three astronaut on an orbit space station load with nuke witness the outbreak of nuclear war . after week of orbit and know their love one back home be dead or die an external signal force them back to earth . the crew jettison their nuke but one jam in the bay . when they land the female doctor be injure and the captain be kill by cannibal . the third member of the crew ( howe ) go look for help and be soon in the hand of a local warlord who and it turn out and be responsible for the re entry of the spaceship . he ( rightly ) suspect it contain information that would lead him to a safe haven . the two remain crew member be try for war crime and sentence to hang . howe escape but return and start a rebellion . he find the doctor dead . eventually howe and jj ( the warlord girlfriend ) sail away a the last nuke on the downed ship explodes . i be surprise at the low rating this movie get . for a lo budget sf film of the period it be not at all bad . for one thing it do not play safe . though influence by many movie represent mad max obviously and dark star and the quiet earth etc . the first section of this film on the station be genuinely effective . it go downhill a little a we enter the usual post apocalyptic shoot em up of the second half but even so and everything that happen be horribly credible . i suspect people do not like this movie because it not easy . it doesn not drop all the usual clichés into place like the the standard lazy hollywood cheapo sf flick . the moment where our hero shoot the two guard on the boat be very realistic . he doesn not want to shoot them . he never shoot anyone before and pleads with them not to pick up their gun . they think he bluff and slowly reach towards them . he scream at them to stop . their hand reach out nearer their rifle . he fire . it horrible . in your standard mad max rip off the hero would have blaze in and just blow everyone up . the guard if they be give a chance would have dive for their weapon not reach out for them slowly like they do here . it not your standard holly wood schlock . i be not say it a great film and there be many fault with it . but it doesn not deserve the pan some people give it . for instance represent the actress play jj ( though very good ) be too old for the part i do not buy her a a teenager at all and everyone hair be far too clean . the end of the world by thermonuclear heck and everyone be wallow around in filth but their hair be all nice and freshly wash . i do not think so . and i do not buy the hanging scene at all and there be no way the kilted survivalist wouldn not have step forward and save his own life at the first opportunity . i guess the writer be try to turn him into a more sympathetic character but it just do not work . if i be look to make a low budget movie i would certainly give this one a look for idea and inspiration . there be some good stuff in here .