Personally, I think Thor: Ragnarok has given us the best trailer of the year thus far. Is the new trailer for Geostorm anywhere close? Only if you enjoy “so bad, it’s good” material.
Disaster movies always make for tricky movies. While they present a classic man vs. nature conflict, there’s no real villain. So the movie basically depends on the charm of its cast. You have to care about these people somehow, even if they’re mostly looking at some awe-inspiring cataclysm or running from impending doom. But if the special effects aren’t good, then the movie is really in trouble. Those tornadoes, tidal waves, volcanoes and earthquakes must look real! Or close to it.
Based on this new trailer, that doesn’t bode well for Geostorm. Gerard Butler hasn’t been a compelling lead in more than 10 years, and this movie is asking us to believe that he’s a world-renowned climate specialist that apparently needs to be sent into outer space for his work. He’s Jacob Lawson! He has a reputation. And a daughter that he had to leave behind.
Before we go on, check out the trailer for Geostorm.
The title of a movie being mentioned in dialogue is always a riveting moment. “There’s potential for catastrophic weather events on a global scale!” “A Geostorm.”
Butler being in this flick kind of makes me wish this was another sequel to Olympus Has Fallen. Send Agent Mike Banning into space to fix that weather satellite! There’s already a Secret Service agent in the story, played by Abbie Cornish. It could’ve been Mike Banning! The movie could have been titled “Hail Balls Are Fallin’.”
But the studio went with Geostorm instead. Maybe that was the right decision. “Hail balls are fallin'” isn’t as dramatic a response to “There’s potential for catastrophic weather events on a global scale!” I think Jim Sturgess could still sell that line, though.
More than what causes the disastrous weather events, what is in those pods that look like giant Tylenol, or who might be behind turning the satellite technology against the earth, I hope Geostorm explains why Jake Lawson needs to be sent into space — twice — and why he needs to be brought back for a Congressional hearing. How much did that cost? The panel couldn’t just talk to him via satellite hook-up?
Geostorm hits theaters like a tidal wave on Oct. 20.
