While this film was somewhat entertaining at times, it completely lacked plausibility. For starters, lightning doesn't travel slowly. It travels at nearly the speed of light and it doesn't take five minutes to jump around a school hallway and zap the principal. Also, two merging storms wouldn't create a huge surge of lighting and the storm wouldn't go on forever if left alone. They all dissipate their energy eventually. The film also suggested that an explosion at a small refinery could dissipate a storm that stretches across the entire state of Missouri. That is completely ridiculous. The characters in the film also think that if a fire burns off all of the oxygen, a vacuum is left in its wake..... Just because there is no oxygen, it doesn't mean that there is a vacuum. Other gases exist (CO2, Nitrogen etc.). As far as acting goes, Stacy Keach and John Schneider did fairly well given the movie they were in. In the end, if you like terrible movies that are not well acted or researched, this film is for you.

To call this movie anything but fantasy would be wrong. From the start to the end every fact of science is ignored just to make this movie. Where to start? First, lightning does not lope along power lines - it moves at nearly the speed of light. Second, power lines are protected from lightning. Lightning does not bounce around inside of buildings and randomly hit people. Lightning cannot travel through water pipes and come out of faucets. Lightning strikes the tallest object, not the ground randomly. A car struck by lightning does not have its tires melt. There is no generator towed by a pick up that can power an entire hospital, let alone through an extension cord. Propane is not stored in vertical tanks. And the kid's rocket couldn't lift the weight of the wire more than a few feet. Watch this movie as a disaster - not as a disaster movie.

NOT the best acting, but the special effects were the highlight. Far above normal for these type of movies. John Schneider & Stacy Keach do well in their roles, but as far as acting goes I vote for Gary Sandy's (WKRP In Cincinnati) performance. I just fell in love with his character. His character fit the small town man that you would enjoy drinking coffee with. Science looks like it took a back seat here on logic, but I could be wrong. The ending just seemed too unbelievable and convenient. The stats are correct for the most part as well as advise on being in electric storms. You don't think they used FEDMART in place of WALMART, do you?

The "Little Wesley" character from Star Trek is renamed and played by a new actor in LIGHTNING: FIRE FROM THE SKY -- a 2001 made-for-TV movie.Here, Little Wesley has superior knowledge about weather patterns and dangerous thunder clouds. LIGHTNING burdens our boy genius with an assortment of ignorant adults who will forever fail to grasp the fact that Wesley is always right.The lead victims of LIGHTNING are veteran actors John Schneider and Stacy Keach who both deserve better treatment.With camera point-of-view and editing, the director attempted to give the thunder clouds a "personality" (for lack of a better word). It is a stretch and ended up being a distraction to the viewer.This made-for-TV movie has little going for it and is best avoided.