Marco L
(CASTELLANO) Hay películas que, aunque no cambien la historia del cine, se te quedan grabadas por el momento en que las viste. Yo vi Dante’s Peak en el cine en 1997, y fue una experiencia emocionante. Tenía esa mezcla tan noventera de efectos especiales espectaculares, héroe serio (Pierce Brosnan), madre coraje (Linda Hamilton), y un pueblo aparentemente tranquilo que, cómo no, está a punto de ser arrasado por un volcán.
La trama es simple, sí, pero no lo digo como algo negativo. Al contrario: es directa, va al grano, y una vez que el volcán empieza a rugir, no hay pausa. Las escenas de acción funcionan, el ritmo va en aumento, y aunque hoy día los efectos generados por ordenador han evolucionado mucho, los de esta película siguen resultando bastante resultones.
No hay grandes sorpresas en el guion, pero la película tampoco las necesita. Brosnan hace de científico con conciencia, Hamilton está estupenda en su papel de alcaldesa luchadora, y entre ambos consiguen que empaticemos lo justo con lo que está en juego. Es cierto que algunos secundarios apenas tienen desarrollo, y que tarda un poco en arrancar, pero cuando lo hace, se convierte en una montaña rusa de destrucción volcánica.
Lo mejor es cómo mantiene la tensión en su última hora: hay lodo, ceniza, agua hirviendo, explosiones, huidas imposibles… todo lo que uno espera (y quiere) en una cinta de este tipo. Y aunque es previsible, no deja de ser entretenida y eficaz.
Dante’s Peak no pretende más de lo que ofrece. Y eso, con el tiempo, se agradece. Es cine de catástrofes clásico, sin adornos innecesarios. Una de esas pelis que, si te la cruzas un sábado por la tarde, te engancha hasta el final.
(ENGLISH) Some films stick with you not because they’re masterpieces, but because of when and how you experienced them. I saw Dante’s Peak in theaters back in 1997, and it was thrilling. It has that unmistakable ‘90s formula: impressive special effects, a serious hero (Pierce Brosnan), a courageous mother figure (Linda Hamilton), and a quiet town that, of course, is sitting on a ticking time bomb.
The plot is simple, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s straightforward, gets to the point, and once the volcano starts rumbling, the action doesn’t let up. The big set pieces work well, and while today’s CGI is on another level, the visuals here still hold up surprisingly well.
There aren’t any big twists, but the film doesn’t need them. Brosnan plays the dedicated scientist, Hamilton shines as the tough mayor, and together they manage to make us care just enough. Sure, some side characters are underdeveloped, and it takes a little while to get going—but when it does, it’s pure disaster movie fun.
What works best is the non-stop tension in the final stretch: mudslides, ash clouds, boiling lakes, explosions, narrow escapes—everything you want in a volcano movie. It’s predictable, but it’s also genuinely entertaining.
Dante’s Peak doesn’t aim to be more than it is. And over time, that’s actually a strength. It’s classic disaster cinema, stripped down and effective. The kind of film you stumble upon on a lazy weekend and can’t help but watch until the end.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
05/25/25
Full Review
Tarlia R
Love this movie. Watched it many times
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
05/17/25
Full Review
Swadidgaf C
Honestly a perfect movie.
It has a few cheesy bits but overall I'd actually give it 5 stars
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
05/08/25
Full Review
Blair H
For my film review learning activity I watched Dante’s Peak by Roger Donaldson. The movie was one hour and forty eight minutes long. I had never seen it before and it sounded very very interesting. It also relates back to class by being about a volcano. I enjoyed it even more because I understood a lot of the words they were using to describe the catastrophe and the volcano itself. I personally have never been in or seen a volcanic eruption, but in the first scene it seemed quite realistic. After watching the movie all the way through, I think it is very realistic while still having a little bit of the Hollywood exaggeration. For example, when they had to drive across the lava the tires seemed to be perfectly fine even though they had caught fire. In reality, the tires would have melted off due to the heat of the lava. I also think it is weird how Harry’s boss did not let him put out an alert. I feel that in the real world it would be a situation of better safe than sorry. I believe the eruption itself was also very accurate. Especially the part where the snow caps on the mountain were melting and caused the dam to break.
I was pleasantly surprised that all of the effects in the movie looked amazing as well. I also loved the foreshadowing of the dead animals and trees as well as the sulfury and muddy water. I feel more educated on what to look out for if I am ever living under an “extinct” volcano, whether these signs are true or not. As I was watching some of the intense scenes, I was actually nervous for the characters and could not sit still because of the anxiety. The grandma’s sacrifice broke my heart. I also understood why she wanted to stay when they explained that they had built that house.
This movie was an amazing balance of action and feel good. I enjoyed seeing Harry get close with the kids and how Rachel slowly grew to like him. I’m a sucker for romance so it’s always nice when it is a subplot. The way Harry was with the kids was adorable, like when he promised to take them deep sea fishing or when he was showing them a magic trick. It reminded me of my dad and the corny tricks he would always show us.
Overall, this movie surprised me. I was putting off watching it because I am not a big movie watcher but I’m glad I did. It was amazing and exceeded my expectations. It was an amazing mixture of action, suspense, romance, and a little bit of comedy that made it a 10 out of 10 for me. I am going to be recommending this movie to anybody who has not seen it yet. I think it is also helpful to watch to learn more about the signs of a volcanic eruption, which is not an issue in Georgia but it could be when you are travelling.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
05/05/25
Full Review
Jake S
One of my all time favorites. Not the best earthquake movie but it’s in my top 5 for sure.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
04/07/25
Full Review
mark g
When an action film becomes tedious as hell, you know you have a problem. I mean, this film is boring from an action point of view and plain awful from a dialogue and character point of view. Just a lazy cliche of previous action films. And the ending, with the 20 minute standing ovation that Brosnan's character gets from the extras, hilarious.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
04/01/25
Full Review
Read all reviews