'The Brink of War' is The Brink of Entertaining - Review
'The Bring of War' is a beautifully crafted political drama that mistakes a slow burn for a fire, instead of the spark that ended the Soviet Union.
Starring Jeff Daniels, J.K. Simmons and Jared Harris, "The Brink of War," is a beautifully written, acted and directed feature from Angel Studios. Unfortunately, its slow burn never ignites into an inferno of intensity. It simply smolders until the credits roll. Watching it is like having dramatic music swell over a Senate vote airing on C SPAN.
“The Brink of War,” is one of those films where you can appreciate the craftsmanship far more than you actually enjoy the experience of watching it.
Set during the 1986 Reykjavík Summit, the film puts Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev and their respective advisers in a high stakes attempt to negotiate an agreement that could dramatically reduce the world’s nuclear arsenals or push the Cold War toward catastrophe. It is an inherently fascinating piece of history and writer director Michael Russell Gunn clearly did his homework. The years of research, including interviews with George Shultz and access to transcripts from the summit, are evident in the film’s attention to detail.
Jeff Daniels, Jared Harris and J.K. Simmons are all magnanimous towards the subject matter and the political figures they portray. Daniels gives Reagan a thoughtful, vulnerable, yet firm persona while Harris brings considerable weight to Gorbachev, a man who’s god has become the party, yet wants to protect his citizens without compromising their values. Simmons is particularly good as Shultz, who writer/director Michael Russell Gunn spent years researching these events and spent time with the George Shultz before his passing in 2021. John Ross Bowie is also wonderful as Ken Adelman, the director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. The running joke about Reagan repeatedly forgetting that Adelman was also a Republican is one of the film’s better bits of humor.
There is also some amusing cattiness between Nancy Reagan and Raisa Gorbacheva, showing that feminine competition doesn’t necessarily disappear with age. It just finds a different arena.
Unfortunately, for all its strong performances and beautiful production, “The Brink of War,” never quite captures the urgency of its subject. The Reykjavík Summit was an extraordinarily important moment in late 20th century geopolitics, yet the film rarely made me feel that importance. We are constantly reminded that the stakes are enormous through the gorgeous score and Reagan’s recurring night terrors stemming from the 1981 assassination attempt, but the tension never fully translates into genuine suspense.
That’s the biggest problem. I understood that history was being made, but I didn’t feel like I was watching history being made. The potential consequences for Europe, the Soviet Union and the eventual end of the Cold War seem almost secondary when they should be the emotional core of the story.
“The Brink of War,” feels like a fascinating historical event that would make for a terrific documentary but struggles to work as a gripping feature film. If you’re looking for beautifully produced historical drama with excellent acting and cinematography, there’s plenty to admire here. But if you’re expecting a white knuckle political thriller about the world standing on the edge of nuclear annihilation, this doesn’t deliver.
“The Brink of War,” comes to theaters on Friday, August 14, 2026.
A special screening via the Orange County Film Society will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at The Lido Theater in Newport Beach, CA, followed by a Q&A with special guest Jared Harris.
If you are are in Orange County, CA, and interesting in attending you can join the Orange County Film Society at https://www.ocfilmsociety.com/memberships for this film and future screenings.
3 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️