I enjoy writing - whether it be short stories, sitcoms, poetry, or the reviews on Ciao.
I enjoy wat...
I enjoy writing - whether it be short stories, sitcoms, poetry, or the reviews on Ciao.
I enjoy watching films, and especially sitcoms, whether good or bad - it's all some kind of inspiration!
Member since:11.06.2002
Reviews:4
Movie: Volcano Year: 1997 Industry Rating: 12 Classification: Action / Thriller / Drama / Disaster Starring: Tommy Lee Jones .... Mike Roark Anne Heche .... Dr. Amy Barnes Gaby Hoffmann .... Kelly Roark Don Cheadle .... Emmit Reese Jacqueline Kim .... Dr. Jaye Calder Keith David .... Police Lieutenant Ed Fox John Corbett .... Norman Calder Michael Rispoli .... Gator Harris John Carroll Lynch .... Stan Olber Marcello Thedford .... Kevin Laurie Lathem .... Rachel Bert Kramer .... L.A. Fire Chief Director: Mick Jackson Writers: Jerome Armstrong Length: 104 min Colour: Colour (DeLuxe) Rating: 6/10 Review: The Coast is Toast when a volcano erupts in downtown L.A., threatening to destroy the city.
Mike Roark (Tommy Lee Jones) is the director of the OEM (Office of Emergency Management) for Los Angeles, and is about to have his abilities tested to the max.
In downtown L.A., after a couple of workers are attacked by what appeared to be a weird gas in an underground tunnel, Mike and another inspector are sent to investigate.
After going down into the tunnel and checking around, everything seems to be normal. That was at least until they spot what appears to be a gas coming up out of a crack in the tunnel. Approaching the crack to investigate more thoroughly, everything seems to be heating up. Now almost on top of the gas, things are becoming a bit too hot – with their protective suits steaming up, and starting
to melt. Being quite smart, Mike suggests they get the hell outta there - but not without a ball of fire chasing them!
Not happy with the cities analysis of this bizarre phenomenon as being just leaking gas, geologist Dr. Amy Barnes (Anne Heche) and her partner, decide to investigate. The only problem is that the place is swarming with police. They way up their options, and decide to come back in the early hours of the morning – I dunno, maybe this is when the cops go to the donut shop.
It’s now the early hours of the morning, and suited and booted are Dr. Barnes and partner, down in the same tunnel where Mike had been chased out by a ball of fire. Also while checking out the tunnel, Dr. Barnes’ partner sees something interesting on top of the crack, and goes and investigates. Whilst sitting right on top of the crack, guess what happens! Yes, you guessed right, the thing decides the go berserk again. However, this time in the form of an earthquake, which makes Dr. Barnes’ partner fall into the core of the earth.
Meanwhile across town, the earthquake causes the houses and people to tremble – especially Kelly (Gaby Hoffmann), Mike’s daughter. She wakes Mike with her screaming and crying (or else I think he may have slept through the earthquake which is destroying all their belongings), and in the realisation of the disaster, causes him to go and do his job.
So off sets Mike and his daughter Kelly, on the way to Mike’s HQ.
They don’t get too far before they come across buildings on fire, and chunks of fiery lava being spat onto cars and people.
Within the space of five minutes, a ball of lava strikes a fire truck, there are people being struck and lying injured on the ground, buildings in complete inferno, and this is all before the lava decides to start streaming down the street.
Now with the lava heading towards town, threatening death and destruction, the race is on to try see whether they can stop it, or whether it is just going to roll over them – Ouch!!
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As with all movies of this type, the death and destruction is overwhelming, and some scenes may not be suited for everyone. There is one scene that sticks out in my mind, which shows a man being eaten alive by the deadly lava – not overly graphic, but the notion may make some people squeam. I’m not sure how they got away with a 12 rating on this movie, as I feel it should be a minimum of 15 – I guess it must have something to do with the fact that it’s a disaster movie, and that’s why they went a bit easy on it.
Amongst the high amount of death and destruction in this movie, they do try to touch people’s hearts with the actor’s reactions to the situations – unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work.
Mike and Dr. Barnes develop a minimalist love interest along the way, which adds to the emotional feel slightly, but is something we’ve seen time and time again in this type of movie.
There are a few heroic scenes of people dying painfully to save someone else, and people putting their lives on hold to help people – but this is dramatised too much in the movie, and has little effect. Also, for some strange reason, there is no real in injury to the main stars – except Kelly who gets burnt slightly on her leg. This would be understandable in another type of movie, but in this one there is people getting struck by flaming balls of lava, but nothing happening to the main stars. Trying to bring drama into the movie, and get the audiences emotions soaring, could have happened by using these stars, but was wasted with putting ‘Jones’ in not-so heroic acts.
Overall, once this movie gets going, it is virtually non-stop action and suspense combined with an eruption of special effects. So if you like lots of death and carnage in a movie, then this is a good movie for you.
However, I thought that there should have been a few more scenes that would touch your heart, and characters that had some more realistic emotions.
Don’t get me wrong, I did like the movie, but as I said above, I feel that due to a lack of being able to relate with the emotions of the characters, it let my overall rating of the movie down.
Given the sketchy and undeveloped characters in this movie, I feel Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche both played their parts well, but just wasn’t given the chance to develop.
DVD Widescreen 1.85:1(Non Anamorphic). Languages: English DD 5.1 [CC] & Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround. Subtitles: English, Spanish. Single Side-Single Layer. Interactive Menus, 23 Chapters Scene Selection, Original Theatrical Trailer and slight Cast Biographies.
Picture The picture quality is outstanding. Fox has placed the 1.85:1 transfer on a dual layer disc and it looks purely exceptional. The only very small problem is that it occasionally seems strangely flat and cyclically offers a fairly soft focus. It handles the many low lights scenes well, and the Contrast as well as colour saturation are 100% faultless; the oranges of the lava and fire look exceptional in the night scenes, simply effervescent and striking.
Sound Its Dolby Digital 5.1 mix gave my system a workout, it was absolutely fantastic. This is a constant sound mix, containing wonderfully sharp action and detailed effects. The film offers very active split surround effects, and creates an immerse sound environment. There is wonderfully solid and forceful bass throughout. Dialogue quality is marvellous, and is easily heard among all of the explosions and bedlam. This is an incredibly aggressive sound mix, which is very entertaining.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
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Get mindless for awhile with this 1997 disaster flick, starring the La Brea Tar Pits in ... more
Los Angeles as a funky place for lava to spew, plus Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche as the brave souls who know how to shut off the spout. Director Mick Jackson (The...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Quakes. Riots. Mudslides. Los Angeles has seen it all...almost. Get set for nonstop ... more
action, searing suspense and explosive special effects when Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones stars in 'the first great action film of the year!' (Matt Levitz, Syndicated Ra...
Get mindless for awhile with this 1997 disaster flick, starring the La Brea Tar Pits in ... more
Los Angeles as a funky place for lava to spew, plus Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche as the brave souls who know how to shut off the spout. Director Mick Jackson (The...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 2 to 4 weeks...
Quakes Riots Mudslides. Los Angeles has seen it all..almost. Get set for nonstop action ... more
searing suspense and explosive special effects when Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones stars in "the first great action film of the year!". Something unspeakably chil...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
![Volcano [1997] [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78540298.jpg "Volcano [1997] [DVD]")
Sep 21st, 2002
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