It’s hard to say if “benefits” is even the correct term, but this film gains something from having performers who aren’t exactly top tier and some genuinely impressive papier-mâché effects that are more likely to elicit a chuckle than genuine fear. William Leslie plays "Conway," a scientist who has created a device intended to forecast earthquakes—a potentially valuable tool for California, if only the Governor would take his warnings seriously when the machine begins indicating danger. The odd thing is, the equipment seems to be suggesting that global devastation from seismic activity is imminent, so Conway and his attractive assistant "Hutch" (Kathryn Grant) venture into extensive underground tunnels where they find a pool of molten rock on its way to the surface; if it reaches there, things don’t look good. Is there any way for them to devise a solution to halt its progress? The plot itself isn't terrible, but the presentation feels akin to something you’d see on "The Outer Limits." There is an excess of conversations and, aside from the final ten minutes when the fake rocks start falling, very little in the way of action within this studio-bound and somewhat arid science fiction story. It runs for just sixty minutes, and probably kept audiences entertained at drive-ins back in 1957, but it’s all a bit too basic on nearly every front—including the scientific basis—to hold much interest today.

Source on TMDB