‘Underrated 90s gem’ with James Bond legend on TV tonight | Films | Entertainment
The 90s disaster movie features one of Ireland’sbest-known actors, who made waves in the industry when he played the legendary James Bond – and it’s set to appear on TV tonight.
Released in 1997, this American movie features two acting legends, as Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton take on action-packed roles in what became a box office hit. Although, decades later, it seems many have forgotten about just how good the film was, according to fans, and are pleasantly surprised when they return to the story.
One viewer took to Rotten Tomatoes to say: “Very underrated 90’s gem. Despite its flaws, it’s still a wonderfully fun disaster movie with a great cast.” While another wrote: “A character-driven thriller with scientific accuracy. A rare treat in film. Add to that a great cast.”
The film follows a volcanologist named Harry Dalton, played by the ex-007 agent, and Mayor Rachel Wando, played by Linda Hamilton, as they convince the population they need to evacuate due to an eruption. They discover that a giant eruption is set to hit the area, and they need to leave immediately, except two children have gone up the mountain to find their grandmother.
It’s a race against time, as they must save these children and their grandma from the inevitable disaster before the explosion kills them. Its ash is predicted to be a million times more powerful than an atomic bomb, and everything will be wiped out; there’s no choice but to escape in time or face death.
Dante’s Peak was released just weeks before a very similar film hit cinemas, named Volcano, which also follows an eruption plotline. It saw the third collaboration of filmmaker Gale Anne Hurd and actress Linda Hamilton, who worked together on the huge hit Terminator films.
Reviewing the film, one fan wrote: “Classic 90s blockbuster with classic scoring and classic cinematography. There’s definitely a noticeable improvement of filmmaking between each decade; the scenes of this disaster film still hold up even almost 30 years later.
“Pleasant enough acting and script to keep you superficially entertained while the film builds up nicely into the main plot. I was pleasantly surprised how well the film holds up after not seeing it since the 90s when it was first released. It has always been one of those films that I never fully forgot about it.”
Another viewer commented: “Dante’s Peak (1997) stands out as a disaster film that really shines when the action kicks in. The direction keeps the tension building at a steady pace, and the payoff is worth it once the volcano finally erupts.”
Brosnan starred in the film in between his appearances on screen as the iconic James Bond, the character he played across four films from 1995 to 2002. His appearance in this film was during his prime time in Hollywood, as he starred in the likes of James Bond’s GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day.
The ‘gem’ of a film is set to appear on Film4 tonight at 6.55pm for the ideal movie night in. If you won’t be home in time, fear not; you can also rent Dante’s Peak on both Amazon Prime and Apple TV.
