Dante's Peak (1997)

There are certain similarities with “Jaws” (1975) here, don’t you think? A small town, tourist-centric, is hearing some rumblings from mother nature that geologist “Harry” (Pierce Brosnan) doesn’t much like the sound of. When he calls the townsfolk together, though, they are way more concerned about the economic impact on their businesses if any bad news leaks out. The mayor (Linda Hamilton) is in no rush to terminate her time in office, and when his boss “Paul” (Charles Hallahan) turns up and tries to dial things down, it would seem that all is under control - or under the rug, anyway. Well, that’s until they try the tap water and then realise that this mountainside community is about to see red - quite literally! Can he manage to rescue everyone (including the mayor, her kids and the obligatory stray pet) and get the residents to safety? Now jeopardy isn’t high on the list of priorities for Roger Donaldson here so the plot is all fairly predictable, but there are some decent visual effects as the things nears it’s conclusion and there’s just an hint of science to illustrate that volcanoes tend to do what they want, when they want - regardless of whatever gadgets human beings stick in the ground to monitor them. It’s called the pyroclast protocol - just ask the Pompeiians. Brosnan is hardly an all-action hero, but he does enough here with the always wooden Hamilton and there are just enough tea-time, family, scares to keep the thing entertaining enough for just short of the two hours it takes for me to roast a chicken (in an oven). Watchable? Yes. Forgettable? That, too.