IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
3 fragments of an asteroid hit USA, China and France. The events are covered by TV news reports. More meteors come. Is it natural events or alien aggression?3 fragments of an asteroid hit USA, China and France. The events are covered by TV news reports. More meteors come. Is it natural events or alien aggression?3 fragments of an asteroid hit USA, China and France. The events are covered by TV news reports. More meteors come. Is it natural events or alien aggression?
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Photos
Bree Walker
- Bree Walker
- (as Bree Walker Lampley)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBecause Sander Vanocur plays himself as a news anchor in this film, a few complaints were received from people who believed the movie events were real, despite repeated on screen narration and text before the start of each act. Following that, CNN issued an order that its reporters and anchors would not be allowed to play themselves or any other role in a fictional movie.
- GoofsIf you look closely at the studio set behind Sander Vanocur at the outline of Europe, you'll notice that the English Channel does not exist, and a large landmass is in place of the British Isles. Oddly, this landmass looks remarkably like the profile of a rabbit, complete with long ears, looking toward the west. Whether this was the result of someone's lack of geographic knowledge, or a sly joke on the part of the producers to indicate that this program isn't really what it seems is anyone's guess.
- Quotes
Dr. Norbert Hazelton: Forgive me doctor. This isn't a Trekkie convention. There are millions of people in the world right now panicking needlessly.
- Crazy creditsThe final view of the great computer display at NASA when the many meteors appear resembles the screen in the video game Space Invaders.
- Alternate versionsThe original 1994 broadcast featured a brief introduction highlighting the 1938 CBS Radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds that had inspired the movie missing from the DVD release. It also featured messages, usually located at the end of each act, reminding viewers that the movie was a realistic depiction of fictional events.
- ConnectionsReferences E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Featured review
I had high hopes for this film. The idea of a "War of the Worlds"-style fake news broadcast about an imminent asteroid impact was very intriguing. One of my favorite TV films was 1983's "Special Bulletin", which took a similar approach to the subject of nuclear terrorism.
Unfortunately, this movie fails on almost all levels. The actors playing the news reporters come off like, well, actors playing news reporters. The plot points are just plain silly and melodramatic. The conclusion of the film is wretchedly insipid. In effect, the fact that humankind takes perfectly logical steps to protect ourselves from an asteroid causes super-advanced aliens to think we're too warlike for them to let us live. Or something like that.
The issue of asteroid impacts is real and serious enough that we don't need television trivializing the subject with ridiculous sci-fi elements.
Unfortunately, this movie fails on almost all levels. The actors playing the news reporters come off like, well, actors playing news reporters. The plot points are just plain silly and melodramatic. The conclusion of the film is wretchedly insipid. In effect, the fact that humankind takes perfectly logical steps to protect ourselves from an asteroid causes super-advanced aliens to think we're too warlike for them to let us live. Or something like that.
The issue of asteroid impacts is real and serious enough that we don't need television trivializing the subject with ridiculous sci-fi elements.
- paul_mcelligott
- May 1, 2002
- Permalink
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