San Andreas

San Andreas – a movie review by Tony Baksa – 6/10/2015

3 Suns

It was with a cozy touch of nostalgia that I viewed “San Andreas”. We, of a certain age, remember the rash of what was labeled “disaster films” a few decades ago.  “The Towering Inferno”,” Airplane”,” Hurricane” and “Earthquake” were just a few of the more successful films of this genre.  Director Brad Peyton returns us to an updated hi-tech disaster earthquake that will blow your mind. In this summer’s first official blockbuster, California is decimated by the mother of all earthquakes.  

Scientists have gone on record stating most of what we see here is improbable.  Who cares.” San Andreas” is a highly entertaining visual and visceral feast.  Starring Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino, this roller coaster ride is fun from start to finish.  High rises topple, tsunamis overwhelm, streets and houses crumble, Hoover Dam is destroyed. Failed and successful rescue attempts abound. To use a well-worn cliché’ – there is never a dull moment.

Well, hardly ever if you can ignore the corny personal dramas of the stock characters. Trust me, this you can do.  I won’t even bother recounting these scenarios. They really are beside the point.  The obvious mission of “San Andreas” is to take its audience on a thrill ride. Mission accomplished. This flick is jam-packed with jump out of your seat moments.

“San Andreas”, with an enormous special effects and stunt team, is state of the art. And it is a sight to behold. Excitement is guaranteed. A special nod goes to film Editor Bob Ducsay for his seamless work.

 The cast which also includes quirky character actor, Paul Giamatti, is likable which makes us care for their survival despite their less than imaginative backstories.

The best thing about this movie is that it runs just under 2 hours.  With its non-stop deluge of comic book danger, the smart filmmakers know when to quit.

“San Andreas” can also be seen in 3D. Save yourself a few bucks and catch it in 2D. With all the action exploding continuously, who needs a brick or two in the face. This film’s major asset is its fine ebb and flow. 3D gimmickry sabotages this effect.  Just stay on the ride until its breathless conclusion. You will smile at the impossibility of the last line uttered by Dwayne Johnson as the American flag unfurls. Not even Brando could make it plausible. But that’s the fun of “San Andreas”.  What could be more appropriate than shaky science in an earthquake movie.