Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

San Andreas Blu-ray Movie Review

Large-scale destruction, intimate story of family and survival.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 8, 2015

San Andreas doesn't cover new ground. If anything, it unearths new ground by practically wiping San Francisco off the map, but its core story is one that's been around the cinema block many, many times before. Disaster strikes, family man does everything within his power to save his loved ones. Not the world, just his family. It's that intimacy that helps set the movie apart, that sense of tight-knit, believable family set against a sprawling disaster epic that may be the best of its kind, visually and dramatically both. It doesn't put movies like 2012 to shame, but it does improve on the formula by demonstrating a rare, evenly keeled balance between the raw aesthetics of destruction and grounded human interest storytelling. This film thrives on the juxtaposition of its ugly (in a good way) and complicated visual effects against a beautiful and simple story of love, separation, and the desperate quest for reunification. It's a remarkable achievement in technical wizardry but also a classically styled and relatable story of the bonds of family, all explored in a relatively grounded manner in which the hero isn't a superhero, just a human being driven by an unflappable determination, and, yes, some muscle and skill that help him along the way.

My city was gone...

Cal Tech professor and seismologist Lawrence Hayes (Paul Giamatti) and his team have finally perfected the art of earthquake predictions. But their timing coincides with the arrival of the big one. First, the Hoover Dam is destroyed. Next: Los Angeles. Then: San Francisco. Hayes predicts bigger and more violent quakes to be imminent, and his prognostications are, unfortunately, proven correct. Rescue helicopter pilot Ray Gaines (Dwayne Johnson) is forced to cut plans with his daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario) short when he's called in for rescue duty following the initial Nevada quake. That leaves Blake to travel to San Francisco with her soon-to-be stepfather Daniel (Ioan Gruffudd) and her mother Emma (Carla Gugino) an opportunity to meet with Daniel's sister Susan (Kylie Minogue) in Los Angeles. While Emma and Susan are discussing the finer points of Emma's relationship with Daniel, the restaurant, and the entire city, is rattled by a tremendous earthquake that leaves the city in ruin. Ray manages to rescue his ex-wife in the nick of time, allowing them to turn their attention to Blake, who finds herself fighting for survival in a ravaged San Francisco alongside two new friends, Ben (Hugo Johnstone-Burt) and his younger brother Ollie (Art Parkinson).

Balance is key in San Andreas, and it's something that elevates the movie considerably. Between the special effects, the story, the performances, and the sheer entertainment value it creates and maintains, San Andreas manages to not only keep all cylinders firing, but playing in rhythmic harmony for the duration. Certainly, the visual effects dominate, at least considering the eye test. The film is a powerful testament to not only the capabilities of the modern digital visual but the skillful nuance of the artists that put them together. The movie's entire VFX scheme presents seamlessly and with so much volume and complexity that it's arguable that San Andreas boasts the absolute best digital effects ever committed to a motion picture. They're that impressive, that thorough, that seamless, that believable. And it's not only the big details like collapsing buildings and raging tsunami waters but also, and more critical, the manner in which every last bit of dust, each tiny piece of flying debris seems accounted for, all of it painstakingly dense and complex and manipulated to the exact placement and perfectly aligned details of every chain reaction of devastation. The movie is unquestionably a tech highlight reel of what modern digital artists can accomplish on a very large scale, but even as awe-inspiring -- and emotionally devastating -- as it can be, the effects don't mean much of anything without a context significant enough to support them.

Beyond the hugely impressive visuals is an equally impressive core story. Granted, it's rather mundane in a classic "save the day adventure" sort of way, but there's an honesty to its simplicity and a depth to the emotions that keep the movie grounded. San Andreas isn't wall-to-wall destruction, and that's its saving grace. The destruction, and the supportive visual effects, complement the story while also driving it. The film focuses on its core narrative details of familial bonds and reunification at any cost. The characters are well written, though they unarguably fall squarely onto the "generic" side of the ledger in a gross, distant overview of who they are and what the movie needs of them. Yet, despite that hurdle, there's a tangible heart and chemistry that dominates and an honest sense of togetherness that lingers and grows through physical distance and, gradually, the powerful emotions of real, heartfelt healing that don't feel tacked on because daddy saves the day but because there's a readily identifiable spirit running through the characters -- evident even in the new relationship between Blake, Ben, and Ollie -- that's more than just a fleeting joy of salvation and the purging of all of that fear in the immediate aftermath of rescue. Just as important, San Andreas leaves behind excess or needless humor. There are several great lines and moments that will leave the audience rightly laughing, but such are in the movie only to offer a momentary reprise from the tension and destruction, not as needless filler or desperate stabs to bring the audience back into the fold.

Yet the most critical factor in making San Andreas a success comes by way of Dwayne Johnson. He's a uniquely gifted actor who can play the everyman, even beefed up to professional bodybuilder levels. In this film, and in his other collaboration with Director Brad Peyton (Journey 2), there's a certain relatable quality to the man whereby he's larger than life but not at all reliant on his size. Whereas 80s Action films were all about muscle, Johnson manages to dazzle with a firm understanding of the finer aspects of his craft and, apropos to his performance in San Andreas, that aforementioned tightly knit bond of family and ceaseless drive led by the heart, not the measurements of his biceps or body fat percentage. Even as practically every single shot of Johnson (at least out of the helicopter) shows him in tight, revealing T-shirts, his muscle almost disappears in the movie as the greater, more intimate character details emerge from the mass and define a real hero driven by emotions and soul rather than sheer bulk and screen presence. Even beefed up well beyond the peak of his professional wrestling years, Johnson manages to demonstrate a healthy range, wear a believable smile, and carry a movie on broad shoulders that are made all the firmer by a massive heart.

San Andreas Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

San Andreas looks amazing on Blu-ray. One would rightly expect the soundtrack to dominate, and it does (see below), but Warner Brothers' 1080p, 2.40:1 image is every bit as attention-grabbing. Clarity is outstanding throughout, and the only truly noticeable point of contention comes in a single shot in which Professor Hayes asks some of the technical students for help in exchange for an impromptu "A" grade. It's mildly smeary around the edges and barely enough to warrant attention but worth a note considering it's the only blemish. Otherwise, this transfer is a stunner. Definition is beyond excellent. Details are consistently razor-sharp and natural in appearance, with tactile, intimately defined textures -- whether skin, clothes, or debris -- appearing in practically every shot. Indeed, close-ups reveal some of the most inherently complex skin textures ever seen on a Blu-ray. Rubble looks beautifully rough. Distant and overhead city shots -- usually of sweeping destruction -- maintain astounding clarity, whether real or digital or some combination thereof. Colors are beautifully saturated and natural. The palette is gorgeous, whether considering beautiful blue swimming pool water and crisp natural greens or gray-heavy concrete rubble. Black levels are perfect and flesh tones are likewise excellent. The transfer never struggles with even a hint of banding, macroblocking, or aliasing. In short, this is Blu-ray perfection from Warner Brothers and one of the absolute best examples of a digitally photographed movie practically passing for film.

San Andreas Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

San Andreas rocks and rattles and dazzles with a precise, completely immersive, and powerfully robust Dolby Atmos soundtrack. This review, however, pertains only to the "core" Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack (one can only imagine the detail and immersion the added speakers in an Atmos setup would provide a movie like this). Yet even without those overhead objects, this track is certainly no slouch and is, in fact, one of the finest listens available on Blu-ray. The opening music envelops the listening area with an impressively balanced full-stage presentation, defined by impeccable instrumental details that reveal the finest subtleties in each of the orchestral sections. Almost immediately afterward, the listening audience gets a taste of what's to come with the movie in a spectacular car crash that fills the soundstage with an impressive amount of flying debris, twisting metal, and general crashing and sonic mayhem, all of it remarkably precise in definition and placement in the stage, leaving the listener almost feeling the wreckage and fearing the worst. But it's in the various scenes of absolute earthquake destruction where the track really shines. It's heavy and rumbly -- the kind of weight and power that shakes the ribcage -- and, despite the intensity and raw volume, comes packed with sonic nuance that doesn't just throw sound around but that defines it as perfectly aurally as the movies accomplishes visually. That attention to detail not only enhances the quality of the listen, but also the movie. Other elements are outstanding, such as the weighty, whirling helicopter or blaring tsunami warning sirens that blast later in the movie. Dialogue is outstanding, enjoying natural center placement, perfect articulation, and consistent prioritization, even in the film's most chaotic moments. This is a legitimate reference track, a phrase that's no stranger to movies like this but considering the dazzling level of sonic detail, this is easily one of the top handful of listens available on the format and up there with the likes of Fury as a contender for finest available.

San Andreas Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

San Andreas contains a commentary, deleted scenes, and a few featurettes. A UV digital copy voucher (expiration date 10/20/18) and a DVD copy of the film are included with purchase.

• Audio Commentary: Director Brad Peyton, delivering his first audio commentary, offers a thorough and frequently engaging track in which he discusses second unit work, intimate technical details, broad story arcs, casting and characters, performances, the film's emotional core, visual effects, and more. Peyton covers all the expected bases and does so with a confidence and deep insight that fans of his and this style of movie should love.
• San Andreas: The Real Fault Line (1080p, 6:23): Cast and crew discuss crafting and shooting realistic destruction with attention paid to the making of a few key sequences.
• Dwayne Johnson to the Rescue (1080p, 9:24): A closer look at making a couple of Johnson's most demanding scenes, notably the film's key bookends.
• Scoring the Quake (1080p, 6:13): A look at score importance and how it helps define the story. With Composer Andrew Lockington.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 4:40): Eight unidentified scenes, some in various stages of completion. Also available with optional Brad Peyton commentary, available as a separately listed supplement.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 1:22): Humorous moments from the shoot.
• Stunt Reel (1080p, 2:56): A stunt work montage from the shoot.

San Andreas Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

San Andreas may be the perfect combination of popcorn flick meets human interest drama meets special effects spectacular. Director Brad Peyton nails it -- he absolutely nails it -- by way of finding that expertly balanced middle ground in which all the pieces come harmoniously into focus, altogether and for the duration. It's first and foremost a solidly constructed story of family bonds and the unbreakable spirit to save and survive. It's also a technical achievement of the highest order, a precisely constructed masterpiece of complex digital filmmaking seamlessly integrated with real characters and key set pieces. The picture is moving but a blast to watch. Essentially, it's everything audiences could want from a summertime popcorn muncher. Bring a few tissues and be ready to applaud the effort, too. Warner Brothers' fantastic Blu-ray release of San Andreas could stand to add an extra or two -- maybe a full-length commentary from the visual effects team -- but what's included satisfies. Video and audio are, as expected, pristine and dazzling even now pushing a decade into the Blu-ray format's lifespan. Very highly and very enthusiastically recommended.