Geostorm (2017)
2017
PG-13
Gerard Butler playing a stubborn but charming satellite designer who, when the world’s climate-controlling satellites malfunction, has to work together with his estranged brother to save the worl...
User Review
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Geostorm is a disaster of a film. Both ice cold with its one-dimensional characters and blazing hot with its stupidity. A raucous tsunami of unappealing visual effects that never strike a balance between political thriller and global disaster blockbuster. It's hailed as an outdated illogical mess, and I for one agree. Having said that, some moments of enjoyment are to be had if you are willing to suspend your disbelief. A space station that controls Earth's weather system is being hacked and used as a weapon. It's up to Butler to save the day (because apparently no one else can...). It commences with a condescending expositional narration from a child about climate change, and how we as humans have caused this. Make no mistake, it's an important topic. But, it's never referenced in the film again. As if we're being told off and now our punishment is to watch Geostorm. The story balances a political story where NASA employees and secret service agents attempt to work out what the heck is happening, with Butler's heroic bravura as he works on the space station to also investigate satellite anomalies. The former is interesting, the latter is stupid. Let me explain. Watching agents investigate a global investigation where someone wants them dead, is slightly captivating. Witnessing a spacesuit being hacked (me neither...) as Butler attempts his best Bullock impression from 'Gravity', is not fun. The disasters themselves are tertiary, an afterthought if you will and boy do some of them look terrible, particularly the Dubai tsunami. It's another case of characters seemingly outrunning outlandish weather types whilst everyone else melts, freezes or drowns. At least the space station looks decent, so there is some hope! The culprit(s) was obvious and lacked authentic motives. Every character was one-dimensional. And, as always, Butler sacrifices himself...only to miraculously survive. Oh, don't even start on the special code system that him and his brother created. Moronic. If this was released in the 90s, it could've been. It wasn't, and therefore shouldn't have been.1 member likes this review.
