Although regarded by most critics and viewers as mindless fluff, "Twister" will probably be remembered as the most influential movie of 1996.
Inspired by the huge financial success of the tornado film, studios have rediscovered the disaster genre, nearly 25 years after blockbusters like "Airport" and "The Towering Inferno" were the big events of their time. Following in their footsteps is "Dante's Peak," the first of a pair of volcano pictures planned for release in the next few months. Despite an encouraging beginning, "Peak" melts faster than plastic in a lava pit.
The movie is essentially split into two parts, the first of which is meant to set up the latter. When seismic activity registers near the small Washington state town of Dante's Peak, the United States Geological Survey sends Dr. Harry Morgan (Pierce Brosnan) to investigate the matter.
After examining the area and noticing a few irregularities, Harry concludes that the mountain overlooking the area may be ready to erupt. He meets with Mayor Rachel Wando (Linda Hamilton) to discuss the possibility of an evacuation. However, the city council, concerned that this may damage the town economically, decides against warning the public, as evidence begins to mount.
The purpose of this portion of the movie is to develop the central conflict, which it does rather well. Obviously, something is going to happen, but the question is when. Director Roger Donaldson maintains interest by keeping the audience in anticipation of the impending disaster. Wisely, the signs pointing toward a catastrophe are balanced by contradictory findings, making the decision not to evacuate more plausible.
We are not given the opportunity to learn more about the film's central characters. The only thing we know about Harry is that he is tormented by the death of his fiancee, who passed away four years earlier during a volcano eruption. This information supplies enough motivation for us to believe Harry's behavior. Yet, we still do not know enough to understand the man.
Along similar lines, the surface of Rachel's character is barely scratched. As mayor, an entrepreneur and a single mother of two, she should be a strong figure. Instead, she, like Harry, is overshadowed by the hulking presence of doom. If we were more concerned about the characters, our fear of the imminent eruption would increase. But, by reducing people to tools, the film lacks a human element and remains slightly detached.
Unfortunately, this weakness completely weighs down the second half of the movie. After some distressing environmental changes, Rachel and the city council call for a town meeting at the urging of Harry and his colleagues. During the gathering, the mountain finally blows, creating a major panic. As earthquakes cause buildings to crumble and the lava begins to flow, nearly everyone flees the scene.
Serving mostly as eye candy, this part of the film lacks creativity, as everything in sight explodes and the uneven special effects quickly become tedious. When the characters face death, they manage to escape by sheer luck, not by being particularly innovative. An unsatisfactory resolution ruins the moments of greatest drama.
Still, despite being burdened by shallow characterizations, Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton are convincing in their respective roles. However, by themselves the actors cannot do enough to keep the movie rolling, particularly as the novelty of the volcanic blast diminishes.
With the release of "Dante's Peak," the first of 12 films with budgets of more than $100 million scheduled to play in theaters in 1997, the race to be the next "Independence Day" or "Jurassic Park" has officially begun. If this uninspired effort is any indication of what is to come, this may just be the year to stop going to the movies and rediscover an old hobby.
Volcanologist Harry Morgan and Mayor Rachel Wando watch as Dante's Peak begins to erupt.