Meteor 1979

As a catastrophic convergence unfolds in the depths of space, the once-dormant asteroid Orpheus is now hurtling towards Earth with unprecedented velocity. Measuring a staggering five miles wide, this celestial menace poses an existential threat to humanity’s very existence. Meanwhile, the United States government and military are locked in a game of high-stakes politics, as they grapple with the implications of Orpheus’ impending impact.

As the situation spirals out of control, a clandestine network of orbiting nuclear missile platforms begins to take center stage. Dr. Bradley’s (Connery) team has been secretly working on an American platform dubbed Hercules, while their Soviet counterparts have been constructing their own behemoth, code-named Peter the Great. This delicate dance of diplomatic maneuvering reaches its climax when President (Fonda) takes to national television to reveal the existence of Hercules, framing it as a visionary move to counter the Orpheus threat.

In a bold attempt to diffuse tension and spark cooperation, the President extends an olive branch to the Soviets, inviting them to join forces in the face of this existential crisis. Dr. Bradley has already requested the expertise of Soviet scientist Dr. Alexei Dubov (Keith) to help devise a counter-strategy against Orpheus.

As the stakes continue to rise, Bradley and Sherwood arrive at the Hercules control center, located beneath the iconic AT&T Building in downtown New York. Major-General Adlon (Landau), commander of the facility, is initially wary of Dubov’s involvement, but eventually agrees to collaborate on a theoretical approach that would coordinate the Soviet platform’s weaponry with their own.

As the clock ticks down and fragments of Orpheus continue to pummel the Earth, the Soviets finally acknowledge the existence of their orbital device and express willingness to join forces. The joint US-Soviet team working at Hercules control christens the Soviet satellite “Peter the Great,” and both platforms are reoriented to face space.

The culmination of this precarious dance comes on Sunday morning, when Peter the Great’s missiles are fired into orbit, followed 40 minutes later by Hercules’ own retaliatory strike.

As the mighty Hercules hurtles through space, its trajectory suddenly shifts, unleashing a devastating meteoroid fragment that ravages the city of New York in a cataclysmic instant. The once-peaceful metropolis is now a smoldering ruin, with flames engulfing the iconic World Trade Center. Amidst the chaos, those trapped within the control center are mercilessly cut down as the facility crumbles beneath their feet. Meanwhile, survivors are forced to navigate treacherous tunnels as the East River overflows its banks, threatening to drown them in a watery grave.

As the dust settles, the remaining Hercules crew members find themselves huddled together with others at a subway station, anxiously awaiting rescue amidst the devastation above. The airwaves crackle to life, broadcasting news of Orpheus’s fate: either obliterated or reoriented onto a harmless trajectory, leaving nothing but ash and ruin in its wake.

In a poignant moment of parting, Dubov and Tatiana bid farewell to Bradley and their fellow survivors before boarding a Soviet-flagged aircraft, accompanied by the Stars and Stripes on the hanger door. As they soar into the Russian skies, the remnants of devastation fade into the distance, leaving only the faintest glimmer of hope in the aftermath of this cataclysmic catastrophe.