In 1980, the aircraft carrier USS NIMITZ takes on a civilian
observer, WARREN LASKY (Martin Sheen) at the request of Lasky's secretive
billionaire boss, a MR. TIDEMAN. The Nimitz captain, MATTHEW YELLAND (Kirk
Douglas), isn't happy about this, but Tideman has given a lot of money and
support to the Navy, so they go along with foolishness like a 'civilian
observer' with unspecified duties.
The Nimitz sets sail from Pearl Harbor
on a routine training mission, but encounters a bizarre storm not predicted by
any of their instruments. Blue fire engulfs the ship and men collapse in pain
from the noise as the ship passes through the storm. On the other side of the
turbulence are, to everyone's surprise, clear skies and calm seas. Standard
communication frequencies are silent; only on lower AM bands are there any
broadcasts--a Jack Benny show, a boxing match with Joe Louis. A reconnaissance
flight over Pearl Harbor shows an intact
Battleship ARIZONA, not a sunken monument. Could this be some massive hoax? Is
everyone hallucinating? Could it be that the strange storm transported them
back in time to the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor?
Further reconnaissance shows the Japanese fleet steaming its
way towards Pearl.
Now what? Should Yelland have the Nimitz attack the fleet? With its technology,
it could take on the entire Japanese navy of thirty-eight years earlier, but
that navy has not yet committed any hostile act. Moreover, that would change
history, and what would happen to the Nimitz crew then...
Most time travel movies ignore the problem of the
grandparent paradox, but not this one. The writers have taken it well into
account, a major plus in my book.
Kirk Douglas is excellent as the captain, playing the role
with a quiet assurance that is totally believable. In spite of the fantastic
premise of time travel, most of the movie is believable, so much so, I checked
with google to see if some of the characters were actual historical figures.
Sadly, they aren't.
Several scenes are obvious ploys to increase tension, for
example, when a damaged plane has difficulty landing on the carrier. Will the
plane crash? Will the pilot, a novice,
survive? You can guess the outcome, and, in any event, it doesn't affect the
main plot-line. Still the episode stimulates adrenalin and demands your
intention.
Like so many others, this film has no deep character
portrayals, no insightful meanings, not even extraordinary eye candy. The
ending, where the identity of the mysterious Mr. Tideman is revealed, is
anticlimactic and disappointing. Nevertheless, most of the movie is exciting
and draws you in. For working out, it's great.
I give it +++++. It will get your
pulse up to a sprint.
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