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Scorcher

Entry updated 10 February 2017. Tagged: Film.

Film (2002). Cinetel Films, Inc. Directed by James Seale. Written by Steve Latshaw, Rebecca Morrison, Graham Winter. Cast includes Mark Dacascos, Rutger Hauer, Rayne Marcus and John Rhys-Davies. 91 minutes. Colour.

Geothermal activity suddenly threatens the planet with imminent incineration unless the Pacific tectonic plate's movement is halted by nuclear blasts detonated directly below the centre of Los Angeles. A team of soldiers goes into the city to set up the bombs, and though they are mainly killed in nonsensical crises, in the end the world is saved.

Scorcher is a low budget imitation of other disaster films that were themselves B movies. It may have been rushed into production to cash in on the advance publicity for The Core (2003). Scorcher is mainly notable for using footage from more expensive films whenever the story calls for shots that would require special effects. For example, the destruction of Los Angeles has passages that appear identical to parts of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Dante's Peak (1997). Off-putting monologues that extol the virtues of real-world products detract even further from the film's entertainment value. [JN]

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