Movie Review: Earth's Final Hours (2012, Blu-ray)

Review By: Rob Sibley

So what do we have here? Another SyFy Channel produced disaster movie? Yep that's the case here. I have a passionate love for B-movies. Especially made for SyFy channel B-movies, I usually tune in every Saturday night to see what's the latest schlock they are showing. They dabble in everything from Alien Tornado's to Eric Estrada taking on Chupacabra's at the Alamo. So what's this made for SyFy disaster flick all about?

That's a good question, one that I'm still trying to piece together as the ending credits roll. I will say this before I continue, the whole movie felt sort of like an episode of "24" with disaster movie elements peppered in. Almost like Deep Impact meets 24. But instead of Keifer Sutherland as Jack Bauer we get Robert Knepper (Prison Break) as Agent John Streich. Streich and his partner Agent Massey (Alex Zahara) are driving around and come across a scientist and his hot young blonde assistant. As the two agents confront the scientist on his activities some debris from a radiation storm comes shooting down to the earths atmosphere. One of these baseball sized pieces of debris burst right through the scientists chest. So much for a quick explanation on what he's up to.

These pieces of debris pierce through the earth and actually burst out of the other side. Because of this the earth stops it's rotation. Which will leave one side of the earth to burn up in the sun and the other-side to freeze. But all hope is not lost as a group of scientists developed a satellite system to deal with this problem if it were ever to pop up... good thinking scientists. Problem is the certain people in the government don't want this satellite used. Why not?

 That's a long plot hole ridden explanation. But these baddie government agents try their best to stop Agent Streich, his boy genius hacker of a son Andy (Cameron Bright) and a hot Brunette scientist Chloe Edwards (Julia Benson). Also the ever so talented  Bruce Davison pops up as the scientist who created the satellite.

Funny enough for a disaster movie there is very little disaster in it. Most of the action consists of gunfights and hand to hand combat. All of which is actually rather well done. Interestingly enough I think this film would have worked better without the ludicrous disaster plot. There is a pretty damn entertaining action/thriller hidden inside this somewhat ho-hum disaster flick. 

I also must say the cast is all around pretty solid. Robert Knepper has always been an intense and underrated actor in my book so his presence is welcomed. I was worried when his character's son popped up in the picture played by Cameron Bright (Twilight fame no less). But unlike most of these flicks the know it all rebel son character isn't annoying in this one. Julia Benson is a very cute and talented Canadian actress but she is given little to nothing to do in this flick.

The film is directed by W.D. Hogan who previously directed the enjoyable SyFy channel Ed Quinn sea monster flick “Behemoth”. Hogan must have had a fun time making this flick because his upcoming film is another disaster movie “Independence Daysaster”. Yeah I'm not kidding about that title... expect it to hit SyFy channel sometime this summer.

Even though it's a rather ho-hum flick, the audio/video presentation from Anchor Bay is anything but. The 1080P transfer from AB featuring the film in it's original 1.78:1 aspect ratio is pretty goddamn great. What you get is a super clear and sharp transfer, with plenty of fine detail. Contrast and skin tones are spot on. For a low budget disaster flick it looks really good.
 
The audio is equally impressive, the disk touts an intense Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless track. I was surprised that a made for TV flick would have such a robust and dynamic audio track.


The Blu-ray features no extras.


Despite sporting a tremendous audio/video presentation from Anchor Bay it's hard to recommend “Earth's Final Hours”. It's a by the books SyFy channel movie in virtually every way. It's competently made and acted but utterly forgettable. SKIP IT.