifics.

The offers of foreign assistance are being considered.

Meanwhile, here is what we know.

Uh, the Kursk is intact and on the seabed.

It is in a very difficult position,

and at a depth of 500 meters

and almost zero visibility.

No, no.

- [Petrenko] At a very steep angle. - What?

[Petrenko] And with strong underwater current...

[Vadim] The Barents Sea is nowhere near that deep.

Visibility is like glass.

[Petrenko] We are confident that our search and rescue personnel...

The Barents Sea is not that deep, and visibility is not what you say.

[Petrenko] Are you an expert on underwater rescue?

- No. - No. Then leave this to those who are.

I am not an expert, but I am not a fool, either.

- None of us are. - [spectators murmuring]

[Tanya] Okay? None of us are!

You shouldn't lie!

- You're lying to us! - [clapping]

How dare you.

I ask you the same question.

We have children here.

We... We have husbands!

Your husbands and sons are sailors in the Russian Navy.

Every one of them took an oath to defend his country with his life.

The rescuers at the scene are doing all they can.

They are well-equipped with the latest technology,

equal to or even superior to anything offered by foreign nations.

That's nonsense. That's nonsense, and everyone knows it!

[Petrenko] Sit down and listen!

[spectators exclaiming]

[Petrenko] Anger and disrespect serve no purpose.

[Oksana] But my husband... My husband served the Northern Fleet.

We are Navy.

We raised our son to be Navy. For what? To die? For nothing?

Calm down, or you will be removed from this hall!

Tell us if they are still alive or how long they have before they die!

Calm down, or you will be removed. You will be removed from here.

- [woman] She is right! - [Petrenko] Calm down.

No! No, there is no time for this!

You want our men to die for nothing.

To hell with you! To hell with you!

You go to hell!

You and your admirals and your bureaucrats!

To hell with you. It's where you have put us.

And our families and our children. And we just want justice!

What did you do to her? What did you do to her?

[spectators shouting, exclaiming]

[Vadim] Leave her alone! Leave her alone!

Shame! Shame on you!

[shouting, exclaiming continue]

[TV: spectators shouting, exclaiming]

[helicopter whirring]

David?

I'd like to take you up on your offer of assistance.

- [Russell] What changed? - [Grudzinsky] I don't know. Me?

[Russell] I'll pull divers from one of the Norwegian rigs

at the Asgard oil fields.

They can rendezvous with the LR5 and me in Trondheim, Norway.

From there, it's 11 hours to the accident site.

- [Russell] Graham. - [man] David.

This is Commodore David Russell. We're working for him on this one.

It's very good to meet you gentlemen.

- I appreciate what you're doing. - Thank you, sir.

Right, before you go into the chamber, I have a little paperwork.

You're being asked to sign special waiver forms,

agreeing to dive without a hyperbaric lifeboat

and not to hold the Stolt Corporation liable in the event of injury or death

related to or caused by nuclear radiation or weapons of war.

[helicopter whirring]

No Admiral Petrenko?

He sent me.

So you have taken over my command.

Yes, of the rescue operation.

And, pending formal transfer of command, the Northern Fleet.

[man] First engineer, contact the engine room.

This is Commodore David Russell of the Royal Navy.

I am aboard the Seaway Eagle.

We are here at the request of Admiral Grudzinsky.

We're requesting permission to approach the accident site. Over.

[man] You're to maintain your current position until further orders.

Stop the engines.

[engine shutting down]

[exhales]

[groaning]

[man coughing]

[panting]

[gasping]

[Oleg] Mikhail.

What is it?

I need a pen.

I have a pen.

What is it? Tell me.

How old were you when your father died?

I was three. You know that.

What... What do you... What do you remember about him?

Tell me honestly.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Misha will...

will have only a very vague memory of me.

[Oleg] No.

The baby...

The baby will have none.

[Oleg] No, that's not true.

I can feel my father.

I know my mother loved him, and I know he loved me.

And somehow he's always been a part of me.

The thing is, I need to tell him that.

Thank you.

[panting]

[blows]

[shivering]

This is Graham Mann. He heads up our dive team.

Admiral Einar Skorgen, NATO Commander North Norway.

He's been instrumental in getting all of this going.

Now, here's a... a list of things we need to attend to.

Including your site surveys and photographs of the accident site.

We also need detailed specs on the hatch.

All in good time. All in good time.

Admiral, with all respect, surely time is of the essence.

Yes.

We need to send down our ROVs

for a preliminary radiation check, a site survey and...

I think there has been a misunderstanding regarding this meeting.

- What? - The Russian rescue assets

are in position and functioning very well.

Tomorrow the decision will be made

whether you and your men will be allowed to participate in the operation.

What the did we come all this way for then if...

Admiral, let me be frank. We have the divers and the equipment

to start bringing those men to the surface in a matter of hours.

Now, we don't know their condition. I implore you to accept our help.

If there are survivors, we can bring them to the surface very quickly.

I believe we've been very clear.

When we reconvene,

if your help is needed, we will let you know.

We look forward to your call.

Why are they stalling?

[Russell] They're protecting their naval secrets.

And trying to avoid national humiliation.

[Mann] It's not humiliating to lose their flagship sub?

Not if they can blame it on us.

[Mann] A collision, or us not saving them?

- Maybe both. - So what?

We wait?

[Russell] We wait.

And the men at the bottom?

They wait, too.

[electronic beeping]

Christ!

- I can't hold it. - We're missing it, we're missing it.

- Let's go for another attempt. - Okay. Turning around.

Coming back. Placing a mark.

Battery level's 25%.

We're staying.

[thud]

[shivering]

Battery level's 12%.

- Battery level's at 9%. - Push it down, push it down.

Eight percent.

What... Keep it!

Don't move it! Keep it still!

- You're moving! - Battery level's at 7%.

We have to abort now! Abort!

[system powering down]

[electronic beeping continues]

Blowing ballast. Rising.

[sighs]

Ascending.

[man on radio] Do you hear tapping?

No. No tapping.

Send in the Brits at dawn.

[man] Prepare for the maneuvering!

[Dag] Sir! We're on tomorrow morning!

[Russell] Get the divers at depth, prepped and ready.

[man shouts] Okay! That's confirmed!

Hey, friend.

Don't leave me.

Stay with me.

[Oleg] What the hell is this?

Jesus Christ.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not ready to die.

[man groans]

[taps]

- Good morning, Kursk! - [Leo] Good morning!

Breakfast is about to be served.

- Leo, help me out. - Okay.

Okay.

Okay, everybody, wake up!

Show me what you have, and, uh, let's gather a nice morning buffet.

[man laughs]

[Oleg] Come on, Sasha. What do you have there?

- [Sasha] Some tuna. - Oh, nice. Seafood!

- [Leo] You've got some meat? - Yes.

[Oleg] Biscuits?

- Crackers? - Hey!

- Crackers? - Leo.

[Oleg] What do you have, guys? Yes. Sasha.

Everything's missing.

What a coincidence.

- You're thinking about food right now. - Oleg.

What's up?

Ohh.

- Oh, crackers! - This is good!

Yeah. Finally the Navy does something right.

[all laughing]

- Niko... - Oh, that's good.

- No, get out of here. - Where is it?

[all cheering]

Real breakfast!

- I got some more of that. - Oh, yeah!

- Can I get some? - Ah!

- Oh! Keeps us warm. - Oh, my God.

[Oleg] This is really good, huh?

Yeah. Maxim, look at this!

There's everything here!

- Do we actually want to go up or what? - No! No!

Not yet! We're not done down here!

Should I tell my polar bear joke again?

- Yes! - Yes, yes, yes.

Okay, shut up this time, Boris!

[laughter]

So, this little polar bear goes to his mother and says...

No, no, here, here. Have a drink instead.

[Oleg] Leo, not to blame you, you little piece of shit...

Leo, Leo! Be careful!

[gasps]

[men coughing, groaning]

[man] Wake up! Wake up!

[chattering, shouting]

Wake up! Wake up!

Wake him up! Wake him up!

[Oleg] Listen.

- [Mikhail] How long do we have? - [Oleg] Take it easy.

A couple of minutes.

It's been an honor...

to serve with all of you.

[men] Sir!

[gasping, panting]

[man] ♪ The sailor's band ♪

[men] ♪ The sailor's band ♪

♪ Here's my heart And here's my hand ♪

♪ The sailor's band The sailor's band ♪

♪ Here's my heart And here's my hand ♪

♪ I think, I think I think, I think ♪

♪ It's time to have another drink ♪

♪ The sailor's band The sailor's band ♪

♪ Here's my heart And here's my hand ♪

[man] Sir!

We're on! Ready to go!

[Mann] Let's go! Okay, keep it moving. Check this oxygen, will you?

- Divers at depth? - Prepped 206 meters.

Come on, let's go! Move it!

[man shouting]

[man] Ready? Take the slack!

It's locked.

[man] We need to make sure that hatch chamber is not flooded.

Copy that.

We'll need to open the pressure valve and see if there is any suction.

[man] The hatch chamber is flooded.

No survivors.

My Mikhail said that those who've gone to sea

are forever changed.

He said that's why they're different from the rest of us...

tied one to the other by the sea.

That's why sailors rescue sailors...

even at war.

I don't know if we're at war.

The men of the Kursk can't tell us what they think.

But before he died, my husband wrote a letter to me...

to our son,

and to our unborn child.

"No one has forever.

But I wanted more.

I wanted to give you more. More babies.

Love our son and the baby.

For both of us.

Tell them again and again...

that I love them, as I loved you.

Find another man to love...

but love me as well.

For though I am but a moment for you...

you are my forever."

[singing in Russian]

[man] Misha Averin!

[car doors close]

Well done. The church.

I have something here.

It was your father's.

[Misha] Thank you.

[Tanya] Thank you.

Mom?