The Final Countdown

1980
PG
1h 43m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

28K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer3:14

3 Videos

75 Photos

Sea Adventure Time Travel Action Adventure Sci-Fi

A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.A modern aircraft carrier is thrown back in time to 1941 near Hawaii, just hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

28K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations

Trivia
Hungary banned the film in the mid 1980s, claiming it glorified the United States Armed Forces. Some illegal copies circulated on VHS, with the Russian trawler spying on the USS Nimitz edited out.

Goofs
When Mr. Lasky first arrives on board the Nimitz, he is met at the hatch into the island by the XO, CDR Thurman. CDR Thurman has his cover on, on the flight deck, during flight operations. As the XO, he should know that covers are never worn on the flight deck during flight ops. The hat could get blown off his head and become FOD, or Foreign Object Debris, and possibly get sucked into a jet intake and cause major damage to the engine and maybe cost some sailors their lives.

Quotes
[an F-14 pilot is reporting the identity of a pair of enemy planes to Captain Yelland over the radio]
Captain Yelland: Alert 1 this is Eagle 1, what've you got?
Pilot: Two Japanese Zeroes, sir.
Captain Yelland: Two what?
Pilot: Two Trophy Class Mitsubishi A6Ms in original condition, complete with all markings. I mean, they look brand new sir!
Captain Yelland: Have you been spotted?
Pilot: Negative, we're right in the sun at their 6 o'clock high.
Captain Yelland: Stay in visual contact, take no action without clearance.
Pilot: Wilco Eagle 1, out.

Alternate versions
UK cinema and video versions were cut by six secs to edit blood spurts from gunshots. In 2002 these cuts were waived by the BBFC.

Connections
Edited from Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

Soundtracks
Begin the Beguine
(uncredited)
Written by Cole Porter

User reviews245

Review

Featured review

7/10

A Good Film that Has not Aged

In 1980, the assistant of the Department of Defense Warren Lasky (Martin Sheen) is assigned by his mysterious chief Richard Tideman to visit the aircraft carrier USS Nimtz commanded by Capt. Matthew Yelland (Kirk Douglas) as an observer of the routines. Lasky finds that Wing Commander Richard T. Owens (James Farentino) has a great knowledge of history.

Out of the blue, the vessel faces a weird storm and they find that they have traveled back in time to the eve of the attack of Pearl Harbor on 06 December 1941. When the two Japanese Zeros attack the motorboat of Senator Samuel Chapman (Charles Durning), the crew of the Nimitz rescues the senator and his assistant Laurel Scott (Katharine Ross). But sooner Lasky learns that the senator had disappeared on that day and Capt. Matthew Yelland is planning to attack the Japanese. Will these actions create a time paradox?

Today I have seen "The Final Countdown" maybe for the fifth or sixth time, and it is impressive how this good film has not aged after more than thirty years. The story has time paradox but is engaging supported by a magnificent cast. The DVD released on Brazil by New Line distributor is excellent, with audio Dolby 5.1 and DTS 6.1 and a documentary with the unit production manager Lloyd Kaufaman (Troma) in the Extras. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Nimitz - De Volta ao Inferno" ("Nimitz – Back to Hell")