The film is a large-scale disaster story that follows scientists and government officials as they discover a comet on a collision course with Earth and rush to respond. Alongside political decisions, public panic, and personal choices, the narrative builds toward the impact and its aftermath. Several key sequences use recognizable New York City landmarks to visualize the catastrophic tidal wave and the destruction of the city.

Filming Locations:

Statue of Liberty

In the Movie

Scene where a giant ocean wave approaches the harbor and engulfs coastal landmarks in the New York destruction sequence; the statue serves as a visual reference point to show the scale, direction, and suddenness of the flood hitting the city.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the national monument managed by the U.S. National Park Service on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The real location is a major tourist destination reached by ferry, with organized walking routes, security screening, and excellent views of Lower Manhattan and New Jersey.

Washington Square Park

In the Movie

Scene where the advancing water rushes through the streets of Lower Manhattan and bursts into the park; the arch and open square help easily trace the movement of the water line as it pushes inland and overtakes pedestrians and roads.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at a historic public park in Greenwich Village, known for its central fountain and the Washington Arch at the north end. The real location is surrounded by NYU buildings and busy streets, a popular meeting place with open paved squares and tree-lined paths.

Brooklyn Bridge

In the Movie

Scene where the bridge area and adjacent approaches are shown as recognizable infrastructure during the city's disaster; this helps set the geographical context for evacuation and destruction scenes as water and debris move through the waterfront corridors.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the iconic suspension bridge over the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, with a dedicated elevated pedestrian and bicycle path above the vehicle lanes. The real bridge is a busy commuter route and a popular viewpoint with panoramas of the skyline and river.

Chrysler Building

In the Movie

Scene where from high angles and skyline panoramas, the advancing wave line reaches Midtown; the tower is used as a stationary visual marker to convey the height and direction of the water impact as it moves through dense blocks and strikes major buildings.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan with its distinctive stainless steel crown, located at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and East 42nd Street. The real building is primarily an office tower and a widely used skyline landmark visible from many parts of the city.