The Final Countdown (Icon)

This B-grade sci-fi flick has become a bit of a cult film since it first released. Frankly I was surprised, thirty odd years since it was made, to see it turn up in bag of new release DVD’s. The premise is enough to hook you straight away: a modern day aircraft carrier goes through a time portal and is transferred back to 1941, just in time to stop the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. How cool is that?

The film itself never moves out of third gear, despite the presence of heavy weight actors Kirk Douglas (Capt. Matthew Yelland), Martin Sheen (Lasky – a civilian observer) and the divine Katharine Ross (Laurel –PA to Senator Chapman).

Obviously, back in the day, there wasn’t the CGI readily around to do this premise justice. Most of the action happens on deck and the real star is the USS Nimtiz herself (where the film was shot over two five week blocks). Geeks with a passion for planes see them land and take off for what feels like half the movie.

As the ship’s crew realize exactly where they are, Wing Commander Richard T. Owens (James Farentino) takes the lead: he’s a history buff who privately challenges Yelland’s wisdom of trying to save Pearl Harbor from attack and altering the course of history.

There’s a nice twist at the end but, the film, unlike the jets on board, never really takes off. Still, it really is worth seeing. Would love to see this remade with high-end effects and a quality cast that matches the original.

[Extras: Scene Selection]

[rating: 3/5]

Mitchell Peters