I can’t think of a film genre more polarizing than the disaster film in modern times. There have been so many disaster films, both in C and B-grade film categories along with a couple of big-budget films which were genuinely worse than the aforementioned low-grade films.
Every single one of them has been worse than the last, from 2012 to Independence Day 2, to San Andreas and so on, they’ve been some of the weakest films in terms of plot and story. However, in 2017, Geostorm wanted to set itself apart in the disaster film genre, and it ended up doing the absolute opposite of setting itself apart.
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The Movie Review
As the world’s weather takes a turn for the worse, Jake Lawson (Gerard Butler) and his team of international scientists come up with a solution: a network of satellites called Dutch Boy, controlled from a massive International Space Station. However, when politicians push Jake aside and install his brother Max (Jim Sturgess) as the new leader, tensions rise.
Fast forward three years and strange errors begin to plague the system. In an effort to get to the bottom of the issue, Max enlists the help of his estranged brother Jake to investigate any potential design flaws on the space station.
First off, let’s address the elephant in the room, this script is filled with technical jargon that may or may not be coherent, and the attempts at tackling social commentary on climate change feel superficial. Ultimately, Geostorm aims to entertain and manages to do so to a certain extent.
It’s important to note that the science in Geostorm is questionable at best. It’s on par with other science fiction films like The Core and Armageddon in terms of realism, so it’s best to just suspend your disbelief and not scrutinize it too much. While the science may not be up to par, it’s unfair to judge the film solely on that aspect, as it’s clear that the filmmakers didn’t place a lot of emphasis on it.
While Gerard Butler delivers a strong performance, the rest of the cast struggles to keep up in a film that lacks depth and substance. However, it’s not exactly a quality film and may not be worth your time unless you’re a die-hard Gerard Butler fan.
It appears that the cast of Geostorm was assembled hastily, as some of the recognizable names don’t have much to do in the film. Additionally, those who do have significant roles don’t necessarily shine in their performances. The rushed casting process and lack of standout performances contributed severely to the overall underwhelming nature of the film.
The disaster scenes, while brief, feel low-budget and underwhelming, especially considering the director’s past work on the blockbuster hit Independence Day. The film’s attempt at packing in multiple action sequences, including a car chase and an exploding space station, all at once, feels overwhelming and yet underwhelming at the same time.
It feels like the film sacrifices quality for quantity. While the movie culminates in a grand finale, that too turns out to be fatally predictable and highly underwhelming. It is likely to be remembered as one of the weaker disaster films.
The Music
Not to mention, I wasn’t a big fan of the music in this film. Not only did it remind me of cheesy 80s action films, but it never had the same coolness factor that was part of those films.
The music itself came as a detriment, for the most part, being repetitive to the point of annoyance, and overall a tedious background noise that consistently put me off while I was watching the film.
Verdict
As the mastermind behind blockbuster hits like Independence Day and Godzilla, Dean Devlin steps into the director’s chair for the first time with Geostorm.
While the film may aspire to tackle environmental themes, it ultimately falls flat and invites ridicule from critics and audiences alike. In fact, it’s the type of movie that would be ripe for mockery. Save yourself the trouble and give Geostorm a pass.
