A massive earthquake destroys the Hoover Dam, only to then spread along the San Andreas fault line, starting in Los Angeles and moving all the way up to San Francisco, as it constantly rises its magnitude of destructive capabilities. A search-and-rescue helicopter pilot (Dwayne Johnson) seeks to save his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) and daughter (Alexandra Daddario) from the annihilation. SAN ANDREAS is really, really stupid but a fun flick nonetheless. The fact that Johnson somewhat forgoes saving other people's lives with his copter or even staying in his designated area of L.A. is the least of the concerns with the picture. The film plants a few seeds only to then refuse to see them grow; Characters are briefly introduced and scuttled off, scenes of characterization are erroneously skipped over, and it utterly wastes the talents of Paul Giamatti and Archie Punjabi with a minor subplot. The film is nothing more than CGI disaster porn and awkward tonal shifts, which could be just fine if you like myself take the pleasure over the pain. There are some harrowing moments, often when it's being performed with real dangers, and the acting is serviceable thanks to the effortless hero antics of Johnson. Though Daddario does a good job as a smart and capable female hero, she's nearly undercut due to her male-gaze-infused entrance. If have a lazy afternoon available and you enjoy seeing and hearing loud demolition, this film could be your ticket.
FINAL REVIEW: 3 / 5
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