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The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown

War · Action · Science Fiction · 1980

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.

Movie details

The Final Countdown

“Trapped outside the boundaries of time and space... 102 aircraft... 6,000 men... all missing.”

1980 War · Action · Science Fiction 1h 43m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.6 / 10

Community rating

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.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Final Countdown?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Don Taylor

Written by

David Ambrose · Gerry Davis · Thomas Hunter · Peter Powell

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas

Capt. Matthew Yelland

Martin Sheen

Martin Sheen

Warren Lasky

Katharine Ross

Katharine Ross

Laurel Scott

James Farentino

James Farentino

Wing Commander Richard T. Owens

Ron O'Neal

Ron O'Neal

Commander Dan Thurman

Charles Durning

Charles Durning

Senator Samuel Chapman

Victor Mohica

Victor Mohica

Black Cloud

Court is in session

Put The Final Countdown on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.