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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mean Mountain The Geologic Equivalent Of ‘Twister,’ ‘Dante’s Peak’ Is High, But Not Deep

Michael H. Price Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Dante’s Peak,” the opening splurt in a threatened general eruption of volcanic disaster movies, turns out to be one of those disaster pictures that dwells more on the horrors of nature than on the human element.

This is fortunate - especially in the wake of “Twister,” which proved to be more soap opera than thriller. But it comes as little surprise that “Dante’s Peak” should prize scares over hokey poignance, considering that shock-value expert Gale Anne Hurd is in charge.

Producer Hurd is best-known for the “Terminator” films and “The Abyss,” and more recently “The Ghost and the Darkness” and “The Relic.” She understands that we paying customers don’t go to disaster movies to see emotional revelations in the midst of chaos. No, we go for the chaos, and “Dante’s Peak” (even the title sounds ominous) is most generous in the panic department.

Pierce Brosnan stars as Harry Dalton, a volcanologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Good thing the character’s name isn’t Joe, because then they’d have had to call it “Joe vs. the Volcano.” Dalton has a wary eye on a Northern Cascades town known as Dante’s Peak (filmed in Wallace, Idaho, however), so named because somebody had been reading “The Inferno.”

Dalton, of course, senses that the mountain overshadowing the town is about to go ballistic. But there are big economic developments afoot, and no one in the quaint, greedy little town is willing to believe Dalton’s dire predictions.

Only the local mayor, played by Linda Hamilton, seems vaguely willing to believe the distraught scientist. His role requires Brosnan to walk the line between assurance and near-madness, between heroism and a crackpot stance, and still have the energy to get as cozy with Hamilton as circumstances will permit. Its cursory following of disaster-film conventions is merely an excuse to cut to the special effects, which are spectacularly terrifying.

The visual effects are seamless, combining live-action miniature destruction with 3-D digital computer imagery.

The spectacle of the earth tearing itself open is a stunner, and director Roger Donaldson’s wisest call is to keep the cast members out of the way except when a close shave, a mass evacuation or an ironic sacrifice is required.

MEMO: These sidebars appeared with the story: “DANTE’S PEAK” Locations: East Sprague, Newport, Coeur d’Alene Cinemas Credits: Directed Roger Donaldson, starring Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton Running time: 1:52 Rating: PG-13

OTHER VIEWS Here’s what other critics say about “Dante’s Peak:” Jay Boyar/The Orlando Sentinel: “Dante’s Peak” blows. In a bad way, I mean. This volcano-disaster epic is an epic disaster on every imaginable level. It’s pretty obvious that “Dante’s Peak” is modeled after “Twister,” last summer’s action hit that did just about everything right. “Dante’s Peak” seems to have been put together by people who didn’t get “Twister.” Things don’t improve much once the action begins. Matt Crenson/Associated Press: Brosnan, in his James Bond mode, tries to be rough and tough as the dashing volcanologist sent to rescue the tiny hamlet. But when he sits in the local bar completely peeved that neither he nor his volcano are being taken seriously, tossing nuts into his mouth with such force you fear he’ll hurt himself, you can only feel sorry for the guy. All Brosnan can say when the first giant plume of smoke erupts is an anti-climatic “Oh, no.” Duane Byrge/The Hollywood Reporter: Utterly predictable in narrative, the film’s strong points are its glorious evocation of the natural beauty of the area.

These sidebars appeared with the story: “DANTE’S PEAK” Locations: East Sprague, Newport, Coeur d’Alene Cinemas Credits: Directed Roger Donaldson, starring Pierce Brosnan, Linda Hamilton Running time: 1:52 Rating: PG-13

OTHER VIEWS Here’s what other critics say about “Dante’s Peak:” Jay Boyar/The Orlando Sentinel: “Dante’s Peak” blows. In a bad way, I mean. This volcano-disaster epic is an epic disaster on every imaginable level. It’s pretty obvious that “Dante’s Peak” is modeled after “Twister,” last summer’s action hit that did just about everything right. “Dante’s Peak” seems to have been put together by people who didn’t get “Twister.” Things don’t improve much once the action begins. Matt Crenson/Associated Press: Brosnan, in his James Bond mode, tries to be rough and tough as the dashing volcanologist sent to rescue the tiny hamlet. But when he sits in the local bar completely peeved that neither he nor his volcano are being taken seriously, tossing nuts into his mouth with such force you fear he’ll hurt himself, you can only feel sorry for the guy. All Brosnan can say when the first giant plume of smoke erupts is an anti-climatic “Oh, no.” Duane Byrge/The Hollywood Reporter: Utterly predictable in narrative, the film’s strong points are its glorious evocation of the natural beauty of the area.