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Remember the scene in Steven Spielberg’s JAWS where Robert Shaw recounts the harrowing story of the doomed crew of the USS Indianapolis? Soon people will see that story on the big screen as well. Mario Van Peebles serves as director for USS INDIANAPOLIS: MEN OF COURAGE. Nicolas Cage plays Captain McVay, who commanded the USS Indianapolis during WWII, one of the fastest ships in the US Navy. Tragically, the 1200-man boat was destroyed by a Japanese submarine, leaving 900 crewmen in the water for days, with hungry sharks around them. Tom Sizemore, Thomas Jane, Matt Lanter, Weronika Rosati, James Remar, Brian Presley, Emily Tennant and Cody Walker (brother of Paul Walker) co-star in this military thriller. Check out the trailer below and tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Throughout WWII, the USS INDIANAPOLIS was known as one of the fastest ships in the entire US Navy. Under the command of CAPTAIN MCVAY (Nicolas Cage), its crew fought bravely in every major US campaign in the Pacific. As President Truman negotiates Germany’s surrender, he gives McVay a new mission. The US Government has developed a secret weapon, which McVay and his crew are to transport to Guam.
The mission goes off without a hitch, and McVay is ordered to take the crew to an island in the Pacific where the men are to report for training. But along the way, disaster strikes. A Japanese submarine under the leadership of COMMANDER HASHIMOTO surprises the Indianapolis and launches several torpedoes into the great ship.
In only twelve minutes, the ship goes down. Of the 1,200 men onboard, only 900 survive the sinking. They wait in the water, believing that their rescue is imminent. When day breaks, the weather turns unbearably hot. Thirst and hunger set in. And the attacks begin. Hundreds of sharks surround the men and attack without mercy or provocation. After the first attacks, the sharks retreat, but continue to circle the men hungrily.
The Japanese military, on its last legs, celebrates the sinking of the Indianapolis as proof that they might mount a comeback against the US forces. Hashimoto is hailed as a hero. But he secretly wonders why the Indianapolis was so vulnerable. What’s more, he grows more and more disillusioned with the Japanese government’s refusal to believe US claims of a secret weapon that will decimate the Japanese population.
After several days in the water, the men start to lose hope. Overwhelmed with thirst, many begin to hallucinate. Marks continues to pressure the Navy, but to no avail. As the days mount up, and more and more men die, the survivors find a new determination to survive. But will their sheer will be enough?
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
