Magma: Volcanic Disaster

We tuned in to this movie to waste time before bed - it looked like a fun way to kill some time. It has Xander Berkeley and George Sheffey both whom are known character actors to give it some cachet, along with the female actor that was in a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger movie (Amy Jo Johnson). It also has a Dr. Evil character. We were not disappointed - it really is funny and ridiculous and a goodtime-waster. The characters are cliche and the CGI is terrible but then it is a b-movie so those elements are to be expected. I guess we'll never know how it turned out since its time for bed now. I recommend that this movie be be viewed with good humor.

The movie does not start well. The writing, acting and sound are all about as bad as it gets, suggesting the entire movie may end up being a disaster. Not true. But the long-dormant Iceland volcano with an unpronounceable name starting with "Troll" does erupt suddenly and quickly, with terrible consequences for the people we didn't likely enjoy watching.

This is on the level of a TV-movie, but not as much of a disaster as some disaster movies. The actors playing Peter and Bree are actually pretty good, once Bree is no longer perky (or perhaps you can count her perky behavior as good acting). Bree is too perky and enthusiastic to be believable as an intelligent scientist, but that will change later.

The writing is about on the same level as the typical movie of this type, but the last half-hour or so is quite exciting. Some actors with only a few lines seem like they are sitting around the table reading their lines for the first time.

The President of the United States is no Kiefer Sutherland, but he does a good job.

The visual effects are competently done but not spectacular. In most scenes we see only the minimum necessary to communicate what is happening, but toward the end we get a little more detail. Violence is not graphic (unless you count people catching on fire, but even then you can't really see anything) but several people surely die. In one case we are told the person died.

This isn't bad enough to be good, but it's good enough not to be bad.

It's hard to figure out what to rate a movie that's basically gives you a neutral feeling: nothing to get excited about and nothing that seriously disturbs you. In light of that, I'd have to say this movie is a 5.

This movie is entirely based upon one of the flimsiest of reasons - one that is explained in one sentence at a top government meeting. Basically it is this: humans have released toxins into the environment and this is causing the internal core to heat up.

Normally, I'd be outraged. In this case, I didn't really care because my expectations are so low that the movie can only go up in value. Somehow this movie slightly redeems itself if you're sympathetic to volcano disaster movies. In this case, many characters (both genders) are "allowed" to die by dripping magma and simply being overrun by lava flow. Generally this doesn't happen in most volcano movies.

Also, large populations of people also get wiped - another thing which doesn't typically happen in volcano disaster movies. So on these marks, I commend the filmmakers/screenwriters for daring to actually create a "disaster" in a volcano movie (most movies in this area typically avert all disaster).

The atmosphere, tone and performances in the movie are decently serious (except for Amy Johnson's character - way too nutty). The special effects reminded me more of 1970s film-making - but they were passable.

I'd rate this a '5', where a '7' is what it would take for me to actually recommend a movie. See it if you're under 15 and are easily impressed, or in the background if you're really into natural disaster movies - esp. volcanoes.

Yet another example of a made-for-cable film that started with a workable premise and a couple of really good actors, but managed to screw it all up. Low budget isn't always a bad thing, but somehow the biggest deficit here is in the imagination column. Absurd situations, ridiculous plot oversights and contradictions, supporting actors who just recite lines, and awkward dialogue make this painful to watch. When you find yourself awake and channel-surfing at 3AM, if you happen across this, go ahead and take a look, but don't go out of your way to find it otherwise. Honestly, the Sci-fi channel has talented people at its disposal, couldn't they have managed one more script treatment before production started? At least buy the poor writer a thesaurus and a geology textbook!

For a disaster movie, then it wasn't too shabby. But for entertainment, then "Magma: Volcanic Disaster" didn't fully live up to other movies of the same genre.

The story in "Magma: Volcanic Disaster" is pretty much as in most other disaster movies. A series of cataclysmic events, in this case; volcanic eruptions, are threatening our relatively peaceful planet. And of course, a scientist predicts this, but no one listens - not before it is almost too late, anyway. And of course now, it is up to a very small group of people to stop the coming of the end of days. Yes, there you go, end of the story summary. Sounds like something you've seen in other movies before this one? You got it!

The effects in "Magma: Volcanic Disaster" were actually decent enough. Though there are other disaster movies available out there with far better effects. That being said, then it should be noted that the effects in this movie are not bad, and there are disaster movies out there with far worse effects.

A fairly decent group of actors and actresses are on the list in this movie. Though the movie was carried almost exclusively by Xander Berkeley (playing Peter Shepherd).

Now, "Magma: Volcanic Disaster" is a movie without any real roller-coaster effects of thrills and suspense. It is a pretty flat ride from start to end. Sure, there are a couple of scenes that could come off as dramatic, but they were far apart and were just there to keep you interested. The movie could have used more destruction and mayhem from Mother Earth's side, but that was not to be.

Having sat through this movie, I can honestly say that it wasn't a super great movie, nor was it a horribly bad movie. However, it is not a disaster movie that I will be returning to for a second watching, it just doesn't have that much value in it. Especially because the story wants you to buy into these volcanic eruptions will result in the end of humanity and the world, if they are not hindered, but the movie never builds up the feeling of the end of the world is at hand.

If you like disaster movies, then give "Magma: Volcanic Disaster" a chance. It might not be the best of movies, but it is a good attempt at the genre.