Continuing on 1970s disaster films, as started in The Towering Inferno.
I mention Inferno, and honestly, this movie felt a LOT like it. Charlton Heston, big building in trouble, natural disaster theme, and lots of character drama in between - these felt like the same movie. To the degree where I once fast-forwarded to see if it contained a scene I specifically remembered because I was actually for a moment thinking I had seen this before. That is how familiar it felt.
Charlton Heston is Stewart Graff, a no nonsense character who is actually quite nonsense since he's putting up with some bitch drama queen alcoholic suicidal bitch wife. The other characters are "I don't play by the rules cop" George Kennedy, Genevieve Bujold, Richard Roundtree and Marjoe Gortner. Marjoe Gortner, despite a bad intro to him, I guess was a real actor?
Earthquake is basically the average disaster movie with a decent budget from the 70s. A small quake hits at minute 35 and people are worried, but the Jaws-ish mayor character says there's nothing to worry about while science says there is, guess who wins? Then the big one hits. This movie takes place in LA and it mostly affects a skyscraper which is 40 stories high. There's a line of dialogue, basically "this is why we shouldn't build them this high". Buddy, if you only knew what was coming.
Heston to the rescue, Kennedy to the rescue, Gortner goes nuts and other people do other things as the movie evolves into a "crisis" level affair. It's what you expect, and how many times have I said that? I wonder when the next disaster type movie will come along? I like them, personally. However that said, this is lesser than Towering Inferno, and it feels like a unnecessary follow up, 2.5 stars.
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