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6 months ago

San Andreas

a review by John Chard

Lots of rocks everywhere...

It's CGI destruction time as Dwayne Johnson battles earthquakes and a tsunami to go rescue his daughter - with estranged wife in tow of course.

Disaster films are easy to kick because very rarely they are nothing more than candy carnage with a trite screenplay and cheese laden dialogue. Such is the case with San Andreas. In essence this is a remake of Roland Emmerich's 2012, only this is the shorter version with the time span that 2012 should have had. This does exactly what the marketing department promised it would, namely lots of crash bang and wallop, but just like Emmerich's behemoth it gets boring entering the final third, the writing just not good enough to hold interest once the noise and destruction dies down before the big finale arrives. Suspense is absent, emotional investment in characters is null and void, while there are no worthwhile surprises in store. But on the plus side Johnson is a likable guy and he carries us through till the end of what is a fun movie if expectation levels are appropriately set at dumb popcorn fodder. 6/10