Ice Quake (2010) - full transcript

Ho ho ho.

Very funny, Reed.
This really couldn't wait?

Sorry, Wallace. Colonel's orders...

to do with that tremor
we had yesterday.

You know that I got
the children's Christmas club today?

I don't like this any more than you do.
I still have Christmas shopping to do.

Yeah, well, if I'm not back
in town by 10:00,

there's gonna be a lot of teary-eyed
toddlers wondering where Santa is.

Relax, this won't take long.

You could take off the beard,
you know.

It keeps my face warm.



Here he comes.

Oh, well, about time.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

Something's burning, Mom.

Michael!

Over 5,000 square miles,

larger than the state of Connecticut,

collapsed this Christmas morning,
setting off alarm bells

in governments across
the northern hemisphere.

The collapse of the ice shelf
was the biggest in recorded history

and occurred with such force

that initial reports indicated
an earthquake had struck...

Here you go, sweetheart.

Oh, boy, flapjacks.



Hey, watch him. There's food out.

Go, Yeti, get away.

Where's your father?
Is he coming down?

Wo Moments ago
we were informed...

Wife:
Michael, come on!

...interrupted his holiday
to coordinate the effort,

dispatching a search-and-rescue
operation...

Yeti, down. Go.

- Sorry.
- Finally.

Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Hey.

- Hey, Dad.
- Hey, how are you?

Good.

You're still not dressed.

Did you see there was
an ice-shelf collapse in Russia last night?

Yeah. Do you see
that the toast is burning?

Ooh.

Ooh, that's hot.

You didn't burn the bacon, did you?

No, of course not.

Good.

Mmm. Looks good.

That's weird.

What?

The subsurface temperature
just dropped three degrees.

The atmospheric temperature
hasn't changed at all.

How's that possible?

I don't know.
Atmospheric temperature drop

always precedes
a subsurface temperature drop.

What was that?

It just dropped two more degrees.

The subsurface temperature
can't drop that fast.

There must be something
wrong with the equipment.

There's some kind of movement
down here.

Oh, my God.

Reed: I think we ought to
get off this mountain now.

I couldn't agree more.

Reed?

My God.

Wo
Whoa.

Can I have dinner at Andrea's?

Tia, it's Christmas Eve.

Your mother's making
her traditional seafood dinner.

But it'll be more fun at Andrea's.
Her cousins will be there.

And they have a Christmas tree.

Your daughter does raise a good point.
Why is it we don't have a tree, Michael?

Shane had hockey practice
last weekend,

and Tia, um...

I don't know.
Where were you last weekend?

- Andrea's.
- Mother: Mmm.

Wasn't that the same day
you were called in to the base?

- Wow, an earthquake.
- What's going on?

Just a tremor.
It'll stop in a moment.

This is so cool.

That's the second one in two days.

Yeah, I'll check in with the base
after breakfast to see what's going on,

- see if they know anything about it.
- Oh, no, you don't.

It's your day off, Michael.

Emily, I'm the Corps'
senior geologist.

I have to check in
on something like this.

Oh, you mean call in?

Yeah, call... I didn't say call in?

- No.
- Okay. I meant to say call in.

- Okay.
- Okay.

So why is it that you need four people
to buy a tree?

It's tradition.

Dad, we did it once.
That's not a tradition.

All right, you know what?
Forget it.

I'll just do it myself.
In fact, you know what I'm gonna do?

I'm gonna go up the mountain,
I'm gonna find a real Christmas tree,

and I'm gonna chop it down
with my own two hands.

I'm gonna use 'em like axes.

That's tradition.

All right, you two, get dressed.
We're going with him.

- Cool!
- Do we have to? It's freezing outside.

Hey, this family needs a tree and we're not
going to let your father go alone.

It'll be fun.

Man over loudspeaker:
All personnel are reminded

that access is restricted to the South Gate
during the holiday season.

Operations. Ram speaking.

Ram, it's Michael.
How big was that tremor that just hit?

Oh, hey, Mike.
Uh, 4.0 just like yesterday.

Is there any connection
with that ice-shelf collapse in Russia?

I'm not at liberty to discuss that
right now.

Ram, what are you talking about?
Is there a connection or not?

- Ahem.
- Hold on, someone wants to speak to you.

Mr. Webster,
I thought this was your day off.

It is, sir. But as we've just
had another tremor,

I thought I should find out what we know
about the ice-shelf collapse in Russia.

That's what I like
about you, Michael... gut instinct.

So is there a connection?

Something disturbing has occurred.
Can you come in for a briefing?

Like you said, sir,
it's my day off.

I think my family would kill me.

Is there any way
that you can brief me now?

Not on the phone.
What I have to tell you is classified.

- Classified?
- Just come in, Michael.

You're gonna want to hear this.

You geek.
You don't need to pack all that.

We're only going to cut down a tree.

I'm an explorer.
An explorer is always prepared.

Hi.

Got enough layers on there, sport?

I'm surprised you're even able
to move.

Yeah, you look like a big puffball.

Don't listen to them.
You're my mighty explorer.

Hey, Em?

Can I talk to you?

Something's come up.
I gotta stop by the base.

It's for one hour.

The colonel's got to brief me
on something classified.

- It has to do with the tremors.
- There's always something.

And now you're going
to work on Christmas Eve.

I will go for one hour.
Okay?

I'll drop you and the kids off downtown.
You can finish your Christmas shopping

and then I will pick you up
and we'll go get that tree.

I promise.

One hour means one hour.

Yes.

- Hey.
- Merry Christmas.

Go on in, Mr. Webster.

- Oh!
- Whoa!

- Sorry, Jamie.
- Merry Christmas to you, too, Michael.

Oh, what's the visibility like
up on Mount Phaeton?

I want to take the family
up there for a hike.

It's mixed. Just be sure to be back
before nightfall.

There's a storm
coming in tonight.

Hey, merry Christmas.

Man with Russian accent:
Please send help!

That was a communication
intercepted

from a Russian outpost
in their arctic region

as it broke apart
at 0900 yesterday.

Just a few hours before
the ice shelf broke.

Exactly. So our orders are to determine
if this was a natural disaster

or if the Russians
intentionally detonated something

to bolster their claims
to new arctic regions.

So the tremors we've been feeling
are shock waves.

What time did the first one
hit us yesterday?

1500.

- That's odd.
- What?

Well, the timing of the first shock wave.

That Russian outpost
is only a few thousand miles from here.

We should have felt that sooner.

What do we have on today's tremor?

It just so happens
that Reed and Wallace

were on the mountain
this morning collecting data.

As soon as they check in,
we'll know more.

Okay, good.

Well, contact me when we have that
and then we'll get this thing sorted out.

- Thank you, sir.
- Right.

- Merry Christmas, Tommy.
- Tommy: Merry Christmas, Michael.

Carolers:
♪ Joy to the world... ♪

So how'd the shopping go?

It was a disaster.
They didn't have Tia's shoes.

They didn't have any shoes.

So wait a minute...

since when do we shop
for our own Christmas presents?

Since that dress
you bought me last year

that I'm too embarrassed to wear.

- So where are we going?
- Mount Phaeton.

- Isn't that a little far?
- It's government land;

they've got a bunch of firs up there.
I thought it'd be nice to take a long drive.

- Cool.
- I don't want to take a long drive.

It'll be fun. We'll have
the whole mountain to ourselves.

Tia, honey, make sure
you zip up your jacket.

I did.
Hey, Yeti, do you want treats?

No, don't give Yeti any more treats.

He's fine.

He needs to sit down.
He needs to stay still.

I thought you said
we had the mountain to ourselves.

A couple engineers
came up this morning.

I'm just surprised they're still here.

All right, let's go find the tree.

Come on, boy, let's go.

Let's go, come on.

Good boy.

What's that building, Dad?

That's our outpost.

It's where we work out of when
we come up here to study the ground.

Let's see if anyone's home.

Hello?

It's Christmas Eve, Dad.

Yeah, just checking.

Who's calling?

It's probably the base
for those engineers.

All right, well, let's just
keep an eye out for them.

Any word from Reed and Wallace?

No, and there's no answer
at the outpost.

Keep trying, Lieutenant.

All right, let's follow Yeti.

Why can't we just buy a tree
like everyone else?

I don't even have anything
to put under it.

I've got something to put
under the tree for Dad.

Hey! Well, what do you
got there, champ?

I can't tell you that, Dad.
It's your Christmas present.

Yeah, Dad, I can't believe
you'd ask something like that.

What?

When I have kids,

I'm not gonna make them go
chopping down trees

in the middle of winter.

That's what I said at your age.

And then you have a family
and your priorities change.

Not me.

My priorities will always
stay the same.

I said that, too.

Tia, honey, just enjoy it.
It's so gorgeous out here.

Good boy.

Geophones are picking up
some kind of weird vibrations

developing at Mount Phaeton.

I don't like how this
is adding up.

Reed and Wallace have been
out of contact for way too long.

They're not the only ones up there.

Who else?

Michael and his family.

You're kidding.

Good boy.

- Hey, Yeti! Yeti!
- Where's he going?

Yeti, come!

Where's he going?

Don't worry, he'll be back.

What was that?

We're not on ice, are we?

No, we're too low
to be on an ice pack.

I don't know what that is.

Look. Move! Go down the trail!

Go down the trail!

Keep moving.

Keep moving, keep moving.

- Tia!
- Here, run to the outpost.

Run to the outpost!

It's my arm.

Go, run to the outpost!

Inside!

In the corner.
Huddle, huddle.

Colonel, geophones just recorded
new tremors coming from Mount Phaeton.

This time 4.5.

Carolyn:
Come in. Reed and Wallace, please report.

Sir, still no response
from either Reed or Wallace

on their radios
or GPS transmitters.

Let's get to work.

Can you move your arm?

It really hurts.

I don't think anything's broken.
I think it's just bruised.

Okay, good.
All right, I'm gonna call for help.

Can I call for Yeti?

No, buddy,
stay away from the door, okay?

Honey, come on over here.

Colonel, Michael's on the line.

Michael, where are you?

Mount Phaeton outpost.
There's been a bizarre eruption up here.

The ice is cracking.

I know, we're picking up tremors.
You guys okay?

These weren't tremors, Colonel.
These were some kind of ice geysers.

Fragments of ice blasted up
out of the ground.

It was like nothing
I've ever seen before.

An eruption of ice fragments?
Are you sure?

Positive, sir.
They were like volcanic pyroclasts,

except they were chunks of ice.
My daughter got hit by one of them.

Are Reed and Wallace still up there?

Their truck was in the lot,
but after what I just saw,

they may be in real trouble.

Okay, sit tight. I'm sending help.

Lieutenant, get a rescue chopper
up to Phaeton.

Colonel, something unprecedented
is occurring under this mountain.

It may have been what triggered
the Russian ice-shelf collapse.

All right, let's get you
back here safe and sound.

Then we'll figure out
what we're dealing with.

Hold on.

What's that noise?

Avalanche!

Out! Get out!
Emily, grab Shane. Go, go, go.

- Michael, hello?
- Honey, this way, this way.

- I don't want to go out there.
- We gotta go, we gotta go.

- We don't have time.
- Michael, what's happening?

Go, to the right.

- What is that?
- It's an avalanche. Go, go!

Not that way!
It's an avalanche. Sideways.

Go sideways.

Is that chopper up?

Happening now, sir.

We have pitch. Keep me posted
on any change in the weather.

Now what do we do?
We have no way out of here.

Where's Yeti?

Just relax, all right?

He's okay. We'll find him.

There's a trail on the other side
of that ridge.

We can get back
to the main road that way.

You want to go up the mountain?

We can't stay here, baby.
It's just too dangerous.

- We gotta keep moving.
- Okay.

Let's go.

Your father knows what he's doing.

Come on.

Pulling up the geological history
from Mount Phaeton.

I hope those guys are okay.

Sir, request permission to assemble
a rescue squad to assist the chopper.

Granted. Get up there ASAP.
Coordinate with the pilot.

Yes, sir.

Colonel, take a look at this.

This is really weird.
There isn't a single fault line in the area.

Then the tremors
are shock waves from Russia.

What about those ice fragments
Michael described?

What could have
created an eruption of ice?

There could be some volcanic activity
developing under the mountain.

There's no history of that either.

Maybe it's a hidden volcano
that has never been documented.

Michael said it was some kind
of ice geyser.

Have you ever heard
of anything like that?

Only on the moons of Saturn.

Let's move.
We've got people on that mountain.

I need a rest.

Okay. All right, here, sweetie.

Have some water.
I got some for you.

Hey, give me that.

Save some for us.
Water has to be rationed.

Hey, easy, sport. It's okay.
We've got a whole mountain full of water.

Okay? You just drink as much as you want.
Don't worry about it.

Mom, I'm cold.

Okay, zip up your coat, Tia.
Here you go.

Mom, I'm really worried about Yeti.

You know, if anyone can take care
of himself out here, it's Yeti.

Ooh, that's cold.

What are you doing?

He's using body heat to make water.
Right, Dad?

That's right, buddy. All right.

You ready?

You all right now?
Let's keep going.

The tremors started on the south slope,

but then suddenly started
appearing here on the west side.

The strange thing is I can't find
a seismic wave to link them.

- How do you explain that?
- I can't.

Tectonic movement
is Michael's area of expertise.

Colonel, Professor Worthington
is on the line.

He says he urgently needs
to speak with you.

Is he that nut job from the university
who claims

a methane explosion
killed the dinosaurs?

Methane Man, yeah.

He should be doing a life sentence
for the number of times

we've caught him trespassing
on our sites.

Colonel Hughes speaking.

Not a day goes by I don't ask myself
just what it is

you government bureaucrats
do all day long.

Merry Christmas to you, too.

How can I help you, Professor?

The question is, Colonel,
how can I help you?

I'm not following.

When was the last time you monitored
methane levels on Mount Phaeton?

I don't have that information
in front of me.

Yeah, well, I do, so let me
bring you up to speed.

The permafrost up here is thawing
faster than anyone predicted,

breaking a seal that for thousands of years
has trapped gigatons

of methane gas
inside the ice.

Six months ago, when I checked
the mountain's methane levels,

they had doubled from the prior year.

We're aware
of the permafrost thawing.

The methane release has been minimal

and poses no immediate threat
to the atmosphere.

Things are changing.

I need authorization
to take my team up to Phaeton.

Out of the question. That area
is experiencing a geological disturbance.

I know it is. Hello,
why do you think I'm calling?

I mean I'm reading
extreme seismic activity.

And the history of climate change
is such that it doesn't evolve slowly

and gradually... it leaps.

There are tipping points.

And we may just be on the verge
of one now.

I'm afraid we've got a search-and-rescue
operation in progress.

I can't risk having your team
get in the way until my people are safe.

Is that clear?

I said, is that clear?

I think he hung up, sir.

Lieutenant, seal off Mount Phaeton.

Have units block every road
that goes anywhere near there.

Yes, sir.

The lunatics are coming out
of the asylum.

Yo.

Let's go, let's go.
Move your egghead asses.

I feel the air getting thin.

How you kids doing?

Both:
Tired.

What was that?

Sounded like running water.

There isn't an underground spring
up here, is there?

There shouldn't be...
not at this temperature.

Let's not take any chances.
Kids, come on, let's keep moving.

What's happening?

Watch out. Kids, get back!
Get back!

- No, Emily, no, no, no.
- Mom!

Shane!

Dad!

Colonel, we've just had a strong
seismic spike on the mountain.

Are you guys okay?

We're okay, Mom.

Okay, good, just...
just stay where you are.

What do we do?

What is it?

Kids, back away...
away from the chasm.

We can't stay here.

How do we get the kids?

We gotta climb the cliff.

No, no, that'll take hours.
We can't leave them alone for that long.

We don't have a choice.

I can't believe this is happening.

Dad, what do we do?

Okay, now listen to me.

You're gonna go
to that hilltop there, all right?

Go to that hilltop. Me and your mother
are going to go to the top of the mountain.

Okay, we're going to go
over to where the chasm ends.

Then we're going to come back down,
we're going to get you.

You're leaving us?

Honey, we don't have
any other choice, okay?

It's not gonna be that long.
Just keep you and your brother warm.

We love you.

Run! Go! Go to the hilltop.
Go, go!

- Go!
- No, we can't leave them.

Hurry, go!

Come on, Tia.

Keep running. Don't stop.

Go, go, go, go!

Go, go!

Coming up on the outpost now.

It looks like there was a massive slide
on the south slope.

Going in closer.

Man on radio:
Roger, Captain.

It looks ugly down there.

The outpost and the parking lot
are completely buried.

Switch your beepers to receive mode.
Let's hope we find them by dark.

Has it stopped?

Yeah.

What on earth is happening here?

Subzero gas release.

What kind of gas?

Has to be methane.

Do you think the kids are okay?

Yeah, baby.
No, no, no, they'll be fine.

No, don't worry.
They're smart kids, okay?

They can take care of themselves.

I thought the base
was sending help.

- They are, but to the outpost.
- Well, maybe we should go there.

It's too dangerous. It could be buried
under 10 feet of snow.

Come on, let's get to the top
to cross over to get the kids

- and get to the road. Let's go.
- Okay.

Okay, look sharp.

Whoa there.

Merry Christmas, fellas.

I'm Professor Worthington
from the university.

We're geologists investigating
the disturbance up there.

No civilians are allowed to pass.

Look, we really need to go up there
and evaluate what's happening.

Sir, just turn the car around, please.

Colonel Hughes is aware.

One moment.

Get me command.

Sir?

The sergeant at the south barricade
needs to speak with you.

Colonel Hughes speaking.

Arrest the son of a bitch.

All right, everyone just stay cool.

Sir, step out of the vehicle, please.

You know what?
We don't really need to go up there.

We're just gonna turn around
and head back to town.

Step out of the vehicle now.

Whoa.

Man over loudspeaker:
Attention, skiers, the chairlifts are closed.

Have a merry Christmas.

You should drag the sled now.

Did you hear that?

- It was nothing.
- Well, what if it's a bear?

The bears are all sleeping, babe.

Oh, yeah.

Let's do another run.

Okay, this is the last one
'cause my parents are going to kill us

- if we're late for Christmas dinner.
- Okay.

- Ready, babe?
- Mm-hmm.

Here we go.

Stop, stop, stop!
Aah!

Picking up new tremors, sir.
And this one is a biggie.

- Where?
- Just outside of town.

Emergency services reporting
an earthquake at the ski lodge.

Where's the point of origin?
Did it come from the mountain?

I don't know.

There were no seismic waves reported
prior to the event itself.

Well, so much
for your hidden volcano.

These are quakes with
no traceable epicenter.

What could possibly cause
something like that?

They're not volcanic;
they're not tectonic.

The only other thing I can think of
that could cause an earthquake

would be a sudden release of gas.

Maybe Methane Man was right.

Gotta find the source of this anomaly.

There must be some kind
of scan we can run.

We should order a spectroscopic
satellite survey.

That would show us
what was underground.

Do it.

Go to LERTCON yellow.
We are now in a state of emergency.

We need troops in town
until we figure this out.

Come on, get up, guys.

Let's go, let's go.

Sir, we're getting hit
by an earthquake! It's a 7.9.

An earthquake!
Down, down, down!

Go, go, go!

Go, go!

Go, go!

Colonel!

Oh, my God.

Emergency generators are up.

- Everyone okay?
- Good, Colonel.

- I want a casualty report.
- On it.

How could we not have seen
something like this coming?

Until they get that satellite
into position,

we have no way of predicting
where this thing will hit.

Well, we can't just sit on our hands
and wait for the damn satellite.

We have to dig deeper.

Everything in nature has a pattern.

Find that pattern.

Crack that code.

People's lives depend on it.

Okay.

This'll get us to the top.

And then we'll cross over to the kids' side
and we'll get to the road.

Well, isn't there any other way?

We'll go to the west side.
It's not as steep.

I hiked it during training.
It's not as hard as it looks. I promise.

Don't worry, okay?
I'll guide you through it.

- I promise, it'll be fine.
- Okay.

Notify the guard...
we need to prepare for an evacuation.

- It's not safe anywhere right now.
- Yes, sir.

And get me the rescue chopper.

Captain, have you spotted anyone?

That's a negative, Colonel.

I've been over every nook and cranny
of the avalanche side

and the road out,
what's left of it.

I have a bad feeling
they're buried down there.

I don't care about your bad feeling.
Just keep looking.

Roger that, Colonel.

Okay, we're here.

- We can't stay here.
- Dad told us to wait at this hilltop.

We're too exposed.

Exposed?

What are you talking about?

The storm is getting worse.

Tia, we have to go.

Colonel, we have a newly formed
low-pressure system headed our way.

You're kidding.
How bad?

Looks like gale-force winds.

- What's the time frame?
- A matter of hours.

Alert all field units.

Carolyn:
All field units be advised:

we have a gale-force storm
heading our direction.

When it rains, it pours.

Whoa, what was that?

Back up!

Go, go!

Do you think Mom and Dad are okay?

Yeah.

This is what Dad does.

My feet are cold.

I can't feel my toes.

I know.
I can't feel mine either.

We need to rehydrate.

We don't have a container
to put snow in.

I packed a canteen, remember?

I'm not pressing ice-cold metal
to my stomach.

Sometimes it's good to be a geek.

How you feelin', Em?

My fingers are going numb.

Okay, just keep shaking them, okay?

- Just keep the blood flowing.
- Okay.

Get down!

I think it's all melted.

You go first.

That was good.

I'm still thirsty.

- Uh-oh.
- What?

- I lost Dad's gift.
- Don't worry about it.

I think he'll forgive you
under the circumstances.

Shane?

Shane?

I think it's stopped.

You okay?

I just want to find the kids.

How much further?

We're almost to the top.
It's just right there.

Okay? It's not that far.

- Okay.
- Can you make it?

- Yeah.
- Okay.

We can do this.
Let's go.

Set, set.

- Are you recording this?
- Yeah.

There's lateral flowage down there.

All right,wait. Don't move.

What? No, no, no.

Oh, crap.

Where are they?
I don't see them anywhere.

Don't worry, we'll find them.
It's all downhill from here.

What was that?

Someone screaming.

Look at that.

Go.

Whoa.

- It's another earthquake.
- Carolyn: You're breaking up. Say again.

Unit 5, do you copy?

Unit 5, do you copy?

I think they're gone, sir.

We need to clear out the town.
Issue the evacuation order.

Yes, sir.

Attention, there is an imminent threat
of natural disaster to this area.

By military authority, all citizens
are ordered to immediately evacuate.

Check local TV and radio stations
for the nearest safe zone.

Attention, there is an imminent threat
of natural disaster to this area.

By military authority, all citizens
are ordered to immediately evacuate.

Check local TV...

Over here.

My gosh.

He's dead.

Oh.

Easy, easy, easy, easy.

Is anything broken?

No, but there's something
wrong with my foot.

- Help me up.
- All right.

- You okay?
- Yeah, I'll be all right.

My name's Emily.

Bruce Worthington.

The Methane Man?

Yeah, the guy no one
ever listens to.

I've been warning people

about the methane threat
up here for friggin' years.

Shane!

Where are you?

Shane?

- Shane.
- Tia.

Are you okay?

Just come see.

You should be coming up
on the avalanche field now.

Jamie:
There it is.

Let's move.

Scanning the eastern slopes.
Nothing yet.

Roger, Captain.

Got a visual on that approaching storm.
Gonna have to call it a day soon.

Search team,
we are running out of time.

A course probe
of the area will do.

Intervals of 20 inches, over.

Copy that... 20 inches.

Shane, Tia!

Tia, Shane!

So then the first tremor didn't
release the methane?

No. No, the thawing of the subsurface
methane shifted the ground,

and that led to the tremor.

Which allowed the liquid methane
to be vaporized.

The pressure from the vapor...
that causes these eruptions

and that triggers more tremors.

Which creates a feedback loop
melting more and more methane.

The amount of liquid methane
down there right now is massive.

If that amount of methane
is allowed to vaporize into the atmosphere,

it could be catastrophic.

Oh, my God.

Yeah, well, good luck
getting anyone to listen.

They'll listen to me.

Who do you think he is?

I don't know.

Whoa.

Whoa. Colonel? Colonel?

I did it... I cracked the code.

It's the caves. It's following the caves
under the valley.

- The glacial caves?
- Yeah. I don't know how yet,

but that's definitely the pattern.
Look.

These icons here... they show where all
the eruptions have been occurring.

And these yellow lines, that's the overlay
of the underground cave system.

Hey, this is the link
we've been looking for.

That's unbelievable.

Why the caves? What is it about the caves
that's guiding this anomaly?

I don't think we can know
until that satellite is in position.

These caves are everywhere.

Carolyn, evacuate the base.

Everyone but key personnel needs
to get out of here while they still can.

Yes, sir.

Um, it won't turn on.
I think it's broken.

Do you hear that?

It's a helicopter! Come on.

Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait.

You hear that?

There.

- Hey!
- Hey, over here! Over here!

Hey, over here!

Well, I'll be damned.

Operations, I have a visual on survivors.

Colonel, the captain's
got a visual on survivors.

Thank God.

You folks just stay where you are.
I have to lower a basket.

There's nowhere I can land safely.

- Do you hear it?
- It is a helicopter.

Okay, you get in.

No, Bruce, you can barely walk.
You go in first.

I'm fine. That's ridiculous.

Get your wife to get in.

Get in! Get your leg taken care of.
Go!

We don't have time.
You need medical help. Get in.

Operations, I've lowered the basket.

The first survivor is an unidentified male.
He appears injured.

Up! Up!

Mayday! Mayday!
I'm going down.

I repeat: I've lost all power
and I'm going down.

Mayday! Mayday!

Cochran, come in.

Cochran, come in!
Cochran.

What happened?

We lost him.

Notify the search squad.

Yes, sir.

My God, that poor professor.

Let's just focus on the kids, okay?

We've got a storm coming in
and it's going to be dark soon,

and then we could be
in real trouble.

How are we going to find them?

Well, they should be close.

The hilltop I told them to wait at
is not very far from here.

So the pilot, he would have reported
he saw us, right?

I don't know.
We can't assume anything right now.

- This is a nightmare.
- I know. It's okay.

Mom! Mom!

- Oh, thank God.
- Kids!

Are you guys okay?

Are either of you hurt?

Just freezing and starving to death.

We were so worried
about you guys.

What happened to the helicopter?

It didn't make it.

- Look what I found.
- A radio?

Hey, where'd you get that?

We found a frozen man
in the snow.

Oh, honey.

- It's one of ours.
- Is it working?

I can't get it to turn on.

I think the connector's broken.

It should have a GPS tracker inside.

Hey, buddy, do you have
any gum in your backpack?

Yeah, top pocket.

So can you radio out?

The battery's too weak,

but if I can get
some juice to the signal tracker,

the base might be able
to pick it up.

Colonel?

We're receiving a tracking signal
from the mountain.

- One of our guys?
- Yes.

It's a coded hand-radio GPS.

I'm checking who that code
was assigned to.

At least we know someone's alive.

It's Reed's radio.

That's it.

The battery's toast. We've just got to
hope that the base picked that up.

All right.

Here, boy.

All right, let's...
let's keep moving.

It's good to see you guys.

We're gonna have to dig in.

You want us to sleep here?
Are you crazy?

The last thing we want to do
is get caught in this storm.

We're gonna build a snow shelter,
right, Dad?

That's right... we're gonna dig a hole
and we're gonna stay warm, okay?

We're not gonna make it
through the night any other way.

What Jacques Balmat did!

Who's that?

The first man to climb Mount Blanc.

He spent the night in a hole.

- Did he survive?
- Sure.

See? It's gonna be fine.

Just think of it
as an adventure, okay?

It'll be useful
when your teacher assigns you

to write an essay on how you spent
your Christmas vacation.

- Very funny, Dad.
- Okay.

Let's dig in, troopers.
Let's go.

Come on, baby.

Get in.

How long before the eruptions
hit the town?

The flow is so unpredictable.

There's really no way of me knowing
with any sort of certainty, sir.

Carolyn?

Sir?

Have we finished
evacuating the base?

Everyone's out, Colonel...
everyone but us

and a handful of key personnel
who volunteered to stay on.

Okay.

Listen up.

I want you people to leave now.

It's Christmas Eve. You should be home
with your families during this crisis.

I'll take it from here.

Looks like we're staying with you, sir.

No, you're not.

We've lost enough people today.
I order everyone to leave right now.

Oh, for God's sake.

Merry Christmas, sir.

Everyone huddle up together
and get warm.

I hope Yeti's not cold
wherever he is.

No, no, he's built for this cold weather.

He's probably warmer
than any one of us right now.

Hey, where'd you get that?

Oh, this?

It's part of my survival pack.

What else you got in there?
What, you got hand warmers?

No.

Anything to eat?

No.

Oh, I do.

Well, don't look at me like that.

I only had one and I wanted to save it
until we were absolutely starving.

Yeah, well, I think
that's about time now.

Here you go, sweetie.

Thank you.

So, Tia, I hear you're thinking about going
to California for university.

Michael, not now.

What?
I want to hear about the palm trees.

I want to study either
chemistry or geology.

I haven't decided which.

Really?

In case you haven't noticed,
I'm a geek like you, Dad.

Have you researched into campuses?

Yeah.

I don't want you to leave.

You can visit me, Shane.

You can all visit me.

I got an idea:

how about we take you down there
for a tour of some of the campuses?

- Really?
- Yeah.

We'll go as a family,
visit some of the theme parks,

go to the beaches.

What do you kids think of that?

- Cool.
- All right.

- Oh.
- Whoops. You all right?

- Yeah, I'm fine.
- All right.

It's probably easier to fix
than the roof we've got at home.

Easy to say when you've never
fixed our roof.

Right.

Shane, give me the flashlight.

Hey, over here!

Over here! Hey, over here!

Hey!

Oh, my gosh!

Yeah! Whoo!

- Yay!
- We're saved.

- Yay!
- Whoo!

- Is it good?
- Both: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Colonel?

- He's here.
- Michael.

Thank God you made it.
The kids are okay?

They are. They're with Emily
stuffing themselves in the mess hall.

I've got a transport standing by.
This place isn't safe for your family.

No place is.

Did Reed or Wallace
make it out?

No, I'm afraid not, sir.

Ram, I heard about the cave discovery.
Very nice work.

- Permission to brief the room, sir?
- Listen up, everyone.

People, what we're dealing with
is a massive body of liquid methane,

gigatons of it, moving through caves
underground left by glaciers.

Now, as this body
of methane travels,

it vents subzero methane gas
which causes the eruptions.

We've been tracking those eruptions.
They're heading towards Fairbanks.

The threat, however,
is much bigger than that.

Beyond Fairbanks, these caves open up
above ground at the quarry.

Now, if the methane
reaches this point,

the air will vaporize it
and the results will be disastrous.

- What do we need to do?
- Block it.

We stop it from flowing. We get a satellite
to do a spectrometry scan

to see what we're dealing with.

We've ordered a satellite into position.
It's moments away.

Okay, good. Now, once we see
this body of methane,

we'll have to find a way to extinguish it.

- We're gonna need explosives.
- We've got C4,

but putting it in place
will be risky.

Everyone is evacuated.
I don't have any demolition men.

- I've got demolition experience.
- So do I.

Count me in.

Jamie, Ram, we are going
to do this together, all right?

Let's go mount up.

Ram over radio:
Jamie, we're ready to go. Where are you?

There's a vehicle waiting outside
to shuttle you guys to a shelter.

Aren't you coming?

Kids, I've got a special mission
to go on.

It's very important.
Lives depend on it.

Why do you have to go?

You're not a soldier.

No, but this is part
of my job.

Yeti's still out there.
We can't leave here without him.

Don't worry about Yeti, Shane.
I'll find him when I get back.

Right now you have to look after
your mom and your sister, okay?

Please, Michael, I'm scared.
Do you really have to go?

Yeah. Don't worry,
everything's going to be fine.

We'll be all right.

- Are you okay?
- What's wrong with her?

Methane!
Get the kids out of the building.

Come on, Jamie.

Man over speaker:
... declare a lock zone.

All personnel
follow red-level procedures.

Colonel!

Bill, Bill, are you okay?

It's okay. We've identified the leak.
It's being sealed.

The satellite's tracking it.
There's your methane pool.

Oh, my God.
Look at the size of that.

How much trouble are we in?

If that amount of methane vaporizes
into the atmosphere,

it'll destroy most life
on the planet.

Can't we block it
like you said?

We can't block that.

I mean there must be hundreds
of gigatons down there.

It'll just overflow into other caves
and God knows where else.

You guys okay?

What's going on?

Look at what we're up against.

Whoa, that is way bigger
than I thought.

We have to find a way
to destroy this and fast.

Why don't we burn it?
It's flammable, isn't it?

Only small streams of gas,
not the liquid.

Well, let's just
blow it up with the C4.

We need a high-velocity detonation
to obliterate that methane pool.

- C4 is not going to cut it.
- That's all we've got.

- Can't you just order an air strike?
- Too late. Look where it is.

In an hour, it'll hit open air at Fairbanks
and vaporize into gas.

We have to think of something fast.

We don't have anything else here?
We don't have any nitroglycerin,

chemical explosives, anything?

There's an oil reserve
just outside of town.

What about that, Michael?

Petroleum explosives have a higher
detonation velocity than chemical.

The reserves might just do the trick.

We just have to
get the methane there.

If we detonate two explosions...

detonate one right here where the caves
intercept at the ski lodge...

and then a second one right here...

we can cut the methane off,
steer it into the reserves,

and once the methane reaches there,

we blow the tanks up.

Let's do it.

How long will you be gone?

I don't know, but this soldier's
going to take you to a shelter, okay?

I'm gonna meet you there
as soon as I'm done.

Whoa. I love you guys.

I love you.

- Can't you come with us?
- I can't. I gotta do this.

You know that, right?

Okay, just make sure
you come home safe and sound.

I will.

- Okay.
- Go.

Don't get hurt, Dad.

I won't.

And try to look for Yeti
while you're out there.

I'll do my best.

Merry Christmas.

Oh, honey.

That's a nice wallet, pal.
Thank you.

- Love you.
- Love you, too. Merry Christmas.

- Bye.
- Okay, be safe, all of you.

- Love you guys.
- I love you, Dad.

- See you soon.
- Bye, Daddy.

- Bye, Dad.
- Bye.

Okay.

Ram's taking the oil reserves,

and Jamie already has
her target's coordinates.

- I'll guide you to yours.
- Copy that, Colonel.

This is C4 with detonator.

There's a GPS transmitter attached
so the colonel can track you.

Once you're above your target,
you lay the satchel on the ground

and then you turn and pull this handle
to activate the remote detonator.

Turn and pull. Got it.

Be safe.

Do you think Dad will be okay?

Yeah, he'll be fine.

But what if I never see him again?

Oh, honey, don't worry.
You'll see him again.

I didn't even buy him anything
for Christmas.

Tia, honey, it doesn't matter.
Come on.

Don't worry, Tia,
Dad will be back.

It's okay.

You know the last time
I held both of you guys like this

was when you were really tiny.

- I'm not tiny anymore.
- No, you're not.

But do you remember back in Atlanta?

No.

Well, every time there was a bad storm,
you guys would crawl into bed.

And sometimes your father
would tell us stories.

I remember.

Maybe.

Get to your targets, guys.
This thing is moving fast.

We've only got 15 minutes before
the methane passes the first cutoff.

We miss that chance,

we're done for.

Michael over radio:
How close am I?

Straight ahead, Michael.

You're only 100 yards from your target.

Damn it!

Mom?

What's wrong? Why'd you stop?

I just had a chasm open up
in front of me.

Can you get around it?

I don't know.
Give me... give me a minute.

I've got methane coming up.

Mom? Mom, are you okay?

Yeah. Yeah, sweetie, I'm okay.

Tia's hurt.

Where does it hurt, sweetie?

- It's my leg.
- Okay.

Okay, okay.

Just relax, honey.
It'll be okay.

Here we go.

Ow.

Shane, come here, please.
I want you to put your hands there.

Okay?

I just want you
to keep that stable, okay?

- Okay.
- Make sure she stays warm,

and make sure she stays awake.

I'll be right back, okay?

I'm gonna get us out of here.

Don't worry. I'm getting help.

Okay, hold on, kids!

Stop!
Michael, you're right over your target.

Michael, the methane
is seconds away from you.

Come on, come on, come on!

It's jammed.

What's wrong?
You've only got 20 seconds.

- It's pull and turn, right?
- No, it's turn and pull.

Turn and pull.

Got it!

Get out of there, Michael.

I have to detonate.
Are you clear?

Oh, no.

Michael, do you copy?
I have to detonate. Are you clear?

Yeti!

I pray you're clear, Michael.

It worked.

The methane is flowing
to the second target point.

Anyone hear anything from Michael?
I lost contact with him.

Negative, Colonel.

Jamie:
Negative, Colonel.

Are you clear, Jamie?

Clear, Colonel.

So far, so good.

The methane is flowing
towards the oil reserves.

Gotta blow those tanks.
You clear, Ram?

Negative, Colonel.

You have got to get out of there.

Five...

four...

three, two...

one.

That's that.

I could really use an eggnog.

Do you think Dad got hurt?

What if he's trapped up there?

Hey.

Come here.

Look!

- Hey, Yeti!
- Yeti!

- I missed you so much.
- Oh, you found us.

Good boy.
Who's a good boy?

I love you.

Hey, kids, kids... look, look.

Dad!

Dad!

Michael!

- Dad!
- Hey, buddy!

- Merry Christmas.
- You found Yeti.

No, actually, he found me.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

- What happened to your leg?
- Nothing, I'm fine.

- She fractured it.
- How'd you do that?

Well, we were driving along,

and there was this geyser
right under the truck,

and we went flying
into the air.

- You're kidding.
- No.

And then Mom drove the truck.

It's all true.

- Wow, saves the day.
- Mm-hmm.

Merry Christmas, guys.

Both:
Merry Christmas.

- Time to go home?
- Yes, please.

Yes.

Okay, you good, sweetheart?

Yeah.

Here's our tree.

Let's go.

Come on.

Awesome tree, Dad.

It's perfect, right?
Yeti helped.

Good boy, Yeti.

I think he deserves
a Christmas present.

He does.
What should we get him?

Oh, I know what he'd like.

What's that?

Flapjacks!

Oh, me, too.