Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fans of disaster thrillers just can’t get enough of the action and the destruction. The truth is, we just don’t get enough high-quality movies with good stories. But once in a while, we actually get one worth watching. My interest peaked a couple of weeks ago when I reported on the Chinese-made disaster movie Shattered Earth. I
In the film, a peaceful town turns into a living hell when a devastating earthquake is triggered, causing buildings to tumble and sinkholes to open. A retired railway soldier and his son, an explosives engineer, travel deep into a cave to rescue trapped survivors. However, a second terrifying quake is just hours away, threatening to bury the whole town in a massive landslide.
We’ve got films that include every natural disaster, but we’ve never gotten a film of this magnitude about an earthquake that caused a landslide, which is the major threat. It’s nice to see something new.
The film isn’t all action and destruction, it has a lot of emotional aspects as it really centers on a man and his father and the issues that have plagued them since the mother died, which comes to a head deep inside a mountain while trying to find a way to escape. It’s refreshing and different to see a story about a father and son that’s emotional and deep.
With a movie like this special effects are key, and let’s face it, a lot of disaster movies have terrible effects. In the case of Shattered Earth, the effects are pretty good. And if you like explosions, this movie is for you. There are so many Michael Bay might even be impressed. But it is all balanced out with emotion, touching moments, tension, and a whole lot of blockbuster-style action.
Being a Chinese film, you may be wondering if it’s in English or subtitled. It’s English dubbed, and it’s dubbed well.
As a disaster movie fan, I can tell you that Shattered Earth isn’t a disaster. It’s entertaining, gripping, and a good watch. Grab your copy on DVD on September 5th or on Digital on September 12th.
