Ground Zero: The Deadly Shift

Peacock Films

R4 DVD

This is a low budget film with good acting and an intelligent story. The budget means a lot of inside shots, few sets and a minimum of splashy special effects. There appear to be some stock shots cut into the film but they are used fairly sparingly and integrate well with the plot.

The Iranians have test fired a nuclear weapon in an underground bunker. The test has, of course, been picked up by U.S. satellites. The National Security Advisor has decided to advise the President to carry out a nuclear strike on Iran before any more weapons are fired, possibly at the U.S. What the satellites did not pick up is the effect of the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from the weapon on the Earth’s largely iron core. It is the rotation of the earth and its core that generates the magnetosphere, a magnetic field around the earth. This deflects solar radiation. The Earth’s rotation is now slowing noticeably and the magnetosphere is weakening. More solar radiation is making it to the surface and people are dying of a sort of radiation sickness. Worse, the continents are starting to move and earthquakes are now a daily occurrence. They are getting more severe.

One scientist has predicted that this could happen – he thinks that the last time it happened it may have led to the extinction of the dinosaurs – but without facts to support his case he has been laughed out of the scientific community. His previous best friend, another scientist, is a strong believer in gathering the facts but lacks the ability to put them all together and form a theory from them. These two must get together, forget their grievances and cooperate to convince the military not to drop the nuclear bombs. These will surely further disturb the core of the Earth and mean the end of civilisation.

I quite enjoyed the film, even without too many special effects. It allows the personalities of the characters to develop and this makes the whole story more believable. Good characterisation IS a substitute for CGI.

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