A peep into Cuban missile crisis between United States and Soviet Union

Thirteen Days looks at the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962 and how close the world came to an all-out nuclear war between the United States and the then Soviet Union. The crisis forced the Americans to contemplate the implications of a full- blown nuclear war.

US intelligence planes flying over Cuba, a communist country closely linked to the Soviet Union, discovered what looked like evidence that nuclear missiles were being built.

The US administration of the time of president John F Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood), called a secret emergency meeting to discuss the situation.

Although the Soviets claimed the Cuban missiles were only for defence purposes to deter the US from invading their ally Cuba, the weapons were capable of hitting cities like Washington DC.

The tension portrayed in Kennedy's agonising over the best course of action for all the world's people and to avoid nuclear war keeps the audience on the edge of its seat.

Scenes of president Kennedy and his main political adviser Ken O'Donnell (Kevin Costner) surrounded by family in domestic settings illustrate their conscience and compassion.

President Kennedy realises his Government has entered totally unknown territory and has to treat carefully as the future of the world is at stake. His character illustrates the point by mentioning a book about how military strategy is based on past wars. President Kennedy has to keep a level head and his own trigger-happy generals in check. His military advisers are all for bombing Cuba and cannot offer alternative options.