San Andreas review

Genre: Action, Adventure, Disaster.
Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Alexandra Daddario, Carla Gugino, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson, Ioan Grufford, Paul Giamatti, Archie Panjabi.
Year Of Release: 2015
Certificate: 12A (UK) PG13 (US)
Runtime: 114 Minutes
Director: Brad Peyton

Synopsis: "In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey with his ex-wife across the state in order to rescue his daughter." IMDB

It feels like wherever you turn today in the movie world The Rock is showing his face, which is not a bad thing he is a very enjoyable actor I find. I have been enjoying his work since I first seen him in "The Mummy Returns" when I was 11/12 already loving him from his time in WWF.

Disaster films usually tend to all follow the same tropes, San Andreas is no different in that aspect they follow the tropes, "damsel" in distress, children in danger, over the top destruction and comedic retorts in deathly situations. Even though it buys into all the usual tropes, it doesn't take away from the film, director Brad Peyton chose to focus on characters as well as the destruction, without trying to make the film something it isn't. It stays very true to its destructive route which is the real reason we all watch these type of films and it does not disappoint in nearly destroying the entire San Francisco Bay Area.

Some of the visuals really are beautifully destructive!

The films relies a LOT of CGI as you would expect, for the most part there is a some beautiful visuals, I found some of the effects to by abysmal like something you would expect if watching a film from 2/3 decades ago. Plus the use of poor green screens is eminent in many scenes, they stand out in their awfulness in scenes in which Johnson and Gugino's characters are sailing through the city. There are some incredible visuals though, none that I will be specific about as to not ruin them for viewers who are yet to see them.

The ensemble cast of Johnson, Gugino, Daddario, Guffard and Giamatti amongst others were a nice combination, let's be honest though it's an action film getting "The Rock" to star in it is like avoiding Christopher Mintz-Plasse like the plague, it just makes sense! The entire of the cast were great in their roles, my only complaints come from getting people to put on accents that they just don't sound right at all Guffard has a wonderful accent his attempt at American was poor, the same I found with Parkinson and Johnstone-Burt, what is the point in getting an Irish kid and an Aussie to play accents not natural to them. It is something that I have always been annoyed by, especially when the accents break constantly throughout film. My other "complaint" isn't really a complaint, it is the fact that whenever I see Giamatti I think he suits NO role yet still delivers with every role, my brain just doesn't understand it! ha. All that being said, I will watch ANYTHING that has Daddario in, not only is she a brilliantly talented and incredibly beautiful, I may actually be in love! I'll have to stop here on Miss Daddario before this turns into a love letter aimed at her.

Those eyes!!!

The film was very well paced, it doesn't get itself caught up in trying to tell us the story of the world while this is all going on it. It is straight to the point of being a sect of America, plus the action really gets under way within the first twenty minutes when the Hoover Dam comes crashing down. From then on the film has a nice pace and focus on both characters and the real reason we're all watching to see stuff crumble!

Overall, the film was a thoroughly enjoyable popcorn flick, the film is stunning to look at for the most part and the characters are enjoyable in their own way. However the story is very predictable as you would expect from many films within this genre, but that doesn't make the film any less enjoyable let's be honest is it really possible to not enjoy The Rock being The Rock? He's a total bad ass in pretty much everything he does, this is no exception. While the film will not be out winning awards, it will give you a solid two hours (nearly) of enjoyment without really having to concentrate on the story. This is my first ever .5 rating, it wasn't a 6 but it wasn't a 7, but I don't really know why the film just wasn't either so I had to switch up ratings a little.

6.5/10

The Rock's "San Andreas" has a teaser trailer

Check out the teaser trailer for the upcoming Action/Adventure Disaster "San Andreas" starring Dwayne Johnson, Brad Peyton, Kylie Minogue, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Paul Giamatti and being directed by Brad Peyton.
"After the infamous San Andreas Fault finally gives, triggering a magnitude 9 earthquake in California, a search and rescue helicopter pilot (Johnson) and his estranged wife make their way together from Los Angeles to San Francisco to save their only daughter. But their treacherous journey north is only the beginning, and when they think the worst may be over…it’s just getting started."

Into The Storm review

Genre: Action, Adventure, Disaster, Found Footage.
Starring: Richard Armitage, Sarah Wayne Callies, Matt Walsh, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Arlen Escarpeta, Jeremy Sumpter, Nathan Kress, Max Deacon, Kyle Davis, Scott Lawrence, Jon Reep, Kron Moore, Lee Whittaker, David Drumm, Brandon Ruiter, Anthony Rogers.
Year Of Release: 2014
Certificate: 12A (UK)
Runtime: 89 Minutes
Director: Steven Quale

Synopsis: "Storm trackers, thrill-seekers, and everyday townspeople document an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes touching down in the town of Silverton." IMDB

Into The Storm was very low on my expectations list, while it did bring together a pretty decent cast I wasn't that excited for the release. Maybe growing up on "Twister", "Dante's Peak" and "Deep Impact" in my honest opinion three of the better Disaster films ever, has given me higher expectations for the genre.

The film opens up with a group of high school students in a car together messing around when a huge storm is brewing around them, when the storm begins to get worse they group sees a tornado rapidly approaching. One of the girls wants to run, while one of the guys overly cocky and arrogant like 95% of teen males in movies today are decides to try recording the tornado gets back to the car just in time for the tornado to pick them and kill them all in the process. Back in the town of Silverton, Oklahoma, the local students are preparing for their graduation, whose vice-principal Gary Fuller (Armitage) has told his two sons Trey (Kress) & Donnie (Deacon) to capture messages from students for a time capsule (a convenient trope in order to add found footage).

 

Somewhere else entirely, we meet Pete (Walsh) has been attempting to intercept and film a tornado up close in his self proclaimed "Titus" which is a heavily armoured vehicle to ride out the worst of the worst storms. Hearing of the possible happenings in Silverton they head there in hopes of finding themselves some tornadoes worthy of their life long dedication to the craft. After arriving in Silverton they discover that the "cell" they had been chasing has suddenly dissipated, as the teams gets themselves together it's back again, stronger and more vicious than ever. As the team is filming the funnel inexplicably changes course head right for the school. This is when the destruction truly becomes over the top movie madness.

Overall, the film was a pretty good watch, while the acting was less than desirable throughout and there was little to no character development. This film is not really about those aspects, it is purely a popcorn flick same goes for the majority of films that fall under this category. After all the boring attempts at relating to characters is over and the true nature of the film begins the tornadoes, I began to enjoy myself, the film shifts quickly into the end of days feel you'd expect in this world. The visuals at times are fantastic other times they slip a bit, overall though they are more than adequate and do the job of portraying the destruction you want to see.

The film is not a very good film by any stretch of the imagination it is exactly what it advertises to be just a film about tornadoes with a kind of overlying story. I will say though it is a film you will either enjoy or hate, there is no middle ground, for me it is a guilty pleasure I could happily sit back, relax and watch again. The film doesn't disappoint with its tornadoes, they come fast and thick, I'd say every 15/20 minutes something HUGE weather wise happens, which may sound like a lot, but they breaks between events makes it a pretty well paced film.

It will not win awards for originality, nor with actors/actresses be getting Oscar calls anytime soon as they shouldn't. Pretty much anybody could have played the roles in the film and done an equally as good display, the saving grace is the truly over the top destruction caused by mother nature herself. The first half of the film can be slow and boring at times, but stick with it, once the action starts it doesn't stop and that's a good thing.

5/10