Cine Beaverhausen: San Andreas

“Science fiction films are not about science. They are about disaster, which is one of the oldest subjects of art.” ― Susan Sontag

The Rock finds himself between a rock and a hard place ~ literally ~ in the new disaster epic, San Andreas. This may not have been the movie to see just weeks before I leave to visit San Francisco, but anxiety is exactly what this box-office smash is peddling, just like the tv news. Unlike the star-studded Irwin Allen disaster pics of days of yore, this film pins itself to a single star: Dwayne Johnson, a stalwart film hero indeed.

Of course, in this film, it's personal. Dwayne is out to find his daughter. And, damn, despite all odds, he does. He just happens to be a rescue-helicopter pilot. So, ok, yes, it's very contrived. But Dwayne Johnson is great gay-friendly eye candy and I can't say that I was bored. Just somewhat embarrassed by the high-concept vacuity of what I was watching.

Mucho macho posturing? Of course. Even some suspense in the mix. And who knew dance diva Kylie Minogue and actor Paul Giamatti were in this? Or that Sia sings "California Dreaming"?  Ironic, as this is a California nightmare and just a plain mess as a film.

Incidentally, the daughter in the film is an actress only 14 years younger than Mr Johnson and it kind of shows. But go, big daddy, go!

Although I like 'em big and stupid, this film's dark, dumb, dim and, yes, disastrous.