Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his estranged daughter.
San Andreas is a quintessential mid-2010s disaster blockbuster that delivers on spectacle but little else. The plot is formulaic disaster-movie fare — estranged family reunited through catastrophe — with thin character development and predictable beats. Dwayne Johnson leads competently but the script gives him and the cast little to work with beyond reaction shots and one-liners. Cinematography and VFX are the film's strongest suit, with large-scale destruction sequences of LA and San Francisco rendered impressively for the era. Novelty is low as it recycles disaster genre conventions wholesale without a distinctive voice or fresh angle. The ending resolves neatly and sentimentally in typical blockbuster fashion, offering no surprises.