Severely underrated movie!

Rating: 9/10 (4 August 2018)

Disaster movies tend to follow a basic formula; focus on protagonist and their family, everything is good to fine, disasters begin happening, protagonist and family have to find someway to be safe, protagonist and family saved and live in the end. This film is no different in that aspect, however I honestly don't understand the hate this movie has received? Generally I don't tend to trust critics reviews anyway and for this I was right not to. Yeah in terms of story line it's your basic disaster movie formula, but the way this movie is filmed and the focus on quite a large amount of characters outside the protagonist and his family is done beautifully! The special effects are so brilliant they honestly have me grasping my seat and holding my breath even though I've seen this movie on 3 different occasions (it's on tv now that's why I decided to do this review). The disaster scenes are done so so well and again make me anxious each time I've seen them (and that's not just because of my conditioned fear of Tsunamis since 2004). I do love John Cusack and he is great in this and does a great job portraying Jackson, the protagonist of this movie. In fact all the main actors are great in this, the only nit pick I have is with Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays Adrian, in the scene where he's on his phone to his dad for the last time saying goodbye. Too me he didn't seem sad enough for a conversation you know is going to be the last before your father perishes in the middle of the ocean somewhere. But again that's just a nit pick, don't get me wrong he was brilliant in this movie and really did have a sense of urgency about him. Also the scene where he addresses all the leaders about opening the gate was fantastic and he did a great job of portraying that. The devastation scenes are what really tie this movie together though (which would make sense for a disaster movie), I've never seen a movie portray worldwide disaster so well. The scream in the distance, people clammering as they fall from buildings being shattered by earthquakes, the fires in the distance, it just all seemed so real and raw that it honestly gives me shivers every time. Sometimes in movies like this the special effects can just make the movie too "actiony" and eye roll worthy, but the scenes just portrayed what that would really be like so so well. If you don't like disaster movies I still say give this movie a chance! It's got a really important message that is not cringe worthy (as they can be in these types of movies) but actually really important and relevant. And not just in a Climate change way. On a deeper level I feel this movie comments on class differences by showing in situations like this the 99% would realistically be left behind, and we always do in many aspects of society and culture. But all in all this movie ticks all the boxes of a movie of this kind for me; great special effects, tension, family dynamic, multiple characters focused on just the right amount, a message that is important and relevant for our time, and just an interesting movie that keeps your concentration the whole way through. If you haven't already give this movie a watch! Honestly each time I've seen this movie I've appreciated it a little more.