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When a nuclear missile is launched by presumably Soviet forces toward Turkey, the beginning of the ultimate war to end all wars WW 3 is started. Powers Boothe, his girlfriend and copilot Rebecca DeMornay and their flight crew take off in a B 52 on what they believe is just another drill only to find out that this is the real deal. While they fly their mission toward Russia the US and Russia exchange nuclear blasts. The movie, originally made for HBO, tells a realistic tale of what could be if the controls of the nukes get in the wrong hands and with Russia, being the way it is today, this could be a prophetic movie. A very well done drama with some good acting, a little over the top by Booth, but it will keep you watching and most importantly make you think. On a scale of one to ten... 8

By Dawn's Early Light is tautly paced and very suspenseful.

It chronicles a mistaken nuclear exchange and the aftermath. The cast is very strong and extensive. There is much intrigue at work in BDEL and it involves players you wouldn't expect.

My complaint about BDEL involves some improbable happenings in the relationship between pilot Booth and co-pilot de Mornay. There is early establishment that Booth is the alpha of the pair. That is quickly and inexplicably reversed very soon after. Suddenly de Mornay is ordering Booth around and he follows instruction with no hesitation. Second, de Mornay has one eye exposed to a nuclear flash. She says she is blind in that eye. No more mention of the injury for the rest of the film. No visible evidence of the retinal burns. No red eye. No swelling. No watering. Nothing resulting from this painful injury. Baffling.

Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed this 1990 HBO production. Back in the day....

There have been many global nuclear war stories, and this is not the best, but I've always loved this film.

It's a combination of cast and perspective. Whereas most films have a single strong storyline, and maybe a couple of smaller sub plots, this film bypasses that usual structure, preferring instead to use 3 or 4 main plotlines, all moving forward, all converging on the same point. Good non-traditional approach managed by a great non-traditional director, Jack Shoulder (The Hidden).

And for a film that did not go to theatres, this one has a strong cast: Powers Booth teams with Rebecca DeMornay to fly the nuclear bomber. James Earl Jones and Jeffrey DeMunn battle Darren McGavin and Rip Torn as they try to overthrow our world during the ensuing panic. And Martin Landau as the Prez trying to keep it all together.

Nice story, good pace, strong finish. I like it.

This movie was one that makes you really think about our leaders and what type of decisions they would make in regards to our Nations defense in time of war. It would actually scare the hell out of me if this is what is is really like.

Hell, dealing with some of these same type people I have in the military scares the crap out of me.

The movie had it's share of sub-plots that all made their way into the big story made the film better.

However, had this film been based on acting alone, it would not have done so well. The acting in some parts had seemed to be a bit overdone and unrealistic. Thank god for the decent story line or this movie would have truly flopped.

Quite a good movie considering the fact that it appears to me to be a low budget film. I like films that hit upon this theme of Nuclear Warfare. This is a serious Dr Strangelove. For those of you that like this kind of movie though I would recommend "Threads" which I definitely prefer, it brings us the situation from the people's experience whereas this gets the political situation and military situation. Someone, we are not entirely sure who, drops a nuclear bomb and The Soviet Union who immediately blame the states by hitting back and then so on and so forth, how are we going to end it type of thing. there are some parts though which are utterly non convincing like the way the president survives and his poor acting, and also the pilot on a mission to blow a civilization with his loving girlfriend as co pilot.

A great movie about how war can get out of hand very quickly. The book the movie was derived from "Trinity's Child" is EXCELLENT. It is ironic that the President was played by Martin Landau and in the book, the president was watching "Mission Impossible" when SAC HQ calls him. As you know, Martin Landau starred in "Mission Impossible. Also, James Earl Jones plays an Air Force SAC General in this movie. He also played an Air Force Lieutentant on board a B-52 in "Dr. Strangelove".

Very topical considering the current kerfuffle going on in Russia, this made-for-TV movie Soviet thriller is set during the Cold War where one bad decision could've led to World War III. Both sides in this long-running conflict between America and the Ruskies are constantly on edge wondering what the other is planning, and looking to take advantage of any hesitation or slip-ups. They call them 'wargames', but there's nothing fun about approaching potential armageddon...

A lot of the movie is talking heads pondering the rapidly escalating situation in sombre tones, so if you're after an action-packed extravaganza, you'd best look elsewhere. For what it is though, the slower dramatic scenes and the sudden outbursts of violence mesh pretty well, regardless of some dull technical moments of explanation and a few dodgy performances (mostly from the supporting cast).

It's pretty absorbing, quite thoughtful and has absolutely no parallels with anything happening now or in the future.

Here's hoping, anyway.... 6/10.

I have never heard of this movie until recently. After watching it, I have decided that it is one of the best war movies I have ever seen. It's not too flashy or over dramatic (for the most part), and shows what would happen with our government if it were to respond to a nuclear strike.

The best thing about the movie was the fact that it was able to show both sides of the story without trampling, or placing too much emphasis on one of the other. The bomber crew and the political players were each given equal time in the story giving a more full picture of a world coming apart.

Powers Boothe is one of the more underrated actors. He had a strong performance in this movie. It would be good to see more of him. He plays the military officer role better then many others I have seen lately. Here he shows that he does deserve more because of the flair he gives his characters.

In comparison to Sum of All Fears, I say this was the better movie when it comes to nuclear warfare. This was a more realistic view of what it would be like.

Good and realistic plot, with good actors and believable characters.

I spent 27 years serving as a senior officer in the US Armed Forces. No way in hell would a old Colonel that's been passed over for BG ever have any Presidential influence. Zero!!!

"By Dawn's Early Light" is one of the best nuclear thriller's around. It came out as the Cold War was ending, but it is even more prevalent now, as it opens with accidental launch by Russian dissidents. The current situation in Ukraine comes to mind. In any case, the movie does a great job, especially for made-for-TV (HBO) film that also has pretty good special effects for the time and budget. The acting is top notch, with special nods going to James Earl Jones as the tough, fair, and smart Major General Alice, Powers Boothe as the determined Major Cassidy flying the main B-52, and Martin Landau as the President trying to do the right thing. Also, the short appearance of Nicolas Coaster as General Renning at the beginning to the film is also notable. This is a great nuclear thriller, right up there with the classic Dr. Strangelove but from a different perspective. Highly recommended!

What a goof. Women did not fly combat roles in the B-52 until after the Cold War. Must have been HBO early "woke" political correctness at work. Still a good story. Just somewhat less believable for the time period.

I wanted to watch this movie based only on claims of authenticity. It just so happened that various members of its cast (Boothe, Jones, De Mornay, Torn & De Munn) made me believe it could even be one of those undiscovered gems that make you ask "why have I not seen this movie before?" Well I'll tell you why; it's LAME! Authenticity goes as far as the bomber plane Boothe and De Mornay are in control of. Apart from that, Boothe's dialogue alone would have made sure his character was grounded. Beyond that, it relies heavily on a lack of knowledge and suspension of disbelief.

It may have been good enough for an audience in 1990, but even a college student would be lambasted for making the same mistakes in a short film.

Tries to be serious. Silly as hell!

It's a shame that there are few movies that depict the procedures, tactics, and escalating stages of nuclear warfare in as much detail and accuracy as "By Dawn's Early Light." Adapted from the novel Trinity's Child, Jack Shoulder's "By Dawn's Early Light" hits all the right notes in portraying the professionalism, training, and courage of American nuclear forces. The film's numerous scenes, including the E-4 NEACP (National Emergency Airborne Command Post), RC-135 "Looking Glass" plane, and even the Strategic Air Command operations room are incredibly realistic and well-detailed. The numerous conflicting personalities depicted in the film also give it great texture, taking the film a step closer to reality. Cold War buffs and military fans are sure to get a kick out of this film, especially with its stunningly dramatic, hardcore finale. "By Dawn's Early Light" is proof that low budget constraints do not have to derail an entire film.

I love these types of movies. Loved Fail Safe. This one was good but just lacked some fire. It got confusing at times when they were referring to military jargon. I didn't know what the E4 was until the end. That end though, ugh. So unnecessary.

What a cast, with many familiar names and a fascinating story about a threatening escalation towards a total nuclear war, Powers Boothe, Rebecca De Mornay, James Earl Jones, Martin Landau, Jeffrey Demunn, Peter Macnicul, all familiar faces who do a great job.

We mainly follow the crew of a B 52 bomber that is on its way to Russia to drop their bomb, in the meantime the higher military command is switched, which after the president is reported missing, is now in the hands of incompetent people who threaten to escalate the situation to total destruction.

The entire cast does an excellent job, but the scenes on board with Boothe and Demornay are the most captivating.

I thought Crimson Tide, with a somewhat identical plot with Denzel Washington was even better in terms of story, but this one was definitely worth watching.

I have been looking for a world war iii thriller for years. I came across a list on wikipedia of nuclear war based movies. So I finally located this one which looked the most promising on the list considering its good actors and being produced by HBO who is known for excellent miniseries. And let me tell you, it does not disappoint! We are talking about no joke nuclear war and started in a way you can swallow. No annoying love stories, just one close relationship between a b52 pilot and his co-pilot but at least its done in flight. All and all a great thriller. If you are a wwiii movie junkie like me, you MUST see this film!

We have Powers Booth playing Powers Booth, this time as a Superfortress Pilot. Strangely, his persona works here. Fast-paced, dramatic, and tension-filled, for sure. But that's not enough to save the confusing and distorted story. First of all, the attempt to set-up sexual tension between Booth and De Mornay ends up in Death Valley at 1:00 am - dry and cold. But, that's turns out to be a minor fault. Anyone trying to pay attention to geography, location, who's where, and who's been bombed, will be quickly confused. You cannot immerse the audience into the confusion and chaos of the story line. It just doesn't work. As for the story line, itself, there's is no clear explanation for how the Secretary of Interior becomes President, and how he gains control of our entire nuclear arsenal in a moment of crisis. Kudos to Rip Torn and Landau, and loved Jones' anger ("Will someone give me a cigarette? A REAL cigarette!"). Other potential contributions are misused, most notable McNichol who becomes a wasted fly on the wall. All in all, the direction and loose script make for a disappointing film, which could have been oh so much better.

This made for television movie is about the Soviet Union during the Cold War years attacking America with nuclear bombs. The cast is first rate with Emmy winners James Earl Jones and Powers Boothe along with Rebecca DeMornay, Martin Landau, Rip Torn, Darren McGavin, Peter McNichol, Nicolas Coaster, Daniel Benzali, and others. The film is outdated now sincere Cold War has been over for some time. The film shows the fear of nuclear attacks during the Cold War. The film shows the possibility of life and terror. I didn't get the ending of the film at all as to what really happened to the planes. They do give you final notes about what was going on. Thank God, it's not based on reality.

As a former nuclear submariner, I'm frequently annoyed when the producers of military movies just make stuff up in the name of dramatic expediency. I can also overcome this annoyance when the dramatic aspect of the film is worth expediting. Shoving in authentic military lingo can get in the way on occasion. This film was poorly researched, poorly acted, poorly written and poorly directed. It was a pure bruckheimer-esquire hack job whose only redeeming quality is its short running time. Everyone associated with this film should be ashamed. Their families should be ashamed. I can't believe this film got a higher rating than 'The Day After'. At least 'The Day After' was well researched, even if the acting was spotty.

How you can take a dramatic theme like an ongoing nuclear standoff, great actors like James Earl Jones and still end up with a giant piece of garbage so lame that calling it hackneyed melodramatic drivel is far too generous a complement. If I ever meet Mr. Sholder, the director of this film, I will simply turn away and mutter to my doting family 'that man is dead to me.'

Having flown on board NEACP and the now defunct Looking Glass as well as worked in the former SAC underground Command Post, I could not help but reminisce of the 'old' days in Blue. From the EAM's (Emergency Action Message) to the SIOP (Single Integrated Operation Procedures) procedures, the feel of authenticity was great. This is not the best of apocalyptical films I have seen and the acting left something to be desired (Powers Boothe HAS done better) While I disagree with the way the NCA (National Command Authority) was portrayed, it's still not too bad a movie. Better acting, remove the sexual issue between the Pilot and the Co-Pilot, and much better special effects would have made this a better film.

This is by far one of the best "Armageddon" movies of the 20th century. A superior cast lend due credit to the complex plots/subplots. The dialogue and direction are right from the military politico. Any vet will be on the edge of their seat!! A true-to-life humdinger!!