Dante's Peak

Dante's Peak is yet another in the line of disaster films that are all the rage right now. The latest is "Anaconda", which has taken a real drubbing from the critics. Things didn't go that badly for Dante's Peak, which also has the advantage of offering a little more story than the storm-tossed "Twister".

Dante's Peak is a cosy little provincial town that has just had its qualities officially recognised in a nationwide competition. The town's mayor is a single mother, Rachel Waldo, who runs her own coffee roastery and coffee bar. Cracks appear in the idyll, however, when the volcano expert Harry Dalton turns up. Harry is fairly sure that the volcano towering over the town, its namesake, will erupt very soon. He urges the town to go on heightened alert, which is unpopular with certain members of the town council, who are worried about the town's planned expansion. Harry is overruled by his superior Paul Dreyfus, however. The volcanologists' investigations do not point to increased volcanic activity either, but Harry believes that even the slightest signs must be taken seriously.

Dante's Peak naturally offers romance too. The mayor and Harry Dalton are drawn to each other, you see, and Rachel is the only one who takes Harry's warnings seriously. When evacuation of the town finally comes up, it is of course too late.

Rachel's two cute kids go up to their grandmother's cabin to talk round the stubborn old woman, who had me sitting there getting thoroughly annoyed with her. The two children's rescue mission did not seem very logical, but for Rachel and Harry to have to go out and fight the volcano together, it was evidently necessary.

The film is spectacular entertainment, but were it not for the cinema's big screen, the number of stars might well have been reduced a little.