Why Audiences Love The New Reagan Movie
Angel Studios appears to have another audience favorite on its hands with “The Brink of War,” a Cold War drama centered on one of the most consequential meetings of the 1980s. The film follows President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev during their October 1986 summit in Reykjavik, Iceland, where the two men wrestled […]
Angel Studios appears to have another audience favorite on its hands with “The Brink of War,” a Cold War drama centered on one of the most consequential meetings of the 1980s.
The film follows President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev during their October 1986 summit in Reykjavik, Iceland, where the two men wrestled with the possibility of dramatically reducing their countries’ nuclear arsenals.
Jeff Daniels plays Reagan, Jared Harris portrays Gorbachev, and J.K. Simmons appears as Secretary of State George Shultz.
“The Brink of War” opened to strong audience reception. Moviegoers gave it an A CinemaScore during its debut weekend, while Rotten Tomatoes showed a high approval rating among viewers. Critics were also generally positive, giving the film a stronger reception than many politically themed historical dramas receive.
John Logan Pierson, a co-producer on the film, said the response was especially encouraging because “The Brink of War” is built more around conversation, negotiation and political tension than traditional action.
“Opening a dialogue-driven diplomatic thriller nationwide is never something we take for granted, and we’re enormously grateful to everyone who came out during opening weekend,” Pierson said in a statement to The Western Journal.
He said the audience response suggested that viewers were connecting with one of the film’s main themes: that political strength and diplomacy do not necessarily have to be in conflict with each other.
Pierson also noted that the movie was continuing its theatrical run in more than 1,300 theaters, with the filmmakers hoping positive word of mouth would keep building.
Interest in the film was already strong before its release. Its trailer has attracted more than 17 million views on YouTube, giving Angel Studios another high-profile historical release after the success of “Young Washington” earlier in the summer.
Director and co-producer Michael Russell Gunn previously worked as a producer on the first season of “Designated Survivor,” the political drama starring Kiefer Sutherland.