Year: 1976
Runtime: 115 min
Language: English
Director: Larry Peerce
During a crowded Los Angeles Coliseum event, a sniper’s deadly actions threaten the lives of thousands of fans. Captain Peter Holly and his team must race against time to stop the escalating crisis. A tense standoff develops between Holly and Sergeant Button’s SWAT team as they work to identify and neutralize the gunman before more lives are lost in this action-packed thriller.
Get a spoiler-free look at Two-Minute Warning (1976) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
The bustling Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is transformed into a pressure cooker of anticipation as the city’s flagship football showdown draws tens of thousands of eager fans. The roar of the crowd, the flash of stadium lights, and the omnipresent hum of a high‑stakes sporting spectacle create a vivid backdrop where ordinary excitement can suddenly become extraordinary tension. Beneath the celebratory veneer, an unseen menace looms, turning the arena into a ticking clock where every second counts.
Enter Peter Holly, a seasoned police captain whose methodical, no‑nonsense approach has earned him both respect and wariness among his peers. He is thrust into the heart of the crisis, tasked with orchestrating a rapid response while keeping the fragile order of the event intact. Working beside him is Sergeant Button, leader of a tight‑knit SWAT unit whose gritty pragmatism often clashes with Holly’s procedural instincts, setting the stage for a compelling partnership forged under pressure.
The film’s tone marries relentless suspense with a stark, almost documentary‑like realism, letting the audience feel the weight of each decision as the crowd’s safety hangs in the balance. The cavernous stadium becomes a character in its own right—its towering stands and echoing corridors amplifying the urgency that permeates every conversation between officers, stadium staff, and the sea of spectators. The interplay of authority, duty, and the raw anxiety of a terrified public creates a palpable atmosphere that keeps viewers on edge.
Amid the looming danger, the story also hints at the ordinary lives threaded through the chaos: a stadium manager juggling logistics, a handful of fans whose personal stories intersect with the unfolding emergency, and the ever‑present pulse of a city that thrives on spectacle. These human elements deepen the intrigue, promising a narrative where heroism, fear, and the fragile veneer of normalcy collide in a high‑octane thriller that asks how far one will go to protect the many.
Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 14:14
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Movies where a ticking clock forces desperate measures to avert a catastrophe.If you liked the high-stakes urgency of Two-Minute Warning, explore more movies like it that feature a race against time. These similar stories are tense, action-packed thrillers where a looming deadline creates a gripping and desperate atmosphere.
The narrative pattern follows a linear, fast-paced structure focused on preventing an imminent disaster. The plot unfolds in real-time or over a compressed period, escalating the stakes and reducing options as the deadline approaches, often culminating in a last-minute, high-risk confrontation.
Movies in this thread share a core structure of relentless pacing and unbearable tension driven by a countdown. They create a sense of shared desperation and focus on the procedural, often flawed, efforts to stop a catastrophic event.
Stories that depict the terrifying breakdown of order during a large-scale public crisis.For viewers who appreciated the depiction of public chaos and tragedy in Two-Minute Warning, this section highlights similar movies about mass disaster. These films share a heavy emotional weight, a somber tone, and explore themes of public safety and panic.
These narratives often begin with a sudden attack or catastrophic failure in a crowded setting, swiftly dissolving order into panic. The story splits between the macro-level institutional efforts to contain the crisis and the micro-level vignettes of individuals caught in the chaos, leading to a somber conclusion that emphasizes the human toll.
These films are grouped by their shared focus on large-scale public tragedies, the visceral depiction of panic and institutional response, and their heavy, often bleak, emotional conclusions. They explore the vulnerability of crowds and the fragility of public order.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Two-Minute Warning in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Two-Minute Warning is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of Two-Minute Warning, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
Track the full timeline of Two-Minute Warning with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Two-Minute Warning. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Two-Minute Warning: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like Two-Minute Warning that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
Two-Minute Warning (1976) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline
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