Skip to content
MovieCove
Killer Wave

Killer Wave

Beware the force of nature... and the nature of man

2007Miniseries1 season2 episodes~175 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

Two engineers try to save Boston after terrorists use nuclear missiles to create huge tidal waves.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Killer Wave?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Killer Wave streaming on Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

FreeFree

Rent / Buy

Buy

Reception

Is Killer Wave worth watching?

Killer Wave's Midcredits score is the 1st percentile of all shows, from 1K ratings across 2 sources. 22% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

1st percentile

Among the least well received shows

1st percentile among Action1st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)3rd
Approval (how many liked it)1st

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

49 /100

3rd percentile of all shows

2nd percentile among Action4th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

22% liked it

1st percentile of all shows

1st percentile among Action1st percentile among 2000s
22% rated it 7–1078% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

46th percentile

1K ratings across platforms

17th percentile among Action39th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 33% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget disaster thriller with an interesting premise but rubbery effects and uneven pacing.

Fans praised

  • interesting conspiracy premise and story
  • strong cast elevates the material
  • watchable as a B-movie

Detractors panned

  • poor CGI and cheap effects
  • slow pacing and dull, talky scenes
  • weak, one-dimensional characters and nonsensical science

What stands out

Plot and storyDivisive50

conspiracy story engaging but predictable and full of holes

ActingDivisive45

cast too good for the material but miscast lead and phoned-in performances

Originality35

derivative of other wave-disaster films and clichéd

Dialogue35

rambling, stilted, and overlong speeches

CharactersDivisive30

bland stereotypes and unconvincing scientists

TensionDivisive30

little suspense or thrills

PacingDivisive25

too slow, plodding, and emotionless

Effects and spectacle20

cheap CGI and laughable wave effects

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 2007 · 2 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    Part 1

    Jan 10, 200788 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    Part 2

    Jan 10, 200789 minFinale

Watch experience

What is Killer Wave like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — a relentless watch that leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its disaster and conspiracy material completely straight with a serious, dramatic stance.
The rideThe series maintains high tension and dread throughout, with the emotional weight building as the catastrophe escalates toward its climax.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear, three-act structure across the two-episode mini-series.
Episode formatThe two episodes tell one continuous story, each chapter advancing the overall narrative of the disaster.
Season formatThe series is a one-season, two-episode limited narrative with a single overarching story.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
UnsettlingInfuriating · 4% of shows: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.
Why it leaves you this wayThe man-made disaster and the cynical corporate conspiracy behind it leave a lingering unease and anger at the injustice.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% (this title) · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Corporate villainy: A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).

18% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA scientist framed for causing tsunamis uncovers a corporate conspiracy behind the man-made waves, with the Camtrell Corporation as the monster seeking profit from disaster.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9% (this title): Survival 12% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% (this title) · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Survival

Survival · 12% of showsGrief · 4% of shows
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe core theme is the struggle for survival against an unstoppable natural catastrophe, with the emotional weight of lost lives adding a layer of grief.
StanceThe series warns about the destructive power of nature and the existential threat of climate-driven disasters on a global scale.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRuralRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Normand Corbeil
SettingCoastal towns and cities facing a series of mega-tsunamis.
MusicThe score likely underscores the tension and scale of the disaster, typical of a made-for-TV action thriller.

Content guide

Is Killer Wave okay for kids?

TV-14

Killer Wave is rated TV-14.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Netherlands12
  • Spain13

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Killer Wave have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Killer Wave?

Cast

Angus Macfadyen
as John McAdams
Karine Vanasse
as Sophie Marleau
Louis Philippe Dandenault
as Marlon Clark
John Robinson
as Frank Brisick
Tom Skerritt
as Victor Bannister
Stephen McHattie
as Edgard Powell
Ellen David
as Annabelle
Bruce Dinsmore
as Jackson Wilcord
Christopher Heyerdahl
as Stanley Schiff
Andreas Apergis
as Aslan Bukhari

Crew

More like this

What are shows like Killer Wave?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Killer Wave include Titanic (1996), Danger Man (1960) and Thai Cave Rescue (2022).

Like this, but

Explore by

What other shows share a tag with Killer Wave?

57 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: disaster survival. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.