Director: Brad Peyton
Starring: Dwayne Johnson,  Alexandra Daddario,  Carla Gugino, Colton Haynes,  Ioan Gruffudd,  Archie Punjabi,  Paul Giamatti,  Kylie Minogue
Running Time: 114 minutes
Certificate: 12A
Release Date: 29th May
If there’s one thing disaster movies have taught us (with perhaps the exception of DISTRICT 9) it’s that when destruction strikes, for the love of Jake Gyllenhaal – stay out of major US cities. In case you missed the advertising campaign across posters and TV commercials up and down the land, SAN ANDREAS is an action disaster movie that imagines the consequences of a super earthquake happening across the US. It features The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) as Ray, a rescue helicopter pilot who is struggling to form a bond with his daughter, whilst going through a tricky divorce with his wife (I’m not talking about TAKEN I promise). The action revolves around Ray, teaming up with his ex-wife to attempt to track down his daughter and save her (I’m not talking about the DAY AFTER TOMORROW I promise).
If there was any doubt in audience’s minds about what sort of film SAN ANDREAS would be, this ambiguity would be roundly pulverised by the film’s opening sequence. With enough CGI special FX to make the cast of DESPERATE HOUSE WIVES to look young, the first action scene we see is as high octane as anything else you’re likely to witness in cinema this year. This relentless unforgiving action is clearly the main pull of the film and fans of the genre will be ecstatic to hear that nothing is held back when it comes to mesmerising disaster sequences. Some of the scenes are so awe-inspiringly terrifying that you won’t help but flinch and cover your eyes on more than one occasion.
Whilst visually the film is a real swashbuckling treat, it’s a shame the dialogue and drama falls dramatically short. It would be unfair to expect a deep emotional journey of the human soul, however when the audience erupts into laughter, on more than 3 or 4 occasions, when supposedly serious dialogue is being read – you know you have a problem. You expect a certain level of fantasy, however the clichés soon become all-encompassing as we have: a cheesy American flag flying high over destruction, a scientist no one believes, an all-action dad who needs to save his family, dying heroes, destruction of the Hollywood sign and an evil rich step dad, just to name a few. Perhaps the most excruciating part of the story, however, is the constant explaining of the plot by every character at every second. At times it feels as if there might as well be a narrator telling us why The Rock is jumping out of planes or flying a helicopter into a packed out mall.
Despite its flaws (and there are many) SAN ANDREAS does give its target audience exactly what they want. The Rock smashes, punches, sky dives and swims his way through everything that’s thrown at him and the action is literally ground breaking. The plot may be more predictable than a HOLLYOAKS omnibus and just as dumb, but it ticks all the boxes when it comes to mind blowing action.
Verdict
