Miami Magma

I doubt there are many movies with such poor scripting and acting as this little beauty. Hunter is terribly wooden, but looks magnificent and everytime you hear that antipodean accent your crying out for more - well I am anyway. Pretty standard bulk B movie fodder plot with some pseudo science chucked in to give the appearance of intelligence, but don't let that fool you as the brain cells have left the building. Just watch it for super heroine Rachel and a brilliant cheesy turn by Cleavant Derricks as an evil oil driller.

Sometimes you just want to watch a terrible TV movie sci-fi romp, you know? The average SyFy feature is roughly on par with anything The Asylum produces, whether they're specifically involved or not, and so the quality generally ranges from "half decent" to "abhorrent." This isn't to pointedly denigrate the work of anyone involved; recognizable, respected names and faces often become involved with such fare for an easy paycheck, and the effort they turn in will match the broad tenor of the project. The details hardly even matter, for we know exactly what to expect, and with rare exceptions it's exactly what we'll get: weak acting, ham-fisted scene writing and direction, questionable dialogue, trifling characterizations, antagonistic figures more or less responsible for or complicit in the course of events, a loose foundation in real scientific concepts that then blithely goes off the rails, special effects that raise a skeptical eyebrow, music that can be easily copied and pasted into any similar title, and action, violence, or otherwise tense sequences that are less than wholly convincing or meaningful. To this add admirable themes of extreme capitalist malfeasance and corporate corruption, and mismanagement and destruction of the environment, that are surely not treated well by their connection to such a picture. I could just as easily be talking about one of dozens or even hundreds of other films aside from 'Miami magma,' but here we are.

I don't think this is abjectly terrible. In the very least, I've sadly seen far worse. But at best this is largely indistinguishable from countless other low-grade sci-fi romps. Moreover, so very much of this is outrageously forced and contrived, in many ways, dampening the basic entertainment value and the worth of its best ideas (e.g. Secondary dangers of gas, chemicals, and steam, and the idea that's barely touched upon of awful people enlisting in the military). That's to say nothing of how the screenplay feels fundamentally imbalanced between the central conceit of volcanic activity, and the additional facet of individuals with culpability in the course of events; despite the name of the picture, it doesn't seem to come into play as much as one would assume. The end result is still marginally enjoyable, a baseline satisfactory diversion for those who are receptive to the most ridiculous of B-movies. Yet even the greatest generosity one could muster can't paint over the substantial deficiencies and inelegance that are built into the feature like debris laid into the foundation of a building; there's a select audience who can in any way appreciate this, and even then it will be a matter of hate-watching more than anything else.

I'm glad that this at least put dinner on the table for the folks who participated in its creation. If you're looking for a movie of this nature, you could do worse. Maybe it's for the best if earnest assessment of 'Miami magma' begins and ends there.

The previous reviewers have pretty well summarized this SyFy Channel "epic". It's a by-the-numbers--for the SyFy Channel, anyway--story about a disaster threatening a large city and caused in part by the actions of a corporation that will do anything to increase its profits. It's better than some SyFy Channel movies, and worse than others--if you know anything about the kinds of movies SyFy makes, you'll know what I mean--and about the only REAL reason to watch it is a poolside bikini contest that's interrupted by a volcano turning Miami into a giant steambath. SyFy seemed to have put more money into hiring scads of incredibly hot bikini models--and there are, thankfully, a LOT of them--for this scene than it did for the entire special effects budget, for which they have earned my undying gratitude. Otherwise, there's not really much of a reason to watch this.

Miami Magma is about as good as you'd expect from a TV disaster movie: It isn't very good. There's a big asterisk here. As a low-budget endeavor, with inherently low expectations, there's a chance of being relatively good. Not as in the cult classic line, "So bad, it's good"; rather, the more respectable, "It isn't that bad," so it's good.

The plot moves the standard volcano scenario out of the usual places, all the way to South Florida. This is a way to keep it fresh, most likely. The opportunity is somewhat wasted. Miami culture, real or stereotyped, barely figures-in except for an ill-fated Spring Break beach party. (This intends to set some sort of subplot, but the film proceeds to forget about the clever survivor). The city scenes clearly were not shot in Miami judging from the trees.

The unlikely location is rationalized well. The plot starts with Dr. Antoinette Vitrini (Rachel Hunter), a college professor who isn't taken seriously in her research suggesting the Gulf of Mexico is a giant caldera pulsing with magma. Enter evil oil company. The only thing more dangerous than an evil oil company is an evil oil company drilling into a secret supervolcano, in a world where regulation is nowhere to be found. It's easy work covering-up a sunken oil rig and passing-off the CEO's self-destruction in a manic steam accident as a heart attack. (The authorities either missed the scorched corpse and witness who watched it happen, or they don't exist - more likely the latter in this Miami.) Until now a quiet voice of conscience, the CEO'S lackey engineer Ray Miller (Cleavant Derricks) quickly sells out to the Board, which also happens to be evil, and becomes consummately awful. Because why not?

Isolated fissures and steam events occur throughout Miami, roasting characters who are introduced just to be roasted. Antoinette, her ex-husband Brad (J. D. Evermore), flirtatious sister Emily (Melissa Ordway), and research wiz/unwitting chick magnet Brandon (Griff Furst) embark on a mission to thwart Evil Oil Company's illegal projects before the city blows. The writing is quite good as the plot escalates. Tracking devices, traitors, imposters, arson, helicopters, kidnappings, ransoms, shootouts in factories loaded with dangerous chemicals. It's all here. The final drama is not found cliché self-sacrifice, but one character's dignified redemption. It has touch, maybe even soul.

Miami Magma is full of faults and incongruities. The ominous background music will not shut up, even during inane conversations. There aren't enough extras panicking about the coming cataclysm, making us rely on the scramble of our heroes to remember anything is going on. Most of the effects are created by smoke machines and cheesy fire animations. All this can be forgiven in a B-list disaster movie.

Interestingly, the inherent genre and money-enforced limitations of Miami Magma help make it a competent movie. It is priced out of effects-crazy excitement; the boneheaded kind where one can't even tell what is going on, just that the situation is bad, very bad. Miami Magma relies, instead, on solid performances by the actors and a credible script. No, it isn't high art. Yes, it's built on blatant unrealism. But you basically know what you're getting when you sit down in your armchair to watch something like this. This film gives you your time's worth.

Miami Magma, or whichever of the apparently numerous titles this film goes by, isn't a particularly bad movie in itself however it has flaws that simply can't be overlooked.

OK so it's a somewhat generic low budget disaster movie but that should really only be an excuse for few or ineffectual special effects. In contrast it certainly doesn't mean you can automatically get away with poor scripts and acting, both of which are in abundant supply here.

The movie starts with the loss of an Oil Rig off the Florida coast. Now in reality this would cause great consternation to all involved and a major and long running intervention by local, state and government departments (and probably a good deal of international attention too)? Apparently not though and apart from a few questions at a press conference it is quickly excused and forgotten. This isn't twisting reality for the sake of the movie, rather its ignoring it completely as it would just slow things down and complicate the writing task.

So all is clear for the Evil Corporation to bulldoze their plans through and hit trouble - and disaster. No problem in theory, however the bad guys are simply wooden and ridiculous, and Imo this is down to both poor writing and bad acting. I point much of the blame on Cleavant 'Sliders' Derricks who is simply awful, and Wallace Merck, and...well all the baddies!!! In contrast the good guys are a fairly decent overall, although I am getting somewhat tired of the lead roles being both Intelligent & Supermodel material...but maybe that's just what Hollywoodesque scientists are nowadays. But putting this one gripe aside they are at least far from cringe worthy, and maybe even fair to say above average for the SyFy movie universe. However one cannot balance the other entirely and so overall its a thumbs down on the casting account too.

The story as a whole follows a somewhat predictable routine once you've gotten past the shoddy beginning. There a definite lack of the big Volcano effects one would usually expect, and for some odd reason even the low tech, low budget magma and lava is kept to an absolute minimum. For a disaster movie it sure does seem to minimise the actual disasters!

So how do I rate the movie??? I initially wanted to add a few points because or the decent good guys, however immediately these and more were knocked off by the terrible baddies who ruined any scene they were in. And the SFX...well there really weren't many to speak of so that doesn't help either. What finally made the difference as to which aside of average the score would fall was the apparent apathy of the authorities from beginning to end (The Major and a few National Guard is all they could muster!?!). If they don't care why should I?

4/10...lazy writing, lazy (bad guy) acting

Ps. If you want a similar film bit done not only with bigger budget but also better writing, standards and definitely better all round acting then stick to Volcano or Dantes Peak, neither of which are classics but still offer a better experience without the bad-bad guys making you throwing your popcorn at the screen!