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Better Late Then Never

A Major Disappointment

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

This film isn't what I would describe as a typical science fiction film. The plot serves as a prediction as to how our world has evolved into the place it has become.Edward Judd - hardly remembered now - is a savagely witty and cynical journalist whose newspaper he works for, provides the latest news with regards to the rather unusual weather that takes place.The screenplay is an excellent one and is brought to life by a gallery of familiar character actors, including Leo McKern, Michael Goodliffe amongst others.

Hammer man Val Guest directed this predictable disaster movie, which has the same basic premise as NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT, except on a much grander scale (as portrayed via some choice stock footage). In a way it's a throwback to the '50s atomic monster movies, as the disaster turns out to be the direct result of nuclear testing.On the plus side there is an intelligent script, which gives realistic impressions of the public's reaction to the news that they may only have days left to live (rioting breaks out in one area of London) and solid performances from Edward Judd as the dashing reporter hero and a youthful-looking Leo McKern (THE OMEN) as a stuffy but friendly newspaper editor. The realism and tension in this film is the best thing about it - but unfortunately, it sometimes becomes too realistic. I would have preferred a little bit more science fiction thrown in.Unfortunately the excitement is greatly diminished by a dull romance between Judd and Munro, which I could quite happily have done without. Romance has been done a million times before and this time was no different. Also, action fans should look elsewhere, as the only exciting sequence is one where Judd has to rescue his girlfriend from a group of water-crazy teenage delinquents, and one gets knocked down a lift shaft in a comic moment.There is some interesting (if cheap-looking) effects work from Les Bowie (also from the Hammer stable) to add considerably to things, but in the end the central premise is enough to carry the film through and it's an intelligent speculation of what could happen if we're not careful when dealing with Mother Nature.

This movie showed man's foolishness sending the Earth to a fiery doom. That's so similar to global warming it's scary. Like this movie, global warming is a fiction.The story is awful, simplistic, ridiculous.Everything else about the movie is terrific. The sets are fantastic. The acting is top notch. The music is engaging. It was a tremendous production of a concept that belongs in a children's coloring book rather than in a serious movie.Nah, that's an insult to children.The Cold War aspect of the movie is also good. America's fear of the almighty USSR kept America sitting by as the USSR ran wild around the world. The story in this film expresses a ridiculous fear.Story: -100 Acting, Sets, Music, Direction: 10

British actor Michael Caine (who has a bit role in this movie) once said that a problem with the British film industry is that instead of making "moving pictures" like the Americans often make, British filmmakers quite often make "talking pictures". He added that sometimes it gets worse, with some British films more or less being "illustrated radio".Well, "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" is not illustrated radio, but for a large part it could be considered a "talking picture". After an admittedly interesting opening, the next hour or so of the movie is quite slow and talky. While it does feel like a more realistic take on a (slowly!) building crisis, I think some people will be severely bored by this section of the movie. An American movie would have thrown in some excitement and some more special effect sequences to make sure the first hour of the movie would hold the audience's attention. Personally, I wasn't really bored by this first hour, but I admit it sure seemed to be padded out at times.The last half hour does pick up considerably, adding action, tension, and some pretty good special effects. Then there is an ending (which I won't reveal) that I'm sure will frustrate some viewers. I personally didn't mind the ending that much - it was another feature about the movie that made it interesting and unlike so many Hollywood disaster films. But I'm not everybody. While I did kind of like the movie as a whole, I can see some people really hating it. I would suggest you read more about the movie before deciding whether to see it or not. Each to his own taste.