Low budget but excellently executed suspense film. As others have said, the action begins when Anthony Edwards picks up a ringing pay phone and gets a frantic message from someone in an ICBM silo who has apparently dialed the wrong number saying the missiles are on their way. For the next forty minutes it's a case of chicken little crying the sky is falling, as Edwards single handedly starts a panic in Los Angeles that has the populace rioting and fleeing for the hills. Halfway through the movie he pauses for breath as he views the carnage he's inspired and finally asks himself "Is this real? Have I caused a panic over a prank call?" - in an attempt to verify what's happening he dials the number the serviceman was trying to connect to and is connected to a very puzzled father of an airman stationed at a missile base. Dramatic pause - yes, the sky IS falling...