Film

Down Periscope

Name: Down Periscope
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1996
Cast: Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Holly, Rob Schneider, Harry Dean Stanton, Bruce Dern

Comedy
Light-hearted

A submarine comedy where a scrappy maverick captain and his ragtag crew of Navy rejects take on the entire fleet in a war game, piloting a rust-bucket diesel sub that shouldn't float. It's broad, affectionate, and unapologetically silly—the kind of '90s ensemble comedy that just wants you to root for the underdogs and laugh at their chaos.

TMDb rating

3.2

If you liked this

The Hunt for Red October1990

The definitive submarine thriller that understands what makes underwater vessels dramatically tense. If you want the 'serious' version of Dodge's story—the intelligence, the strategy, the nail-biting cat-and-mouse—this is required.

But It's significantly longer, slower-paced, and operates in a very different register. The humor here is subtle irony, not pratfalls and one-liners.

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story2004

Same DNA: an incompetent team of misfits, a charismatic loser lead, a rival institution, and the same self-aware comedy sensibility. Vince Vaughn plays Dodge's spiritual cousin, and the ensemble cast chemistry is electric.

But Even broader than Down Periscope, and the humor gets more juvenile. If you found Periscope too silly, this cranks it further.

Stripes1981

The template this film follows: misfit soldiers, hapless authority figures, an impossible mission, and Bill Murray's charisma holding it all together. The ensemble dynamics and the anti-military-bureaucracy angle are nearly identical.

But It's a very 1980s comedy rhythm. The pacing and jokes won't feel natural to modern sensibilities, and some humor hasn't aged well.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Down Periscope

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Das Boot1981

Both pit a submarine crew against overwhelming odds in a competitive exercise, but Das Boot asks what combat actually costs. Where Periscope celebrates the team's scrappiness, Das Boot shows you why they should be terrified.

The ur-text of submarine cinema—German, in two cuts (theatrical and director's), it follows a U-boat and crew with claustrophobic realism and moral complexity. A masterclass in ensemble storytelling and human endurance under pressure.

But Three to five hours depending on version, in German with subtitles, and profoundly bleak. It's about the horror of war, not the adventure. The pace is slow and the ending offers no catharsis.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?2000

A caper ensemble where lovable failures scheme their way through obstacles and somehow stumble upward. The Coen Brothers give it style and heart; you're rooting for these underdogs the whole way.

But It's a period piece with a literary sensibility—much more formally controlled than Periscope's anarchic energy, and the tone is melancholic underneath the comedy.

Galaxy Quest1999

Sci-fi comedy that adores the thing it's parodying, with an ensemble cast of washed-up actors who become real heroes. The affection for its source material and the team dynamics mirror Periscope's spirit exactly.

But It requires interest in Star Trek lore to fully land. The film assumes you know what it's spoofing, and references will sail past if you don't.

Ghostbusters1984

The gold standard ensemble comedy where chemistry between leads matters more than plot. Four misfit characters who shouldn't work together actually do, and the movie knows its own mythology is fun nonsense.

But It's iconic enough to feel heavy. Watching something this foundational sometimes feels like homework, and expectations tend to overshadow the actual experience.

A Few Good Men1992

Military courtroom drama with excellent ensemble cast and the same institutional-vs.-individual tension. If you want the dramatic bones of what Periscope plays for laughs, this is the high-stakes version.

But It's a serious procedural. The satisfaction here comes from tightly structured plotting and moral argument, not gags, and the pace is deliberate.

The Right Stuff1983

Another ensemble of unconventional military men who succeed through competence despite institutional resistance. It's epic, beautifully shot, and finds real emotional stakes in the competition and camaraderie.

But Nearly four hours long, episodic structure, and operates in a completely different register—respectful rather than comedic. Commitment required.

Top Gun1986

Naval action-comedy that splits the difference: it's got comedy and heart, but also genuine stakes and tension. Excellent ensemble, charismatic lead, and the military hierarchy vs. individual competence theme.

But The plot is pretty thin under the surface spectacle, and rewatching it now means confronting how much it's style over substance. It's also a very specific kind of '80s prestige that doesn't land for everyone.

The Last Temptation of Christ1988

Harry Dean Stanton appears in both. But more than that: Stanton is a presence of weathered dignity and intelligence. This film showcases everything he brings to Periscope (gravitas, world-weariness) at full scale, in a context where those qualities carry existential weight.

Scorsese's controversial epic with Willem Dafoe and Harry Dean Stanton (your Periscope ensemble member). Stanton has a small but unforgettable role, and watching him here—austere, spiritual, grieving—is a masterclass in economy of performance.

But Three hours, religiously provocative, and Scorsese operating in maximalist mode. Stanton's presence is brief; you're watching for an entire philosophical and artistic statement, not a character arc.

The Iron Giant1999

Both are about outcasts proving their worth against systems built to dismiss them. Down Periscope is comedy; The Iron Giant is fable. But they share a belief in redemption through competence and loyalty—and the idea that the misfit crew is actually the moral center, not the problem.

Animated Cold War fable about a misfit boy and an alien robot, with themes of choosing humanity over violence. Beautifully drawn, genuinely moving, and carries surprising thematic depth without ever feeling preachy.

But It's animated, which some dismiss as 'kiddie stuff' despite its sophistication. The resolution is sentimental, and the parable can feel heavy-handed if you're not in the right headspace.