HISTORICAL political drama is not a film genre that has most cinema goers speeding down to the local multi-plex, but Thirteen Days looks to have bucked the trend.

Kevin Costner's return to the big screen as producer/actor in this epic set at the height of the cold war, has been heralded as something special, but that seems to apply to all the leading cast and production.

The true-to-life story is set in October 1962 over the 13 days when World War III almost erupted between the USSR and America.

The 13 days begin with the discovery of evidence showing that the USSR is erecting nuclear weapons in Cuba and pointing them at the good old US of A.

As a result President John F Kennedy, (Bruce Greenwood), his brother Robert Kennedy, (Steven Culp) and advisor Kenny O'Donnell, (Kevin Costner) find themselves with their trigger fingers poised on the point of all out war.

The scene is set in extravagant, yet dramatic fashion, with the explosion of an atom bomb bringing home the seriousness of the film's subject matter.

This is followed with some incredibly tense dialogue and the occasional spurt of action keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.

Nervy would be the perfect word as the three leading characters have to try and avoid global meltdown.

The story's ending is embedded in history and as I said at the outset this potentially boring history lesson has been made wonderfully exhilarating by director Roger Donaldson.

Verdict: Lucky for some

Rating: 7/10.

REVIEWED BY PETE HENSHAW

CONTINUING our weekly Cinema Competition, we have another family ticket for the film of your choice at the Odeon in Festival Park, Hanley.

The four tickets, worth £20, will be valid from Monday through until Thursday for a film of the winner's choosing as long as you can get to the theatre yourself.

To enter just answer the following question about this week's film review and send the answer along with a daytime telephone number to The Cinema Comp, Crewe Guardian, 42 High Street, Crewe, CW2 7BN or e-mail crewe@guardiangrp.co.uk with your answer.

To win this week just name the multi-million dollar epic set in a world of water in which Kevin Costner starred and have your answers in by March 29, the winner for the March 15 Bagger Vance competition is EJ Sawford from Shavington.