With the discovery of an incoming asteroid, the government of America formulate a plan to destroy it. When the plan fails, all the world can do is wait. The main impact zone is revealed to be Dallas, Texas. Generally, the plot follows the lives and reactions of several characters: an astronomer, her father, her son, two firefighters from Kansas, two young doctors in Dallas and the heads of the government agency in charge of the situation.

A group of aliens arrive on Earth as part of an advance invasion force. Their mission is to kidnap a small sample of humans and run them through a series of rigorous tests to determine if they would make suitable slaves. Harper, one of the alien experimenters, has become frustrated with her planet's endless cycle of conquest and extermination and begins to feel some sympathy for her human captives. While the prisoners see a glimmer of hope in the compassionate alien, will it be any use in stopping the enormous attack fleet just a few days from Earth?

The film chronicles the exploits of the title character, Charlie, played by Raymond J. Barry (Training Day) a career criminal intent on scoring one last big pay day. When his "perfect crime" goes bad, Charlie flees to Los Angeles to hide out with his estranged son, Danny, played by Michael Weatherly. What ensues reveals the true nature of some of the most unsavory of characters.

A screenwriter does research for his new script by actually kidnapping and drowning young girls. He then places them in his "garden" of other dead girls coming back daily to check on them. One girl narrowly escapes and the other bodies are found leading to an ingenious plot to try and capture the killer.

Natalie Wood marries Robert Wagner and faces inner conflicts about her Hollywood persona.