The Final Countdown
Seen it?1980 | 103 min | War, Action, Science Fiction
Weeknight WatchWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
It's still drawing plenty of interest, but middling reviews (52% on Rotten Tomatoes) held it back. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for sci-fi fans, action fans and history buffs. If you loved Greyhound or X-Men: Days of Future Past, start here.
- The mood
- Intense, mind-bending.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 1 hr 43 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG: peril. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
During routine manoeuvres near Hawaii in 1980, the aircraft-carrier USS Nimitz is caught in a strange vortex-like storm, throwing the ship back in time to 1941—mere hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
52% on Rotten Tomatoes, 51 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.6 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$17 million worldwide on a $12 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 215K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Don Taylor
- Kirk DouglasCapt. Matthew Yelland
- Martin SheenWarren Lasky
- Katharine RossLaurel Scott
- James FarentinoWing Commander Richard T. Owens
- Ron O'NealCommander Dan Thurman
- Charles DurningSenator Samuel Chapman
- Victor MohicaBlack Cloud
- James ColemanLt. Perry
- Soon-Tek OhSimura
- Alvin IngLt. Kajima