The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown (1980)

6 mistakes since 16 Dec '17, 00:00

(14 votes)

Other mistake: Cpt. Yelland and civilian observer Lasky are trying hard not to mess up with the timeline. Changing little things in the past could have tremendous results in the present/future. However they already disrupted the natural timeline by shooting down 2 Japanese Zeros, killing both pilots, leaving behind CAG Owens in 1941 and rescueing secretary Laurel Scott who would've been killed for sure by the two previously shot down Mitsubishi Zeros.

Goekhan

Continuity mistake: When the Japanese pilot arrives on the Nimitz after being pulled from the water, he is bone dry as he gets out of the helicopter.

The Final Countdown mistake picture

Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the movie, Cmdr Owens lands an F-14, number 200. Immediately after landing while the plane is raising its tail hook, we see the number 203 on the right wing flap, then after a short cutaway, we see the plane again taxi to the right but now the right wing flap's number is back to 200. (00:08:35)

jimba

Revealing mistake: During the dogfight scenes, they show the pilots of the F-14. In the visor, you can see the reflection of an A-6 instead of an F-14 being used. Turns out, they dressed up some A-6 aviators as F-14 aviators for the shots.

Movie Medic

Factual error: All the aircraft embarked onboard the USS Nimitz are part of Carrier Air Wing Eight, and carry the correct tail code 'AJ' for that wing. CVW-8 was Atlantic assigned, as was the Nimitz herself at that time. A Pacific based CVW uses the 'Nx' codes.

Gary Stedman

Factual error: The Nimitz's position is not indicated, but most probably it is somewhere south or southwest of Pearl Harbour. Similarly, it is not indicated where the Senator's boat is sailing, but it should be somewhere west or southwest of Pearl Harbour. The two Japanese Zeroes encounter the boat and strafe it, but their flight seems to indicate they would be headed toward Pearl Harbour (or at least some populated island surely) which would indicate they were headed north or northeast. If that were the case, they certainly flew in a large circle around the island chain, which seems unrealistic in terms of fuel, distance, and reconnaissance use. Also they would have had to have flown between the Nimitz and the pleasure craft then headed back toward Pearl Harbour, which makes even less sense in the movie.

Captain Yelland: If the United States falls under attack our job is to defend her in the past, present and future.
Lasky: And after that?
Captain Yelland: After that, we take our orders from the Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces.
Lasky: Franklin Delano Roosevelt?

More quotes from The Final Countdown

Trivia: The USS Nimitz was based in the Atlantic during filming of this movie. When the ship pulls into Pearl Harbor past the USS Arizona Memorial, it is actually the USS Kitty Hawk not the Nimitz.

Grumpy Scot

More trivia for The Final Countdown

Question: After going through the first storm they lose track of the incoming plane they set the barricade up for. The after a minute the plane lands and the pilot is brought in by stretcher. The commander looks at the young inexperienced pilot like something was wrong. Why did the director choose to do that? I think the pilot aged but they took it out of the movie for time or something else. Any ideas?

Answer: First, he had a look of concern for the young pilot under his command. Second, he is also confused as to what exactly happened. They believe it was a first strike weapon, that the world was ending.

More questions & answers from The Final Countdown

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.