"San Andreas" (movie critique)

SAN ANDREAS
movie poster

Obviously from the title of the movie, "San Andrea", is a  movie about the famous fault line that runs down the state of California and sometimes wakes up and causes destruction and mayhem in it's aftermath.

The heart of the story line centers on Ray Gaines (Dwayne Johnson "The Rock") who is a LA Fire Dept helicopter-rescue pilot.  The opening scene shows Ray and his crew making the extra effort required to save a young girl who's car has gone off a cliff.  What he was able to make the helicopter do in this rescue scene is a little far fetched but it certainly made for some dramatic  moments.

Dwayne Johnson

Carla Gugino

Ray and his wife Emma (Carla Gugino) are in the midst of getting a divorce.  She has moved on to a new boyfriend Daniel (Ioan Gruffudd).  Their daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario), is off to San Francisco and she hitches a ride with Daniel on his private plane as he has to attend meetings there concerning his newest building project.  

Alexandra Daddario

Ioan Gruffudd

While this part of story is being set up, we switch to Hoover Dam where Cal -Tech seismologist Lawrence Hayes, (Paul Giamatti) and colleagues determine that a nearby fault line is going to erupt...and so it does at 7.1.  Lawrence barely makes it back to 

Cal - Tech and beings to analyze the data and comes to the conclusion that the big rip feared for so long is going to happen imminently.

Paul Giamatti

Blake and Daniel arrive in San Francisco and go different directions. Daniel goes to a meeting and Blake is having lunch with Daniel's sister.   

Back in LA, the fault line erupts and the building where Emma is begins to collapse as are all the buildings around her.   She is able to make connection with Ray who locates a helicopter and takes off to save his wife.  

After hitting Bakersfield, the quake hits San Francisco  and all those tall buildings start to shake and break apart.   Daniel and Blake make a run to his car but the garage begins to fall apart. When concrete debris falls on the car, Blake is trapped in her seat and Daniel just leaves her there.  But soon to arrive on the scene is a young English man Blake had meet earlier, Ben (Hugo Johnston-Burt) and his younger brother Ollie (Art Parkinson).  They set Blake free from the car and they all take off running before the building totally crumbles.   The three band together and make a plan to get to higher ground so Ray can rescue them.

Hugo Johnstone-Burt

Art Parkinson

From that point on, it is Ray using a helicopter, a truck, small plane, and even a speedboat to rescue everyone. Well, OK Daniel does get his just desserts eventually! 

The Travelling Toe must give credit to the special effects and CGI crews as they were able to make LA and San Francisco just about crumble away.  There were just a few little things that somehow slipped thru the editing process.  One example is as the building around her collapses and Ray saves her, Emma was covered in dust and had a cut on her lower lip....but a few scenes later, no cut lip (magically healed?) and she had not a speck of dust on her anywhere.   Plus no one needed water, food or a potty break during all the mayhem...well, except for The Travelling Toe who just about needed them all!

This was an excellent disaster movie showing the can-do spirit of a man who loves his family and will do whatever it takes to save them.

The Travelling Toe gives this movie 1 big toe up with a cracked toe mail.

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are or entertainment purposes only.