San Andreas (2015) is an American disaster film directed by Brad Peyton and written by Carlton Cuse.
with a story by Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore. The film stars Dwayne Johnson as Ray Gaines, a Los Angeles City Fire Department helicopter rescue pilot, alongside Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, and Paul Giamatti. The plot revolves around a massive earthquake triggered by the San Andreas Fault, which devastates the West Coast of the United States, leading to a desperate race for survival.
Filming for San Andreas began on April 22, 2014, in Queensland, Australia, and continued in various locations, including Los Angeles and San Francisco. The film premiered on May 26, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and was released in the United States on May 29, 2015. With a production budget of approximately $110 million, San Andreas grossed over $474 million worldwide, making it a commercial success despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.
Critics praised the film's visual effects and the performances of Johnson and Gugino, but they criticized the plot and character development. The film follows Ray as he attempts to rescue his estranged wife, Emma (Gugino), and their daughter, Blake (Daddario), amidst the chaos of the earthquake. The narrative is filled with predictable disaster movie tropes, including coincidental reunions and exaggerated dramatic moments, which some reviewers found detracted from the overall experience.
While the film showcases impressive destruction and thrilling sequences, it has been noted for its scientific inaccuracies regarding earthquake predictions and the capabilities of the San Andreas Fault. For instance, the film depicts earthquakes of magnitude 9.0, which geologists argue are implausible for the region. Despite these criticisms, San Andreas remains a notable entry in the disaster genre, offering audiences a blend of action, suspense, and visual spectacle.
Upon its release on home media on October 13, 2015, San Andreas topped sales charts, reflecting its popularity among viewers. The film's combination of thrilling disaster scenarios and a focus on familial relationships resonated with audiences, contributing to its status as a modern disaster film. Overall, San Andreas exemplifies the genre's blend of high-stakes action and emotional drama, making it a memorable cinematic experience.