This film feels like a traditional Hollywood production—the story isn’t substantial, and there's an abundance of special effects. Surprisingly, I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. In fact, I really liked it. The plot, while not complex, isn’t entirely without merit; it manages to hold together despite several moments that stretch believability. Considering its place within the genre of classic disaster movies, it's perfectly acceptable. Perhaps this is what appeals to me about the film—it's a genuinely old-fashioned disaster movie. Initially, when I read the description, I worried it would begin with an enormous apocalypse followed by a drawn-out search for Ray’s daughter. Fortunately, that isn’t the case. There's a solid build of suspense leading up to several impressive earthquake sequences… and then the story continues. I appreciated the gradual development from the start, but I was even more pleased that the initial catastrophic event wasn’t the main focus. As mentioned earlier, the plot is rather thin. However, the special effects are not lacking—I found them quite enjoyable. We see houses toppling as if everything is ending, and it's executed well. The scenes where the earth visibly wobbles during Ray and his wife’s helicopter flight were also a highlight for me; I thought that was really cool. There are moments, though, that feel somewhat carelessly conceived. For example, there’s the predictable collapsing building that falls at just the right speed to allow the heroes to complete their task. And then there's the sequence where Ray and his wife navigate through floodwaters in Los Angeles—water filled with debris. The sheer volume of trash would have likely rendered their propeller useless within a few hundred meters, but I suppose I’m overthinking it as an engineer. Regarding Ray’s wife, that was something I strongly disliked about the movie. Perhaps Hollywood directors and actors are so accustomed to portraying divorces that they consider it a standard plot device without much thought—but for those of us who live more conventional lives, it's a tragedy (especially, apparently, for audiences outside the United States, judging by the constant stream of content coming from Hollywood). I was seriously considering reducing my rating by at least one star, maybe even two, because of this element, but ultimately, it’s an enjoyable film and I like “The Rock.” So, after that little rant, I have to say that this movie was genuinely entertaining. It's one of the few films I’ve watched recently that I could recommend. It's a good, classic disaster movie with a strong build-up, impressive effects, and a satisfying, happy ending—and I always appreciate those.

Source on TMDB