You’ve got to give it to “San Andreas:” it’s probably the first disaster movie to come out in the last seven years or so that’s actually about a natural disaster. End of time epics such as “The Day After Tomorrow” or “2012” brought in box office dollars, but suspended our levels of disbelief a little too far. “San Andreas” reins us back in a little, even if the acting is hit or miss, and the plot is as predictable as it is shallow. This is not a deep film by any means, but is fun, is suspenseful, and features a well done special effects package to boot.
“Andreas” copies a lot from other films, as such, is cloaked in predictability and cliche. It’s not surprising that the movie stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a L.A. Fire Department rescue worker named Ray, who’s touted at the film’s beginning to have saved over 600 people. He has an ex-wife (Carla Gugino), a daughter, Blake (Alexandra Daddario), and the three are thrown in the ringer when a magnitude 9.6 earthquake hits first L.A., traveling to San Francisco all along the San Andreas Fault. Coupled with this is an earthquake researcher played by Paul Giamatti, who is struggling to get people to listen even amidst the death of a fellow colleague.
On an entertainment level, “Andreas” hits a number of high notes to make it intriguing. Without much ado the earthquake hits, and we see downtown Los Angeles suffering major damage. Not “Terminator 2: Judgement Day”-type annihilation, but you get the sense they won’t be conducting business as usual here anytime soon. The special effects are top of the line, as we see windows shattering, buildings collapsing, and mass panic everywhere. Added to it is a sense of urgency and eeriness. Say what you will, there’s just something creepy about the city’s iconic landmark, the U.S. Bank Tower, bending horribly under the pressure of a massive quake.
The players here are mostly likeable, even if they are only skin-deep. As Ray, Johnson fills the shoes as needed, but, sadly, his acting is lacking from the action scenes that really called for it. A fan of Johnson’s 2013 drama “Snitch,” I think it occurred to me watching this film that despite his muscles, Johnson is far better at one-on-one sequences or even emoting than he is at transforming into the quintessential action hero. His tough-guy banter comes up short, and even attempts at modesty amidst high action just come off as unbelievable. But a scene between he and his ex-wife as they discuss their second daughter’s death, as well as a romantic joke he makes to her later, hint at a sincerely likeable actor if he just maybe sought out some less typecast roles.
Gugino plays his wife well, and adds some backstory, though she is rather limited by the script. The film also introduces us to her new boyfriend, the rich Daniel (Ioan Gruffud), who is basically just cast as the coward/man-whose-integrity-folds-under-pressure. The movie vindicates itself somewhat with Ray’s daughter, Blake, and a pair of British brothers played by Hugo Johnstone-Burt and Art Parkinson. The trio makes for some of the more enjoyable scenes in the film, and makes us care about them enough to make the film worth watching. Lastly, Giamatti is great, bringing drama to the screen when necessary, leaving behind his obsessive self-doubter from 2004’s “Sideways.”
Where “San Andreas” breaks down is in some of its over-the-top action sequences, where the movie reaches just a bit too high. The tragedy that befalls both L.A. and San Francisco rightly enough, the film loses itself in sequences such as Johnson driving a boat up a huge tidal wave, or crash landing a helicopter in downtown San Francisco. Additionally, the movie’s ending is wholly manipulative, bringing Ray and his daughter into a cliched drama that it didn’t really need. Disaster films like “Twister” and “Dante’s Peak” work because of the small scale, heart, and limited special effects. While “San Andreas” has the heart, it lacks the script, seeming to consist mostly of action when it might have fared better with more depth and emotion throughout.
All-in-all, “San Andreas” is not a bad movie. It’s exciting, features great special effects, and is a throwback to now age-old disaster movies. It’s really only skin-deep, but it’s meant to be. If you suspend your disbelief, you can certainly enjoy riding the wave of explosions, catastrophe, and excitement for the film’s 114-minute run-time. Just don’t expect to be blown away. This isn’t one of the actioners full of deep characters and tough moral decisions. But it is fun. If that’s enough for you, give “San Andreas” a try.
– by Mark Ziobro
