In the 90s our re-found love for disaster flicks led to people desperately trying to outdo each other, but focusing so much on the disaster element that everything else was forgotten. Earthquake is not that kind of film, it's actually an excellent example of a disaster movie. Yes I know the acting leaves a lot to be desired, and it has its faults plot-wise, but it's good to see a disaster flick where the disaster isn't the main character.
Earthquake takes its time developing characters and their relationships and building tension before getting to the Main Event. This is unlike films such as Daylight, where we get a basic meet-and-greet introduction to the characters before it all goes to hell. Sure characters continue to develop after the disaster, but it's knowing them well beforehand and seeing how they change as they cope with it that makes all the difference.
For anyone out there thinking of writing such a film, Earthquake's structure is a good example to follow. Much better than recent films like Dante's Peak (I was cheering for the lava).
Earthquake takes its time developing characters and their relationships and building tension before getting to the Main Event. This is unlike films such as Daylight, where we get a basic meet-and-greet introduction to the characters before it all goes to hell. Sure characters continue to develop after the disaster, but it's knowing them well beforehand and seeing how they change as they cope with it that makes all the difference.
For anyone out there thinking of writing such a film, Earthquake's structure is a good example to follow. Much better than recent films like Dante's Peak (I was cheering for the lava).