Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong
When thinking of great Disaster Flicks, The Day After Tomorrow always comes first to mind and now comes San Andreas, which certainly is a cut from the same cloth. Its Story is by no means outstanding by any measure, but that is totally okay. It is however, wildly-entertaining in its two hours, start to finish, and Director Brad Peyton delivers one of the most adrenaline-filled rides you’ll go on this Summer.
San Andreas focuses on Rescue-Helicopter Pilot Ray (Dwayne Johnson) and we meet him saving a girl after her car falls off the side of the highway after a rock avalanche. Fast forward slightly to Professor Lawrence (Paul Giamatti) and his Colleagues doing an investigation at the Hoover Dam to see if they can predict a potential earthquake. This is where the earth-shattering destruction starts, as a small quake originates near the Dam, and then evolves into a massive earthquake, incinerating the Hoover Dam… and anyone standing upon it. However, the trip to the Dam is not a complete loss, as the research collected proves they could predict earthquakes.
Lawrence tries to warn the people of San Andreas, but it is too late. Upon the start of the earthquake, Ray and Emma‘s (Carla Gugino) Daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario) gets trapped inside Emma’s Boyfriend’s (Ioan Gruffudd) building. Thankfully though, Ollie (Art Parkinson) and Ben (Hugo Johnstone-Burt), a Duo of Brothers, come to Blake’s rescue as they try to get to safety together. Time is ticking and San Andreas is crumbling.
San Andreas packs-in copious amounts of fun. The Story despite being sparse and simplistic with our focus on Blake, Ollie and Ben avoid trouble, as Emma and Ray trying to save them. While the performances are adequate, it is the phenomenal work of Peyton that delivers us equal doses of hilarity and adrenaline. In any less capable hands than those of charismatic Dwayne Johnson, this Film wouldn’t have been anywhere near as good as it is, while Giamatti gives us pure “over-the-top”, which is exactly what we came for. If you’re walking-in looking for a thrill, you get exactly this and more in San Andreas.
Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release SAN ANDREAS, now in theatres.
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