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MTDb โ€บ Best of โ€บ 1980 โ€บ The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown poster

The Final Countdown (1980)

โ€œTrapped outside the boundaries of time and space... 102 aircraft... 6,000 men... all missing.โ€

6.6/10 ยท 676 votes 1h 43m pg ActionScience-fictionWar

#22 of 34 films from 1980 #1062 of 2168 in action

Directed by Don Taylor ยท Written by David Ambrose, Thomas Hunter, Peter Powell, Gerry Davis

โ–ถ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

During routine manoeuvres near Hawaii in 1980, the aircraft-carrier USS Nimitz is caught in a strange vortex-like storm, throwing the ship back in time to 1941โ€”mere hours before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Cast

Kirk Douglasas Capt. Matthew Yelland
Martin Sheenas Warren Lasky
Katharine Rossas Laurel Scott
James Farentinoas Wing Commander Richard T. Owens
Ron O'Nealas Commander Dan Thurman
Charles Durningas Senator Samuel Chapman
Victor Mohicaas Black Cloud
James Colemanas Lt. Perry
Soon-Tek Ohas Simura
Alvin Ingas Lt. Kajima
Lloyd Kaufmanas LCdr. Kaufman
Dan Fitzgeraldas Navy Doctor
Peter Douglasas Quartermaster
Joe Lowryas Cdr. Damon

Facts

Release dateJanuary 31, 1980
Runtime103 min (1h 43m) โ€” about the same as the 1980 average of 113 min
GenresAction, Science-fiction, War
LanguageEN
Budget$12,000,000
Box office$16,647,800 (1.4ร— budget)
IMDbtt0080736

More from Don Taylor

Damien - Omen IIDamien - Omen II1978 ยท โ˜… 6.4 ยท 1h 47m Escape from the Planet of the ApesEscape from the Planet of the Apes1971 ยท โ˜… 6.4 ยท 1h 38m

If you liked The Final Countdown

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Red DawnRed Dawn1984 ยท โ˜… 6.3 ยท 1h 54m The Empire Strikes BackThe Empire Strikes Back1980 ยท โ˜… 8.4 ยท 2h 4m Star WarsStar Wars1977 ยท โ˜… 8.2 ยท 2h 1m AliensAliens1986 ยท โ˜… 8.0 ยท 2h 17m Return of the JediReturn of the Jedi1983 ยท โ˜… 7.9 ยท 2h 12m AkiraAkira1988 ยท โ˜… 7.9 ยท 2h 4m KagemushaKagemusha1980 ยท โ˜… 7.8 ยท 3h 0m The TerminatorThe Terminator1984 ยท โ˜… 7.7 ยท 1h 48m

Questions

How long is The Final Countdown?
The Final Countdown runs 103 minutes (1h 43m).
Is The Final Countdown worth watching?
TMDB users give it 6.6/10 across 676 votes, which places it #22 of 34 films released in 1980 in this index (top 38%) and #1062 among 2168 action titles.
Who directed The Final Countdown?
The Final Countdown was directed by Don Taylor. Other well-rated titles by the same director: Damien - Omen II (1978), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971).
Who stars in The Final Countdown?
Kirk Douglas as Capt. Matthew Yelland; Martin Sheen as Warren Lasky; Katharine Ross as Laurel Scott; James Farentino as Wing Commander Richard T. Owens; Ron O'Neal as Commander Dan Thurman; Charles Durning as Senator Samuel Chapman.
What is The Final Countdown rated?
It carries a pg certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for The Final Countdown?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/34167.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.