benjaminwg
Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure I took my mother to go see this and remember being confused as to why the poster said it was Not Rated. It wasn't at the theater for very long, but the 35mm print looked AMAZING. I vividly remember them banking to get a look at the mushroom cloud. The visual effects were excellent. This story, the performances, and those visuals have stayed with me for many years. I wish it would get a quality transfer from whatever 35mm prints may still exist or a transfer of perhaps one of the post-VFX inter- positives. I doubt the owners would pay to redo the optical composites digitally from the original "plates" and scan the 35mm negative, but that would obviously be ideal. RIP Powers Boothe.
domunited
I remember seeing this many years ago, and having fond recollections of the special effects (not at all bad for a made for TV movie) and the subject (I like 'death & disaster' themes).Found it again last week as a bargain DVD and could not resist. Was not disappointed. Yeah - if you want an historically accurate document, or if procedural compliance is your thing - then look away, coz you will get very frustrated. I struggle and struggle with the Russian president getting through to the American one on hospital radio but, hey, it is made up, after all! What I like about this film is that it attempts to show the futility, horror, and damn stupidity of all out war, and then (in an albeit rather simplistic way) tries to re-assure us that, after all, good people will save the day.Daft, yes.But there are some very haunting themes in this film - powerful visual treats. I love the scene where the plane banks away, having dropped the bomb to destroy the Russian pursuers. I also like the surreal chase at the end, when Alice closes in on the President's plane through the mushroom clouds. I like the fact that the film is brave enough to actually confirm that nuclear bombs have exploded - and that millions are dead - rather than the "phew, disaster averted" plot of most similar films.So yeah, there are some flaws but......this is a good little film, with enough about it to raise it above the usual made for TV rubbish and I, for one, am impressed.
rodney_h
Hey, can't I give this stinker a zero. I really hated to give it a one. Typical hollyweird ultra-left, lunatic fringe liberal crap. Production values seem good, cinematography okay....it's the story that's awful. My gosh, I hope and pray that our military is better trained and will carry out their orders better than depicted in this bilge. I've never been so disappointed in a movie in all my life. James Earl Jones, Rip Torn, Powers Boothe, Rebecca DeMornay, and the late Darren McGavin, the cast reads like a who's who of actors/actresses I've always liked and admired. I just downgraded them to my "B" list from now on. For me, the most ironic scene in the movie was when Rebecca De Mornay asked Powers Boothe "Did we do anything right?" My answer is NO!
das417
I have never heard of this movie until recently. After watching it, I have decided that it is one of the best war movies I have ever seen. It's not too flashy or over dramatic (for the most part), and shows what would happen with our government if it were to respond to a nuclear strike.The best thing about the movie was the fact that it was able to show both sides of the story without trampling, or placing too much emphasis on one of the other. The bomber crew and the political players were each given equal time in the story giving a more full picture of a world coming apart. Powers Boothe is one of the more underrated actors. He had a strong performance in this movie. It would be good to see more of him. He plays the military officer role better then many others I have seen lately. Here he shows that he does deserve more because of the flair he gives his characters.In comparison to Sum of All Fears, I say this was the better movie when it comes to nuclear warfare. This was a more realistic view of what it would be like.
AD
