Volcano

(Mick Jackson/1997/USA)

Disaster movies are by their nature farfetched, depicting scenarios that are extreme and highly unlikely so as to maximise drama, tension and the opportunity for thrilling special effects. Volcano runs into this category and then keeps running until it finds itself in the ludicrously funny section. In fact I’d go so far as to say Volcano is a comedy film. It’s also a confused mess with characters appearing early on to never be seen again, dialogue that runs over itself and is unfocused and in a constant state of panic and a plot that throws its hand down too early leaving itself with a good half of the remaining film where the major concern is a slow moving lava flow. It made me laugh out loud but in incredulity at how bad it was. “We are dealing with determined stuff here.” Indeed.

(1/5)