This isn't a big movie---it's a simple story without twists and dilemmas and haunted complicated emotional bits. But it's Asimov, so you should expect nothing else. It's like a lengthy scifi short story, something you would find in an anthology.The movie made me really happy, though. They use a lot of archetypal sets---the archaeological dig with snake pits and drinks-in-the-afternoon bars with sand floors and monkeys (iirc someone was even paid in coins kept in a leather bag), the expensive glass building with indoor waterfall, the musty religious temple with lots of columns, the spooky cave lit by kerosene-dipped rag torches. One might say it's unimagineative, but I found it a comforting way to communicate familiar ideas quickly and effortlessly.I don't want to hear any hog-slaver about how the movie was cheap because it was set in India---I thought the production quality was completely adequate. And I certainly won't entertain this nonsense about Jennifer Burns not being ''convincing'' whatever that means. Jennifer Burns completely made the movie for me. I thought she was open and gracious. You should keep this movie within reach at all times. Watch it with some ice cream and strawberries once you get home after embarrassing yourself by crying on the subway. (again.)

All of us occasionally enjoy a truly bad movie and when one sees the awful ratings of a film such as this they are tempted to give it a masochistic try. Do yourself a favor and resist the temptation. This wretched mess lacks any redeeming virtues. It has the production values of a 1960's made-for-TV movie that probably would never have been broadcast. Perhaps the worst of its many flaws is that although everyone involved MUST have known what an abomination they were creating, they chose to maintain an an absolute, solemn seriousness throughout. If they had provided a little tongue-in-cheek humor, a few molecules of intelligent self-deprecation, or demonstrated any awareness of the silliness of the whole project, this movie could have developed some cult appeal. Perhaps they were bound to seriousness out of respect for Asimov, but if this were the case, they should have abandoned the entire project long before it could disgrace his reputation. It is a truly awful movie, and not "in a good way".

That's what I was thinking when I first saw this movie. Holy doodle WHY did I spend anything on this? The book was amazing, I agree with the "greatest science fiction story ever" title, but honestly, the movie fails. Favourite lines:-KOPTONNNNNNN!!!!!KOPTOOONNNNNN!!!-No! Not that way! Which way? ...this way.And the whole fire-eyes thing? Uhh...WHAT?Sorry guys, if this movie is your cup of tea then just skip this review. I'm sure there are TONS of really nice ones after mine....wow I almost had you there!So, if you're looking for a hilarious fire-retinas, snake-piñata, NO! not the university! type movie GO FOR IT!coughcoughMANOSWASBETTERcoughcough

Many other reviewers have commented on the lack of any redeeming qualities of this film. I found none, either. Everything truly is as bad as people have described. Every aspect was flat-out horrible.Everyone associated with it should be neutered, although it appears to be too late in Carradine's case, at least.I must say, however, that I bought (yes, bought) this for $6.99 from the bargain bin, so I can't really complain too much, and it goes in tomorrows trash.Oh, yeah, I watched it at 16X, only stopping 2 or 3 times at most. I wanted to hear David Carradine's dialog about the "alloy" that really did look like a modified tin can (the nature of the poor editing makes it appear he tried to listen to it, as well) and another time to see the cheap tin foil swords. I must take exception to that point - the biggest sword sounded like aluminum when it hit the floor, but I digress.Bad movie? Yep. Worst movie ever? Maybe. However, I paid over $20 each for movies that are really bad, as well, such as "Black-and-White" (Brooke Shields in dreadlocks - "Let me share your life!"), "Happiness" (semen fest, and boy rape), "Lost and Delirious" (sort of like Romeo and Juliet, with 2 Juliets quoting Shakespeare). The separation of the true badness of these 3 from the badness of "Nightfall" is that I don't think anyone involved in "Nightfall" thought it was any good either, whereas the other movies felt themselves worthy of actual praise.Whatever the lowest allowable rating is, Nightfall (and the three others) deserve that.