Countdown: The Sky's on Fire
Countdown: The Sky's on Fire
PG | 15 July 1999 (USA)
Countdown: The Sky's on Fire Trailers

The ozone is depleted and as a result of this all sorts things are happening like lethal insects flying around. A scientist tries to warn everybody about this but no one seems to believe him. When his predictions come true they now turn to him for help.

Reviews
Amy Adler

Dr. Evan (John Corbett), a reputed ecological scientist, was once let go from a government position, for his rather extreme views on ozone depletion. Now, he works out of his own LA area laboratory. His sister Jennifer (Josie Bissett), who is married to a pilot, Racer (Ben Browder), still lives and works near him. One day, Racer is sent to investigate the downing of a small plane in the desert. After finding the aircraft and the passengers/crew deceased, Racer, too, is struck with a mysterious ailment and calls for help. Once paramedics arrives, they escort him straight to the nearest hospital. Doctors are baffled. Meanwhile, a dozen humpback whales are found dead on a nearby beach. At the scene, a brash reporter (Bradley Whitford) asks a lovely biologist, Elizabeth, what has gone wrong. She speculates a virus, until she can further review the situation. However, its she soon discovers the cause was not viral. The whales starved to death. Why? Dr. Evan, now involved, states that according to his data, the ozone layer over a part of the Pacific is lethally thin, warming the water and killing the whale's food source, plankton. Not only that, Los Angeles is also about to "heat up" and cause death and destruction, as the hole is headed that way. Naturally, the government scientist in charge calls it nonsense and tells the mayor that there is no reason to evacuate. But, with birds crashing into windows, insects taking over houses, and fishermen dying on their boats, what can be done? Evan just might have the answer and get a chance to be a true hero. Hurrah! This is a small scale science fiction film from the late nineties that is still entertaining and thought stirring. Corbett makes a great unconventional scientific know-it-all while Bissett is so beautiful and talented that you wonder why she didn't become more of a star. Whitfield and the rest of the cast support them nicely. Of course, there's nothing spectacular about the sets, costumes, camera work, script or direction but they all work together to create a polished, intriguing little film. Do you love science fiction or disaster films? If you've run out of viewing options, get this one.

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bunnyjeanne4

I have got to read his book. This movie leaves me with a lot of questions about what we are doing to ourselves. We are responsible for what we do and need to know much more about how we are depleting natural resources. It is imperative we clean up the world for future generations.I have a little more understanding of what the ozone does for us thanks to this movie. We take to much for granted today. Dumping trash in our water, adding chemicals to water and food. How many of the illnesses that humans suffer are direct results of adding chemicals to milk, dehydrated foods etc; so that they are edible past the date of natural consumption. Are we creating new illnesses, new problems by our actions. "For every action, there is a reaction". We need to remind ourselves with movies like this that we reap our own consequences.

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kai ringler

don't know why these people are bashing the movie,, it's quick, compact, precise to the point , in you're face unique,, original,, some thing new,, that i've never seen anyway,, highly believable,, i mean global warming,, ozone layer, pretty convincing stuff to me,, i thought the movie was funny, interesting, and set out to prove a point and it did so very well i might add, the acting was better than average, it ain't gonna win no academy awards, or Emmie's,, but hey what do you want here from a supposed to be b-grade movie, the parts about the animals acting strange,, the whales getting beached in groups the bees swarming,, the insects,, and the best is the Birds homage to Alfred Hitchcock,, the birds flying into the windows,, now that ladies and gentlemen is a cause to freak out,, and definitely think that the sky is falling. overall i don't have any problems with the movie at all, excellent disaster flick,, not overdone,, not underdone either,, so thumbs up,, to heck with what everyone else is saying on here.

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Thomas Nielsen

And perhaps it should be left for the scientists to fiddle with. This movie clearly shows that the disaster genre is even more volatile than our ozone layer. If it had been a comedy the sheer unbelievability of this plot would be acceptable, but posing as serious it definitely isn't. So poorly made it is almost tragic."Hey! I have ten minutes to spare. Let's go patch up the environment!"

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