Rating: 
Summary: The Final Countdown. Awesome
Review: An exciting portrayal of a modern Nuclear Aircraft Carrier that finds itself in a time warp that draws it into the day before the attack on Pearl harbor (beginning of World War II). When the Skipper finally finds out where they are, what does he do. He has the ability with modern weapons to destroy the Japanese Fleet . Does he attack the Emperial Japanese Fleet (in which we are not at war with) or what? A marvelous yarn.
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Summary: The Final Countdown: The Circularity of All Time Paradoxes
Review: Few film genres generate as much suspense and controversy as time travel stories. Most of them face the consequences of how a change in the past may cause a change in the future. Since physicists can't seem to agree about anything concerning time travel, then they shouldn't be too quick to point an accusing finger at Hollywood when it decides to add its own flavor to a decidedly mixed cinematic pot. THE FINAL COUNTDOWN is director Don Taylor's 1980 attempt to tell a stirring story using time travel as a backdrop. For the most part, and except for a minor inspirational deflation at the very end, he succeeds.
The premise is of a 1980 American aircraft carrier caught in a swirling ripple of temporal dislocation and whisked back to the early morning of December 7, 1941, with the Japanese attack only a few hours away. The captain, played sternly by Kirk Douglas, refuses to accept such obvious clues as radio broadcasts by Jack Benny, photographs of a pre-attack Pearl Harbor taken by his own reconaissance jets, and his inability to raise Washington on any radio band. One of his subordinates, a CIA type played by Martin Sheen, hints broadly that he knows the truth, but he keeps it to himself until he can be sure. This surety comes in a Japanese strafing of a civilian pleasure craft containing a genuine 1941 politician. As the zeros zoom in for the kill, it is only then that the Captain is convinced. The crux of the movie lies in his uncertainty that he should destroy the Japanese fleet before it attacks Pearl. If he does not attack, thousands of Americans will (have already?) die. If he does attack to prevent the morning assault, how then can he remember a surprise attack by the Japanese that never happened?
The movie raises some necessary questions about duty versus fear of the unknown, and the movie ends in the only way that does not violate iron rules of causality. Just as the Captain orders his jets aloft to blast the Japanese carriers, the same swirling storm that yanked his ship back to 1941 appears for a second time to snatch it right back, thus preserving history As It Officially Is. To director Taylor's credit, he resists what would have been a hugely satisfying temptation to destroy the enemy carriers. Logic is preserved over potential audience enjoyment. This sort of fidelity to science is at once laudable and distressing, and that perhaps is the inner message of this movie: in the entertainment business, you can't always have it both ways.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Movie...Terrible DVD!
Review: First of all, I have to say The Final Countdown is one of my favorite sci-fi films of all time. If you like time travel stories and the dilemas they create, then you'll love this film. Also, it's a great look into the day to day operations of an aircraft carrier. The technical details were outstanding from my POV; though not having been in the Navy I can't really say how accurate they were, but they sounded convincing enough. The DVD that has been released from Pacific Family Entertainment though is another matter entirely. After waiting 6 months after it's supposed release date, I finally received it and watched it. The transfer is very poor to the point where you can see the scan lines from whatever source they made it from (VHS? LD?). It's good the film is in Letterbox, but I was hoping that it would also be enhanced for Widescreen TV's. Though the case boasts that the DVD has special features such as Scene Selection and Theatrical Trailer, it had no menu except for "Play Movie" and "Trailer" In fact, the movie has no chapters at all. I hope that someone else can get the rights to this movie and make a DVD that's worthy of this excellent piece of 80's nostalgia. So 5 stars for the movie, but 0 stars for such a poorly executed DVD.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Time Travel movie adapted to the big screen
Review: This movie is fantastic. For the other reviewers who don't bother reading the reviews below theirs, This movie is available on DVD and VHS. You can order it from Pacific Family Entertainment, who own the rights to this film. They have a web site and in their Newsroom section at the bottom is ordering information. The DVD's we're supposed to have shipped this weekend. Order this great movie today.
Rating:
Summary: It's been Released!!!
Review: (6/20/02) Just talked with a rep at Pacific Family Entertainment, and they have released both the DVD and the VHS and are telling callers that their orders should be delivered within 2-3 weeks. Hopefully, shortly after they fill all the orders, they'll make it available to retailers....
Rating: 
Summary: Finalcountdown by Goff
Review: I am shocked that this is not released by the studio. It was terrific. Good story, cleaverly written, and long on history. Anyone who loves military and history will love it!
Rating:
Summary: At least squeeze off one sidewinder at the movie's end!
Review: Saw this movie back in 1980 and thought it was a great science fiction film. When I was a high school principal in 1983, I rented the movie in 16mm format and showed it to the entire student body as a Christmas present. The kids loved it! There were several times when I slid down in my seat due to some mild langugage and sexual inuendos, but we all got through it and the kids cheered at the end. The superiority of the nuclear navy to anything the US or Japan had back in 1941 is fully realized in this film. When the F14's used a sidewinder and their 20mm cannons on the Japanese Zero's, after the yacht was strafed, I thought the roof of the gymnasium was going to collapse from all the cheering my 14-18 year olds gave up. If you can keep kids' interest in a movie for that long, while sitting on wooden bleachers no less, then you know that the movie has a lot to offer. My only complaint was near the end of the movie. If the F14's could "see" the zeros, then they could have at least squeezed off their sidewinders at some poor, unsuspecting Japanese Zero or bomber. It would have taken all of 15 seconds and they could have "splashed" a few more of the enemy before returning to the carrier. This was a great movie! It stirs up "patriotism" in your heart with every frame and would be an excellent Navy recruitment film. My copy is just about worn out. Hope they put it on DVD, like SOON!
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Summary: The Final Countdown!
Review: this is a great movie, nice worm-hole sci-fi with an air craft carrier =]
most excellent movie, im dying for it to come out on dvd. -Lojak
Rating: 
Summary: What a bore!
Review: The script was terrible. Nobody, including Kirk Douglas, had to stretch themselves to play their parts. Ron O'Neal as the executive officer was very sad to watch. He was a punching bag who would never even dream of speaking his lines if the situation was real life. I spent most of my time laughing rather than being captured by this movie. I think Kirk played a role because of his son Peter was a co-producer. SHAME!
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite movies - strong storyline, average acting
Review: One of the few movies that taps into one of the most common fantasies we have - '...what if we could confront an actual, evil force of the past that was responsible for terrible destruction, with modern day technology?' The story line was fascinating up until the end. The twist at the end with an aged couple was ok but the theme of the end could have been stronger - subtle evidence that the global present had been changed slightly because of interference in the past - other, more imaginative endings, etc. Nevertheless this criticism isn't sufficient to cause me to think of the movie as less than a 5 star.
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