History Film / TheFinalCountdown

* CurbStompBattle: Two F-14 Tomcats versus two [=A6M=] Zeros. Heavily [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]]. The Nimitz' air wing would have similarly shredded the Japanese attack force, but never gets a chance.

* MadeOfExplodium: The helicopter near the end explodes in a hilariously huge fireball because a flare gun is accidentally discharged near the doors.

* GatlingGood: The Tomcats are armed with an internal 20mm Vulcan rotary cannon, which is used to shoot down one of the Zeroes.

Warren Lasky (MartinSheen), an independent observer tasked with evaluating Navy procedures, is an unwelcome guest on the aircraft carrier USS ''Nimitz'', which is departing Pearl Harbor for an otherwise routine cruise. A few days into the cruise, things change when the carrier is suddenly pursued and overtaken by a mysterious electromagnetic storm. Emerging from the storm, the sailors find themselves cut off from modern civilization -- their communications don't work, their escorts have vanished, and there are no ships or planes on radar. However, they are able to pick up shortwave radio broadcasts that seem to date from WorldWarTwo.

Further investigation reveals that it's no hoax; they have somehow been transported back in time -- carrier, planes, and all -- to December 6, 1941. Captain Yelland (KirkDouglas), not being an idiot, realizes the potential of a modern nuclear carrier to turn the tide of the forthcoming Pearl Harbor battle. Wing Commander Owens (James Farentino) is not so certain, believing that it's impossible to alter the past and that any attempt would be doomed to failure.

* AlienSpaceBats: How the time storm comes to exist, how it works, and why it's targeting the ''Nimitz'' at that particular time is left completely unexplained. The MartinCaidin {{novelization}} implies that it would be explained in a sequel, which never happened.

* AlienSpaceBats: How the time storm comes to exist, how it works, and why it's targeting the ''Nimitz'' at that particular time... [[MST3KMantra who cares?]]
** In [[MartinCaidin Martin Caidin's]] novelization, it's kinda-sorta (lamely) explained at the very end. It had "read the sequel whenever I get around to writing it" scribbled all over it.

* BackedByThePentagon: The film crew got several days to shoot on the actual aircraft carrier ''Nimitz'', and did a pretty amazing job of it. Actual ''Nimitz'' personnel played filmed roles, as well. For example, the F-14 that performed the Immelman from just above the water, in the dogfight with the [[ReportingName Zekes]], was flown by the Executive Officer of VF-84.

* CurbStompBattle: Two F-14 Tomcats versus two [=A6M=] Zeros. Heavily [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]].
** What the battle between Nimitzs' strike group vs the Japanese fleet would have been. Remember, it took aircraft from three carriers, and decoded communciations intercepts, to sink the Japanese carriers at Midway. At the same time, the US lost one of it's own (the ''Yorktown''). The ''Nimitz'', with its strike group, could do all of that, plus defend itself from counter attack... ''by itself''.

* GatlingGood: The F-14's feature an internal 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon, which is used to shoot down one of the Zeroes.
** Ironically, in Real Life, the M61 Vulcan would have shredded the Zero effortlessly. However, the AIM9 Sidewinder would have resulted in a swiss-cheesed plane splashing down. For those that don't know, the Vulcan fires Armor-piercing incendiary rounds, designed to punch through fuel tanks and ignite the fuel inside them (to make up for the lack of power compared to Russian or European fighters, which use larger cannons). The Sidewinder is designed to detonate in proximity of its target, blasting the target like a shotgun as big around as the average persons arm (which would easily punch through the thin skin of an A6M and shred its controls)

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The pilot who makes the emergency barricade landing on the carrier after the first time storm is never seen or mentioned again, leaving the viewer to wonder what becomes of him.
** The E-2 "Hawkeye" AWACS aircraft also is never seen or mentioend again after they make visual contact with the Japanese fleet.

** What the battle between Nimitzs' strike group vs the Japanese fleet would have been. Remember, it took aircraft from three carriers, and decoded communciations intercepts, to sink the Japanese carriers at Midway. At the same time, the US lost one of it's own (the ''Yorktown''). The ''Nimitz'', with its strike group, could do all of that, plss defend itself from counter attack... ''BY ITSELF''.

Not to be confused with the [[Music/Europe Europe]] song of the same name.

* AnachronismStew: Many of the aircraft change numbers, colors, and markings between shots throughout the film. The missile loadout on the Tomcats during the dogfight with the Zeroes is also inconsistent.

* ArtisticLicenseShips: mostly averted (see BackedByThePentagon, above), but the final scene substituted the USS ''Kitty Hawk'', as at the time the movie was filmed the ''Nimitz'' was part of the Atlantic fleet, which would've made sailing into Pearl Harbor somewhat difficult.

** What the battle between Nimitzs' strike group vs the Japanese fleet would have been. Remember, it took aircraft from three carriers, and Midway to sink the Japanese carriers a Midway. At the same time, the US lost one of it's own (The Yorktown). The Nimitz, with its strike group, could do all of that, pluss defend itself from counter attack... BY ITSELF.

* GatlingGood: The F-14's feature an internal 20mm Vulcan cannon, which is used to shoot down one of the Zeroes.
* GenreSavvy: Captain Yelland's realizes that the storm's reappearance and pursuit of his ship just as his forces are going to intercept the Japanese in the Pearl Harbor attack could only mean that it has come to take them home.
* GrandfatherParadox: Discussed and a reason not to use the Nimitz to win WWII in a matter of weeks. Besides the issue of changing the fates of millions of people and possibly preventing some of the crew's parents from meeting, the Nimitz itself is in danger. A swift end to WWII means no Manhattan Project, which in turn means Hyman Rickover never gets the chance to start the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program, which means no nuclear powered USS Nimitz.

* YouCantFightFate: The time storm sure is persistent. It's lampshaded by Captain Yelland who immediately guesses that the storm has reappeared to take them home and recalls the carrier's aircraft so they won't be stranded.

Warren Lasky (MartinSheen), an independent observer tasked with evaluating Navy procedures, is an unwelcome guest on the aircraft carrier USS ''Nimitz'', which is departing Pearl Harbor for an otherwise routine cruise. A few days into the cruise, things change when the carrier is suddenly pursued and overtaken by a mysterious storm. Emerging from the storm, the sailors find themselves cut off from modern civilization -- their communications don't work, their escorts have vanished, and there are no ships or planes on radar. However, they are able to pick up shortwave radio broadcasts that seem to date from WorldWarTwo.

Further investigation reveals that it's no hoax; they have somehow been transported back in time -- carrier, planes, and all -- to December 6, 1941. Captain Yelland (Kirk Douglas), not being an idiot, realizes the potential of a modern nuclear carrier to turn the tide of the forthcoming Pearl Harbor battle. Wing Commander Owens (James Farentino) is not so certain, believing that it's impossible to alter the past and that any attempt would be doomed to failure.

** In a CrowningMomentOfAwesome, the wings of the F-14s slide back when they get the kill order, just as a shark points its fins downward.

Warren Lasky (MartinSheen), an independent observer tasked with evaluating Navy procedures, is an unwelcome guest on the aircraft carrier USS ''Nimitz'', which is departing Pearl Harbor for an otherwise routine cruise. A few days into the cruise, things change when the carrier is suddenly pursued and overtaken by a mysterious storm. Emerging from the storm, the sailors find themselves apparently cut off from modern civilization -- their communications don't work, their escorts have vanished, and there are no ships or planes on radar. However, they are able to pick up shortwave radio broadcasts that seem to date from WorldWarTwo.

* PistolWhip: Happens twice; first when the Japanese pilot hits a Marine in the gut with the butt his own rifle, then later on when Senator Chapman cold-cocks a helicopter pilot with a flare pistol.