Movie magic is a bit of a cliché term that gets thrown around when describing the movie making process, but it exists for a reason. Because truly, Hollywood’s ability to give the wildest of ideas, life on the silver screen, is outright unmatched. Because the industry can turn anything into something exciting, even mother nature. For most natural disasters tend to build up slowly and when they do arrive, a majority of them come and go. But Hollywood is able to manufacture tension for the moments leading up to the big event, and they are also able to make the big moment itself dramatic as well, which is quite the incredible feat.

If anything, this is relevant to today’s discussion, simply because this reviewer had the chance to revisit a fun film that in many ways took a well-studied historical event, the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens, and turned it into a powerhouse disaster story. Which oddly makes Dante’s Peak quite the fascinating film when all is said and done, when quite frankly, it shouldn’t be. Because this is a movie that has all the makings of nothing more than a summer blockbuster. Since it has big names like Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton in it, and a big effects budget to make the explosion of the volcano that shares the namesake of the movie, a magnificent spectacle.

So, what then makes this St. Helens-esque story so compelling and so worth our while? Well it starts with the fact that it really does do a phenomenal job of playing ‘what if?’ Because when Mount Saint Helens blew its top back in ’80, it took lives but avoided destroying any major population centers, which is a good thing for certain. But here, the town is right in the basin and the path of the volcano and when it goes, the carnage definitely sucks you in because you’re curious to see how a small town could handle something as powerful as a massive volcanic explosion. A question that is answered in quick and devastating fashion since the town is ripped to shreds, courtesy of some top notch and thrilling special effects.

But the wonder of this motion picture doesn’t end with its exploration of what might happen if say Mt. Rainier came to back life, it also does a pretty solid job of offering up some science as well. For a lot of what Harry Dalton encounters in regard to the impending explosion, is similar to that, of what the USGS found back in 1980 before the north face of St. Helens disappeared. And it is quite cool to see some actual science sneak its way into the story and even the explosion of the mountain features some realism since the resulting Lahar mudflows that come about from the old monster clearing its throat, are flawless recreations of the mudslides that happened back in the day, making this quite the treat for science nerds everywhere.
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Yet while there is plenty to celebrate about this film, it is not without its flaws. Because this particular story does require a fair suspension of disbelief for a lot of the action sequences, especially when Harry tries to get back down the mountain with Rachel’s family. Because let’s be honest, the heat from the lava at the cabin should have caused them more harm, and the same goes for the acid at the lake. But hey, movie magic. And at times, it’s inherently obvious this movie is borrowing heavily from the 1981 movie St. Helens, since Rachel’s mom channels Art Carney’s portrayal of Harry Truman and it is likely no coincidence that both films feature a visit to the crater of the mountain. The only difference here is that this movie went to the actual St. Helens. 

But heck, the borrowing doesn’t end there, because the closing shot of Dante’s Peak, resembles modern day Mount Saint Helens. But all copycat stuff aside, this is a movie that really is a lot of fun. Because it really is designed to be a popcorn flick with a little bit of depth, and it accomplishes those goals to a tee. For once the fireworks start, you’re apt to shovel popcorn in your mouth by the handful as you watch the disaster unfold. And of course, you’re rooting for everyone to survive and there’s nothing with a movie that lets you get lost for a couple of hours in a fantastic situation. So, if by chance you haven’t seen this movie yet, and you’re looking for a fine escape from the sour parts of the world right now, pop this one in and enjoy the explosive ride. 

The power of Mother Nature has always made for entertaining motion pictures simply because her fury can be properly visualized by way of special effects. But alas, while the fictional version of her wrath has blown us away on-screen time and time again, often times her power is what becomes the focus of these types of films, and sadly… the true impact of natural disasters is lost upon the audience and its characters. But once in a while, you stumble upon a movie that tries to show the human side that comes with disasters, as was the case in the 1981 film, St. Helens.

Now, this movie was simply a re-telling of the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in May of 1980, and it just so happened to add in the legendary Art Carney to play the role of Harry Truman, the man who refused to leave the area when the mountain was clearly ready to blow and he subsequently lost his life when the mountain erupted. 

​If anything, this film has always enjoyed a special place in my heart simply because I've always found volcanoes fascinating and this eruption was no exception. Yet as I re-watched this gem for this article, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. It had been years since I popped this in the old Blu-Ray player, and it turned out to be better than I remembered.  

It's not a top-notch film by any means, but the performances are solid, and Carney leads the way when it comes to that. Plus, there's an actual story here. We see how people's lives are disrupted economically and in general when evacuations are ordered because of the danger, and these people exhibit genuine depth, fear and everything in between when it comes to the impending eruption of Mount Saint Helens. Of course, the big payoff arrives when the mountain blows its top, and while the special effects for that are pretty low fi, they are interspersed with news reel footage and real footage from a couple of survivors of the disaster, and well...it's fascinating to watch.  

It should also be noted that this film has some major ties to legendary horror films as well, since the band Goblin, who scored the iconic Dawn of the Dead and just about every single Dario Argento film ever, perform the score here and man, it's simply incredible. It's ominous, beautiful and powerful and I'm not going to lie, I want this soundtrack. 
 
Either way, this film is one I’m proud to have in my collection, and sadly, my search for a quality DVD print of this film continues. Because unfortunately, the one I have right now was released by a company that firmly believes that any word resembling a swear word needed to be bleeped out to save my ears from such foul language. But in the meantime, that can be overlooked thanks to those fine performances that I mentioned a moment ago, and because this motion picture does present a frank and human look at one of our nation’s biggest natural disasters. See this one if you get a chance, it’s definitely an entertaining ride. 

​Trying to live up to a family legacy can be overly stressful for children. Knowing that their parents or a relative has accomplished something great, the belief is that everyone in the family can do the same thing. While sometimes this is true, most of the time, it is not and people end up hurting themselves to try and be something that they are not. There is nothing wrong with wanting to follow in your family’s footsteps, since most people want to do it, but there is also no shame in making a path for yourself.
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Getting called into Markov’s office and getting his orders for his final command, Demi is shocked to see that he will be taking his old diesel submarine out one last time before they both retire. With a special assignment being put on him, Markov knows that his tenured captain can pull off what needs to be done for the good of the country. With very little information being passed on to him about the mission, Demi only knows that there will be some ranking members of the KGB aboard his ship, but nothing else. Preparing his crew to take to the seas one last time, Demi knows that something is off, but has no idea how off things really are.

While running routine drills, KGB officer Bruni keeps an eye on the captain and his crew to get a feel of how things work in the boat. With his agenda being made clear, when he speaks, the captain needs to listen and follow his commands, but that is not something that Demi is ready to do. When sailing closer to the United States waters, Demi gets word that an American submarine has located them and is looking to attack. With everything going according to plan, Bruni gives the order to continue on the same course and activate his new item. As the old ship is running loud, the American submarine is not able to get a fix on the location and heads back on its original course. Being shocked, Demi wants to know what this new device is how it masked his boat from being sunk by the Americans.

With everything being classified, Bruni is happy to disclose a little bit of information about ‘The Phantom’ that saved the submarine from being sunk. Being able to mask the signature sounds of a submarine and make it sound like any other sea faring vehicle, the KGB has created something that will help win the war for Russia. But when Demi wants to report the success to the higher ups, the truth of what Bruni is doing on the boat comes to light. With an active nuclear warhead aboard, he is looking to take his mission to the next step. Relieving the captain of command, Bruni and his undercover agents want to start the next world war, but Demi and his faithful crew are not ready to allow this, at least not yet.

Sometimes you just need to sit back and watch a submarine movie to put your own life in perspective. As this story played out, you learn much more about the captain and the many things he is ashamed of in his life, but not living up to his father’s reputation eats at him the most. It is really sad to see him suffer with this downfall in life and everyone can relate to it, since we have all been there a time or two. I love the KGB plot on the ship, wanting to start a war with their new technology, and not really be at war as you soon find out. It is a genius way to get other world powers out of the way so Russia can assume the helm once again. With a submarine, a power struggle, flashbacks to darker days, an officer hell bent on starting a war, a nuclear missile and torpedoes out the wazoo, this movie might wind up surprising you with the message it is trying to get across.