MovieMonday.com - The Final Countdown with Martin Sheen & Kirk Douglas & Katharine Ross

Time Travel Films

The Final Countdown (B+)

STARS...
Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katharine Ross, James Farentino, Charles Durning, and Ron O'Neal.

PLOT SUMMARY...
A modern, American, nuclear powered aircraft carrier encounters a freak storm and time warps back to December 7, 1941.

QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "Under Seige", since both offer detailed looks at U.S. Naval vessels. Navy buffs will enjoy the tour, inside and out, of the U.S.S. Nimitz. THE FINAL COUNTDOWN features fascinating discussions of time travel and its paradoxes, intercut with air and sea action scenes. The time warp FX are adequate to the occasion.

DIRECTOR: Don Taylor
YEAR & RATING: 1980 (PG)

BEST BETS: Moon 44

The Philadelphia Experiment
SYNOPSIS...
A U.S., atomic, aircraft carrier cruises off the coast of Hawaii. A strange, blue storm engulfs the ship, causing it to disappear.

The captain and crew of the ship discover they're back, in 1941. The ship's planes battle Japanese zeros. The captain contemplates going to war against Japan.

It's December 7, and the ship prepares to battle the Imperial Japanese fleet. At the last moment, the time storm shows up again, hurling the ship back to 1980.

Review:

Director Don Taylor's, THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, is a fun, mind teasing, Sci-Fi time travel tale.

Shortly after a private industry efficiency expert, (Martin Sheen), is brought by chopper to the U.S.S. Nimitz, off the coast of Hawaii, it encounters a strange storm. Surviving a weird encounter with the blue storm/vortex, the Nimitz ends up back in time, December 6, 1941, to be precise. Before long, naturally enough, it's December 7. Does that date ring a bell?

The Screenplay, by David Ambrose & Gerry Davis, and Thomas Hunter & Peter Powell, (Story by Thomas Hunter, & Peter Powell, and David Ambrose), poses a great what if: what if the Imperial Japanese Navy, heading for Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, were to encounter a modern atomic-powered aircraft carrier? How might history be altered by such an encounter?

Kirk Douglas, with a military-style haircut, and crisp uniform, brings authority to his role of ship's captain. He has fun with lines like, "Gentlemen, we're at General Quarters because I don't have any idea what's happened."

Martin Sheen brings high energy to his role of the efficiency expert. With his open, boyish, face, high pompadour hairdo, and casual clothes, he provides a great contrast to all the spit and polish military types.

James Farentino ("Dead and Buried"), and Ron O' Neal, ("Superfly"), are credible as officers aboard the Nimitz. Katherine Ross and Charles Durning are effective in small roles.

A lot of the fun of this film is that you get plenty of footage of the atomic aircraft carrier, Nimitz, inside and out. For anyone who has ever been aboard such a vessel, or wanted to, the shipboard scenes are a treat.

For those of you interested in time paradoxes, and without revealing too much, it turns out that Sheen's efficiency expert has been intentionally sent to the Nimitz, by someone with prior knowledge that the Nimitz is going to go through a time warp. Why Sheen, in particular, was sent and, more importantly, how such a "closed loop" time warp developed in the first place, are questions that will probably give you a bad headache long before you arrive at the answers.

The films primary Special Effect is a blue storm/time vortex which envelops the U.S.S. Nimitz at the start and end of the film. While not great, the Special Visual Effects, by Maurice Binder, are good enough to help suspend disbelief.

My favorite scene is when two modern jets from the Nimitz take on two Japanese zeros. Although the air battle scene is brief, the results are satisfying.

Director of Photography, Victor J. Kemper, makes great use of the Nimitz. Under Kemper's expert lensing, the Nimitz becomes as fascinating a location as that other famous vessel, the U.S.S. Enterprise of "Star Trek" fame.

The Music is rousing and dramatic, frequently utilizing the brass section for emphasis. John Scott is the responsible party.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN should be fairly watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers. Time travel/World War Two buffs will get their money's worth.

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The Final Countdown (B+)
	STARS... Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, Katharine Ross, James Farentino, Charles Durning, and Ron O'Neal. PLOT SUMMARY... A modern, American, nuclear powered aircraft carrier encounters a freak storm and time warps back to December 7, 1941. QUICK SCAN... This film could be compared to "Under Seige", since both offer detailed looks at U.S. Naval vessels. Navy buffs will enjoy the tour, inside and out, of the U.S.S. Nimitz. THE FINAL COUNTDOWN features fascinating discussions of time travel and its paradoxes, intercut with air and sea action scenes. The time warp FX are adequate to the occasion.
DIRECTOR: Don Taylor YEAR & RATING: 1980 (PG) BEST BETS: Moon 44 The Philadelphia Experiment	SYNOPSIS... A U.S., atomic, aircraft carrier cruises off the coast of Hawaii. A strange, blue storm engulfs the ship, causing it to disappear. The captain and crew of the ship discover they're back, in 1941. The ship's planes battle Japanese zeros. The captain contemplates going to war against Japan. It's December 7, and the ship prepares to battle the Imperial Japanese fleet. At the last moment, the time storm shows up again, hurling the ship back to 1980.
Review: Director Don Taylor's, THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, is a fun, mind teasing, Sci-Fi time travel tale. Shortly after a private industry efficiency expert, (Martin Sheen), is brought by chopper to the U.S.S. Nimitz, off the coast of Hawaii, it encounters a strange storm. Surviving a weird encounter with the blue storm/vortex, the Nimitz ends up back in time, December 6, 1941, to be precise. Before long, naturally enough, it's December 7. Does that date ring a bell? The Screenplay, by David Ambrose & Gerry Davis, and Thomas Hunter & Peter Powell, (Story by Thomas Hunter, & Peter Powell, and David Ambrose), poses a great what if: what if the Imperial Japanese Navy, heading for Pearl Harbor, on December 7, 1941, were to encounter a modern atomic-powered aircraft carrier? How might history be altered by such an encounter? Kirk Douglas, with a military-style haircut, and crisp uniform, brings authority to his role of ship's captain. He has fun with lines like, "Gentlemen, we're at General Quarters because I don't have any idea what's happened." Martin Sheen brings high energy to his role of the efficiency expert. With his open, boyish, face, high pompadour hairdo, and casual clothes, he provides a great contrast to all the spit and polish military types. James Farentino ("Dead and Buried"), and Ron O' Neal, ("Superfly"), are credible as officers aboard the Nimitz. Katherine Ross and Charles Durning are effective in small roles. A lot of the fun of this film is that you get plenty of footage of the atomic aircraft carrier, Nimitz, inside and out. For anyone who has ever been aboard such a vessel, or wanted to, the shipboard scenes are a treat. For those of you interested in time paradoxes, and without revealing too much, it turns out that Sheen's efficiency expert has been intentionally sent to the Nimitz, by someone with prior knowledge that the Nimitz is going to go through a time warp. Why Sheen, in particular, was sent and, more importantly, how such a "closed loop" time warp developed in the first place, are questions that will probably give you a bad headache long before you arrive at the answers. The films primary Special Effect is a blue storm/time vortex which envelops the U.S.S. Nimitz at the start and end of the film. While not great, the Special Visual Effects, by Maurice Binder, are good enough to help suspend disbelief. My favorite scene is when two modern jets from the Nimitz take on two Japanese zeros. Although the air battle scene is brief, the results are satisfying. Director of Photography, Victor J. Kemper, makes great use of the Nimitz. Under Kemper's expert lensing, the Nimitz becomes as fascinating a location as that other famous vessel, the U.S.S. Enterprise of "Star Trek" fame. The Music is rousing and dramatic, frequently utilizing the brass section for emphasis. John Scott is the responsible party. THE FINAL COUNTDOWN should be fairly watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers. Time travel/World War Two buffs will get their money's worth.