Dante's Peak 1997 Movie

Some films stick with you not because they’re masterpieces, but because of when and how you experienced them. I saw Dante’s Peak in theaters back in 1997, and it was thrilling. It has that unmistakable ‘90s formula: impressive special effects, a serious hero (Pierce Brosnan), a courageous mother figure (Linda Hamilton), and a quiet town that, of course, is sitting on a ticking time bomb. The plot is simple, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s straightforward, gets to the point, and once the volcano starts rumbling, the action doesn’t let up. The big set pieces work well, and while today’s CGI is on another level, the visuals here still hold up surprisingly well. There aren’t any big twists, but the film doesn’t need them. Brosnan plays the dedicated scientist, Hamilton shines as the tough mayor, and together they manage to make us care just enough. Sure, some side characters are underdeveloped, and it takes a little while to get going—but when it does, it’s pure disaster movie fun. What works best is the non-stop tension in the final stretch: mudslides, ash clouds, boiling lakes, explosions, narrow escapes—everything you want in a volcano movie. It’s predictable, but it’s also genuinely entertaining. Dante’s Peak doesn’t aim to be more than it is. And over time, that’s actually a strength. It’s classic disaster cinema, stripped down and effective. The kind of film you stumble upon on a lazy weekend and can’t help but watch until the end.