Volcano
Directed by Mick Jackson
- science fiction
- action
- drama
- thriller
The story
An earthquake shatters a peaceful Los Angeles morning and opens a fissure deep into the earth, causing lava to start bubbling up. As a volcano begins forming in the La Brea Tar Pits, the director of the city's emergency management service, working with a geologist, must then use every resource in the city to try and stop the volcano from consuming LA.
What it’s like
Bright, sun-washed Los Angeles daylight gives way to smoky orange glow and blacked-out streets in this 1997 disaster spectacle, shot in the glossy, slightly over-lit digital-era studio style of late-nineties blockbusters: wide establishing shots of freeways and high-rises, sweeping crane moves, and a restless handheld energy whenever the chaos reaches the subway tunnels and city blocks. Lava glows an insistent, saturated red against night skies, while the score swells with big orchestral brass and thundering percussion, and rumbles of seismic bass rattle through the mix. The vibe is loud, earnest and tongue-in-cheek at once, a cozy-campy popcorn disaster for a rainy weekend or a double feature with friends. Pacing is brisk and escalating, with a hard-nosed city official and an impassioned geologist racing against a deadline and each other, arcs built on competence and grudging teamwork rather than deep introspection. Intensity is high but mostly spectacle: frequent peril, collapsing structures, a few burned and crushed victims shown with brief, unlingering gore, and tense rescue sequences. Best for fans of 90s disaster films who enjoy big set pieces, strong performances and a little absurdity.
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