GEOSTORM Film: Geostorm
Cast: Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Andy Garcia, Ed Harris, Daniel Wu, Abbie Cornish, Alexandra Maria Lara, Talitha Bateman, Zazie Beetz
Director: Dean Devlin
Rating: * * and a half
Former US Vice President Al Gore will like this cautionary tale which addresses his pet project, climate change. For yours truly, Gerard Butler was the main attraction in Dean Devlin’s debut flick about a natural disaster (to be specific, the mother of all storms) which threatens to destroy the earth. As floods, typhoons, earthquakes, and droughts haven’t done enough! Ever wonder why real-life storms are invariably named after women? Is that malicious patriarchy at work or what?
Devlin has worked with German director Roland (The Day After Tomorrow/Independence Day) Emmerich and naturally, massive destruction is pivotal to the wafer-thin plot, marginalising the characters. But even there, (thanks be to Devlin and co-writer Paul Guyot) several women can be seen to be highly skilled and influential. There’s a space station commander Ute Fassbinder (Alexandra Maria Lara) Secret Service agent Sara Wilson (Abbie Cornish) and an IT geek named Dana (Zazie Beetz.) Way to go ladies!
The narrative revolves round the conceit of a global network of satellites named Dutch Boy which may alleviate the horrendous effects of climate change while controlling the weather. And you thought only God could do that? Suspend disbelief! Things go awry after Dutch Boy creator Jake (Gerard Butler) Lawson is axed, and it becomes apparent, there is foul play at work.
Enter the US President Andrew (Andy Garcia) Palma; re-enter Jake and younger bro Max (Jim Sturgess) who works in the White House to resolve the issue before the titular (VFX/CGI rendered) storm erases the planet. Afghans and Brazilians freeze to death, Chinese are cindered by fiery tornadoes. Deserts are devastated by a tsunami.
A character says, “Sometimes God doesn’t play so nice” which reminded your reviewer of Einstein’s statement: “God doesn’t play dice with the universe. “It seems to me Devlin and Guyot are trying to contradict T S Eliot who wrote in The Hollow Men, “This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper.”
As it turns out, heroism wins the day in the form of Jake though he may not be a very good dad to daughter Hannah (Talitha Bateman) There’s also a sub-plot about assassinating President Palma. Is he? Millions perish. As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods… Shakespeare (King Lear).
