Review of San Andreas (2015) by Mark F — 23 Nov 2015

Disaster Strikes Back!

Following the aftermath of a brutal and violent earthquake, a chopper pilot must travel with his ex-wife, against massive destruction, to rescue their beloved daughter.

Dwayne Johnson may have started his career as a pro wrestler, but has clearly proven that he's got all the charisma, muscles, and talent to be a true modern-day action hero in San Andreas. Some critics are calling the acting one-dimensional but I'd have to agree to disagree. While there may be a predictable amount of panic-infused performances from our actors continuously running away from danger, San Andreas managed to surprise me with its emotional heft. This is where the film's true strength comes into play and saves it from reaching a level of mouldy cheesiness that not even a mouse could enjoy. What can I say? A little cheese every now and then never hurt anyone, or at least the inner kid in me tends to enjoy it.

That being said, we may as well get straight to the obvious elephant in the room. Yes, this just another typical Hollywood blockbuster disaster thriller, and yes, the plotline is as clichéd as they come, but there's no arguing that it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, and that's entertain! I won't argue with anyone that there's also a lack of character development and some pretty farfetched scientific elements present, but who really cares? Let's not forget that both Twister and Dante's Peak were criticized for the same things back in the day, but I didn't care then and I certainly don't care now because they're simply too fun not to enjoy. The same can be said for San Andreas, which is easily the best film of its genre to come out since the '90s and its jaw-dropping special effects and good sense of humour more than make up for its obvious shortcomings.

The film also features one flawlessly choreographed continuous shot that follows one of our characters' struggle to escape the destructive force brought by one of the film's massive earthquakes. It's a 3-minute long scene that features over 50 actors, 8 locations, dangerous stunts and a great mix of practical effects and CGI that pulls you right into the action. It's hard not to be impressed and even a little inspired from such a realistic-looking and complex action sequence. It's just a shame they had to end the movie with such a corny, American propaganda-esque scene, but what can you do? At least the film wasn't based off any books or games, and isn't another godforsaken reboot.

Unquestionably clichéd but equally fun, San Andreas is sure to disappoint most critics as a loud and mindless Hollywood flick. I am, however, confident that most audiences will have a hard time not enjoying this modern-day, action-packed disaster thriller. I suggest you recline your chair, crank up the surround sound, turn off your brain and just enjoy the ride!