Review of Flood (2007) by Katelyn C — 04 May 2008

First off, it's a nice change to see the UK producing a disaster movie with a half decent budget, and secondly...its a refreshing alternative to the hundreds of the 'Everything's gone wrong, but we'll win because we're American' drivel that eminates from across the pond.

Talking of pond, water is definitely the theme with this one. Let me set the scene - and unusually hurricane has created a surge of tidal water thats heading for the UK, first Scotland gets it (right up their kilts) then the water moves south towards, you guessed it, London.

Of course, to make this film a drama instead of a shockumentary, you have to put characters in, and inject them with a personality you can either relate to, or just simply follow what they do...a bit like a soap. Unfortunately this is where Flood falls down. Robert Carlyle plays 'Rob' (wow, how original) a marine engineer who is the best in his field and he works on the Thames Barrier with his ex wife Sam. His estranged father is visiting when the Flood hits, an occurence that he fortold (and was ignored for the most part by the authorities) and all hell breaks loose as the water flows right over the Thames Barrier - a structure built to stop this kind of thing happening. The cast is so shallow (even in the deepest waters) that it's almost impossible to care about what happens to them. I expected to have some nailbiting moments...but they never came.

COBRA is the organisation heading up the rescue operation of thousands of people as the flood moves through central London, which features beautifully rendered versions of famous landmarks getting totally drenched. Unfortunately I find myself caring more about the buildings and structures getting destroyed than I am about the characters, I just don't care.

Visually, the flood scenes (especially the landscape helicopter shots) are impressive for an English film, with CGI creating almost apocalyptic scenes worthy of any US disaster blockbuster...it's obvious quite a bit of money has gone into this film, both using sound stages and computer animation. Some are simply astounding.

Contemporally though, Flood hits home. Especially if you live near London. The fact that it could happen...hell, no-one thought New Orleans would be a-floatin' but it happened, and it's the reason why the Barrier is there, can create quite a profound effect as you see our capital engulfed.

If you put the flimsy, cardboard characters aside, the sometime slow-moving plot and various allusions to the 'Day After Tomorrow' then 'Flood' does get your attention and make those environmental cogs in your head move.