San Andreas starring Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, is a modernized version of the typical 70s disaster movie. It is full of “yeah-rights”, impossible situations to get out of (that people get out of), and a host of really good special effects. The plot was highly predictable and the acting took a backseat to the special effects. I found myself smiling during a few of the scenes knowing that no matter what happened, the stars and/or starlets, were going to make it out.  Anyway, Dwayne plays a very experienced, emergency response, helicopter pilot. He’s comfortable with disasters, as much as anyone could be, and he plows through a host of problems the film presents and comes out victorious – though not without predictable difficulty.

Was it enjoyable?  Yeah… mostly.

Dwayne Johnson is improving as an actor. I enjoy watching him and am regularly impressed with his massive physique. He is an imposing presence on the silver screen.  The other actors were just as good if not better and there was the requisite babette, eye candy that needed rescuing.

There was no nudity, but there were a lot of people using the Lord’s name in vain – which always bothers me a great deal.  Now, I realize that expletives are to be expected in the face of massive buildings crashing, a tidal wave sweeping across the face of the San Francisco landscape, people being crushed, and the unfortunate dropping into the oblivion of the San Andreas Fault.  But, the frequency of the Lord’s name being used in vain detracted from the movie.

I saw it in 3-D and I have to admit that the special effects are pretty good. Technology has progressed so much that it is simply not possible to distinguish between reality and CGI. But, that’s why I go see movies like this, for the special effects, not for plot development and not for character development. My wife prefers those characteristics in movies and I refer to them as “talking movies”. In other words, that’s where a bunch of people sit down together and talk about stuff?  Yeah? So?  Anyway, “talking movies” have minimal action, no explosions, no mayhem, no aliens, etc. which is, to me, a typically boring movie.  But hey, that’s just me.

Is San Andreas worth seeing?  Yeah, if you like disaster movies and want to see some totally cool special effects in 3-D.  But if not, and you prefer “talking movies”, then wait for it to come out as a rental.