VOLCANO
Isaak Koh
Produced by: Moritz Original / Donner/Schuler-Donner Productions / Fox 2000
Written by (in credits order): Jerome Armstrong (story), Jerome Armstrong and Billy Ray
Directed by: Mick Jackson
Main Cast: Tommy Lee Jones (Mike Roark), Anne Heche (Dr. Amy Barnes), Gaby Hoffmann (Kelly Roark), Don Cheadle (Emmit Reese), Jacqui Kim (Dr. Jaye Calder), Keith David (Lt. Ed Fox)
Rated: PG
Length: 102 min
Some Like It Hot
Two types of films seem to be real popular in Hollywood right now: alien invasions and natural disasters. The last surge in disaster movies was in the '70s, with "The Poseidon Adventure", "Airport", "The Towering Inferno" and the like. Presently, as we ap proach the year 2000, we have seen "Twister" and "Dante's Peak", while "Titanic" beckons at year end. Meanwhile, we have "Volcano", starring the irrepressible Tommy Lee Jones as the chief of the Office of Emergency Measures (OEM) in Los Angeles. "Volcano" begins with a very plausible premise, that the geological movements beneath L.A. could bring about the emergence of a volcano in the middle of the city. Given the high urban population and the presence of construction work going on, a geological event of this magnitude could really mess this up.
Lava, lava, everywhere...
If you enjoyed the "in your face" action of "Twister", you'll love "Volcano". The movie combines the technical wizardry of "Twister" and "Backdraft" with the pulsating pace of a well-written script. The first hour of the film presents the build-up to the eruption, and the fine acting of Jones and Anne Heche conveys their bewilderment as they try to figure out the strange phenomenon surrounding the Brea Tar Pits. Once the volcano blows, everything pretty much goes to hell. Jones is joined by Don Cheadle (" Picket Fences") as they control the chaos at the OEM. Jones is faced with ever greater challenges as the disaster progresses, encountering seemingly insurmountable odds.
An aspect of this movie that adds enormously to the human drama is the use of multiple major characters. Although Jones is the lead character, the film devotes a substantial amount of time to the doctors, geologists and engineers who are inevitably drawn into the rescue efforts. Their attempts to cope with the force of Nature results in heart-wrenching acts of self-sacrifice. The action never lets up, as the volcano inflicts massive damage to numerous parts of the city. The film also exploits the capabili ty of the cinematic medium to depict richness of colour, visual contrast and seat-shaking sound. The combined experience left my mouth gaping more times than any other movie since "Terminator 2"!
However, the film is marred by a certain Spielberg-style mushiness. The sight of total strangers coming together to overcome an apparently irresistable foe, although initially glorious, ultimately comes across as picturesque and pedagogical rather than sp iritually uplifting. American-style morality is also detectable in the scenes where black and white people transcend all man-made racial boundaries to fight a common cause. There is a kooky love plot involving Jones and Heche that does not add to the film .
Despite the drawbacks, "Volcano" is a smashing film, well-balanced and finely paced to get your adrenaline going. After being wowed by the visceral quality of the special effects, I was reminded that disaster movies are about the triumph of the human spir it over overwhelming odds. As a well-crafted movie of its genre, "Volcano" makes highly engaging viewing.
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From: Ecoz (ecoz@hotmail.com)
I totally disagaree! Volcano was very boring. The sight of people prancing about, figuring out what to do was totally irritating. They could not even know what the lava was called. Isn't that part of the Geography syllabus??
