The Wave

[2.5 stars] [IMDb Link]

[Amazon Link]
(paid link)

A choice out of the Netflix streaming queue, a Norwegian disaster film. Based on the fact that the (actual) tourist village of Geiranger is at risk of a tsunami, caused by a (theoretical) collapse of cliffs into the neighbring Geirangerfjord. Apparently, it's not a question of "if" but "when".

I'm not sure how the Geiranger Tourist Board feels about this movie. Because the movie says: let's see what would happen. And the answer is: (spoiler alert) a lot of tourists die. Locals, too, but hey.

That said, I was struck by the sheer number of disaster movie tropes herein: the guy who warns of imminent danger and is ignored; the (same) guy who must save his family; the quirkiness of said family that cause them to be in harm's way; various characters brought in just to be killed off; people futilely running from the much faster disaster; and of course the special effects (pretty good for Norway).


Last Modified 2024-01-25 3:04 PM EDT