Director: Brad Peyton
Writer: Carlton Cuse (Screenplay) Andre Fabrizio, Jeremy Passmore (Story)
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Paul Giamatti, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson
Plot: In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his daughter.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Disaster Film Galore
Story: San Andreas starts in the San Fernando Valley where we see a landslide take a stupid irresponsible girl over the cliff giving us a chance to meet the helicopter rescue team lead by Ray (Johnson). With this rescue we get to see how the team function and just how far they will go to save a life. Next we get the technical talk time with Lawrence (Giamatti) discussion Earthquakes to his students and the research being used to try and predict future Earthquakes with the biggest threat being San Andreas Fault.
Ray is going through the final parts of a divorce before his daughter Blake (Daddario) leaves for college, while Lawrence investigates slight seismic waves inside the Hoover Dam, before the Dam is destroyed and his partner killed. Ray has to head to Nevada to help with the rescue attempt meaning he can’t take his daughter to college leaving his ex-wife Emma’s (Gugino) new boyfriend Daniel (Gruffudd) a chance to bound with his step-daughter, much to Ray’s disappointment.
When Daniel and Blake end up in San Francisco just as Lawrence discovers that the whole San Andreas fault could be about to go off so it is time to put all our characters together with an odd couple situation where they will have to be rescued while surviving with these people against all the forces of nature. It is now up to Ray to rescue his family and finally put away the nightmares of their personal tragedy years before.
San Andreas brings the disaster films back into the spotlight in a world where disaster movies seem to be few and far between. We all know the disaster films were so popular in the late 90s but have faded out apart from 2012. The story is a very simple idea of a loving father going against all the odds to save his daughter. We only meet limited characters and each scene makes Ray look like a bigger hero but in the end everything is disaster movie clichéd. This is a fun film that is easily enjoyable and is a true popcorn film. (8/10)
Actor Review
Dwayne Johnson: Ray is the helicopter rescue pilot who shows off his skills in the opening sequence before we learn that he is going through a divorce as his daughter is heading off to college. When the big Earthquake hits he uses all his skills to try and save his family from the worst Earthquake America has seen. Dwayne does a great job being a true action star. (8/10)
Carla Gugino: Emma is the ex-wife of Ray’s who is moving on with her life by moving in with her new boyfriend a rich business man, when the quake hits Ray goes out of his way to make sure he rescues her. Carla does a good job in the supporting lady role. (7/10)
Alexandra Daddario: Blake is the daughter of Ray’s who is going off to college but has to end up going on the journey with her mum’s new boyfriend. Blake ends up trapped in San Francesco where she has to work with a young British man Ben to survive before her father rescues her. Alexandra does a good job in the role and does act like the daughter of a rescue hero. (7/10)
Ioan Gruffudd: Daniel Riddick is the new boyfriend of Emma’s who takes Blake on her college trip stopping off in San Francisco along the way, when the Earthquake hits Blake becomes trapped and he leaves her trying to save himself. Ioan does a good job playing the unlikable new romantic interest that starts off likable before turning cowardly. (7/10)
Paul Giamatti: Lawrence is the seismologists who is trying to learn about earthquakes who fills us in with all the important information we need about earthquakes as well as being the expert we need to explain everything. Paul brings the best acting quality to the film in the smart guy supporting role and gives a good performance. (7/10)
Hugh Johnstone-Burt: Ben is the bumbling interviewee who strikes up a connection with Blake, he has come all the way from Britain for his dream job with his younger brother Ollie and finds himself being Blake’s chance of rescue. Hugh gives a good performance as the unknown around the bigger stars. (7/10)
Support Cast: San Andreas has a supporting cast we barely meet, we have Ollie who is Ben’s brother who is along the survival but otherwise we have the people with Lawrence trying to save lives.
Director Review: Brad Peyton – Brad does a good job directing bringing the classic disaster film feel to a film that we haven’t seen in a long time. (7/10)
Action: San Andreas is filled with destruction from the opening rescue to the final earthquake effect. (9/10)
Thriller: San Andreas is a film you know what will happen but you just want to see how it happens pulling us in through the film. (9/10)
Settings: San Andreas has the iconic settings of the San Andreas Faults being destroyed through the film. (9/10)
Special Effects: San Andreas has great special effects used for the destruction throughout. (9/10)
Suggestion: San Andreas is one film that will go down as a true popcorn film that will keep all the cinematic fans happy. (Disaster Movie Fans Watch)
Best Part: Tsunami scene.
Worst Part: Sad fact that all the people Ray rescues probably died.
Action Scene Of The Film: Tsunami scene.
Funniest Scene: Plane landing.
Oh My God Moment: Tsunami scene.
Favourite Quote: Emma ‘You *left* my daughter? If you’re not already dead, I’m gonna fucking kill you.’
Believability: The idea of the Fault being dangerous is a fact, but this much damage isn’t. (5/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Similar Too: 2012, Dante’s Peak
Oscar Chances: Maybe has a chance at Visual Effects awards.
Runtime: 1 Hour 54 Minutes
Tagline: A rescue pilot survived an earthquake, this is what happens next
Trivia: Although they play a father and daughter, there is only a 13 year age difference between Dwayne Johnson and Alexandra Daddario.
Overall: San Andreas is a true disaster popcorn film perfect for the cinema.
Rating 
