Customer Reviews

Meteor (Widescreen)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This 1979 movie presents a real threat from Outer Space. An asteroid is hit by a comet and explodes into a million pieces. One piece destroys the observing space shuttle; another is heading for earth - a big one. Orpheus is five miles wide! Even if it only hit the Atlantic, the result would be a cataclysm creating another Ice Age and the possible extinction of most life. The problem is that destroying the asteroid would reveal the presence of nuclear rockets in space, a violation of numerous treaties!

The President addresses the nation to tell of this emergency, and Project Hercules as the solution. Cooperation with the Soviet Union is needed to destroy this meteor. But it is hard to change old ways. The film shows a meteor striking in Siberia, and creating earthquake-like tremors. (Something like this did happen circa 1911.) The first meteors enter the atmosphere and burn up harmlessly. But a bigger chunk hits a snow mountain, causing an avalanche that destroys a small village. One hits the Pacific and creates a tidal wave that wipes out Taiwan. The threat is real and imminent. There is one political problem: because of the difference in orbits, the Soviet rockets would have to be fired first. Trust is needed.

But a new threat arises: a "splinter" is headed for the Eastern Seaboard of the US. It strikes Manhattan, damaging the Twin Towers and other buildings. The command center is damaged, but most survive to escape by a subway tunnel. Then the river starts to break through and threaten the survivors; they muddle through to hear that Orpheus was destroyed.

This story recalls "Ragnarok" by Ignatius Donnelly which analyzed the common legends of mankind and explained them as the remembrance of a comet hitting the earth and causing great climatic changes. Read this 1883 international best seller for its pioneering story.

I love this movie! It is a great "feel good" movie. The Russians and Americans working together to save the world. What could be a better movie concept in the Cold War era in which this movie was made. Two great ideas for an exciting movie are brought together beautifully: a meteor five miles wide striking the Earth and a satellite orbiting the Earth armed with the devestating destructive power of nuclear missles now forced to be used to save the planet. If you want great special effects, forget it. This move was made in 1979 when special effects were still in their infancy. But, I still think the special effects are more than adequate and quite believeable. The makers of Meteor did a fine job. The story is believeable and the director lets you feel the emotions of the moment through the characters involved using the little side stories without making the movie to complex. In short, Meteor is one of my favorite movies and one I enjoy watching again and again. If you want to see a lousy movie, try one of the new Star Wars films.

I saw this movie in the cinema when i was young and absolutely loved it ... I couldn't resist buying the dvd when it came out and it is still very entertaining ... Everything is over the top, Nathalie Wood as the russian translator for Brian Keith, falling in love with Sean "hunkier than ever" Connery while parts of a big meteor destroy different parts of the world ... From the first scene on you know what's gonna happen, but it is FUN ... Don't think but just sit back and enjoy this cool rollercoasterride !

Meteor was a disaster film that turned into a real disaster.
The film was a box ofice bomb and one of the reasons for this was it's terrible special effects caused by budget problems.
Even for the time it was made,they were very poor and in fact one snowslide special effect was borrowed from another film.
Although it had a top cast of actors,the film had a poor script. Save your money.

In 1979, I would probably guess that big name studios like MGM would have better morals than to put out this pathetic excuse of a movie. Boring, unintriging, and badly acted, this movie will have you on the edge of your seat, to run into the next room covering your eyes at it's badness.

I don't mean to diss, but man. This movie is awful. Why would I recommend this? How can I? I'll just simply put it like this. I'm not.