San Andreas (Blu-Ray): Review

The Film

San Andreas, a disaster movie on a grand scale. Following LAFD rescue chopper pilot Ray (Dwayne Johnson) as he battles trouble in his family life, and needs to pull out all the stops to save his daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario). Along the way, he rescues and teams up with his soon-to-be ex-wife Emma (Carla Gugino) and together they must not only battle the ever growing natural disaster and all it has to throw at them, but they need to put aside their past and the hurt from losing their other daughter.

The film feels a bit over the top, with all it has to throw at you. Realising that a lot of this is actually happening in camera is a bit of a thrill though. The stunts are huge, and the visuals even bigger. For fans of the genre, this certainly will not disappoint.

Story-wise, there are no twists to the plot, but that is to be expected in a film about a massive earthquake. It’s a fun, action romp through a crumbling city, showing what may be in the Los Angeles area someday, as they live in daily fear of the actual San Andreas fault line.

A lot of research has gone into the facts and events of the film, making this an escape from thinking, and something to enjoy on a rainy day.

Disc And Bonus Features

The disc is encoded at a high bitrate, with no visible artefacts on screen, with a clear and detailed image.

Sound is provided via a 7.1 soundtrack, totally immersing the viewer in the many action scenes.

There are a number of bonus features on the disc to enjoy, including a commentary.

San Andreas: The Real Fault Line: Takes the viewer behind the scenes to look at some of the very big action sets, and the many in-camera effects and stunts. This brings a small amount more excitement to the scenes in the movie, knowing they are real, and not al CG as with most things these days.

Dwayne Johnson To The Rescue: More on the very demanding physical aspect of the film, focusing on Dwayne Johnson and sharing some details on the many stunts he did himself, from rappelling to the huge underwater rescue sequence. Again, this additional knowledge makes the relevant scenes that much more exciting to watch.

Gag Reel: A few quick clips cut together, showing the cast having a laugh on set. Not so much a gag reel, as a look at the funnier side of being on the film set.

Stunt Reel: A quick cut compilation of some footage from behind the scenes of some of the stunts performed in the movie. This feature is more like a quick action music video than actually explaining the stunts, and would have benefited from some commentary.

Commentary By Director Brad Peyton: Peyton admits right at the beginning, to being a movie nerd. This is apparent, as he tries to squash in as much detail as possible, referencing other films and techniques, as he explains how the movie was created.

The commentary is very detailed, and is sure to excite aficionados and filmmakers alike. It’s great to see a director who is willing to share so much of their craft with their audience.

San Andreas is now available to purchase on disc in South Africa.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb