The Wave

Based on what might be a real scenario, we find ourselves in a pretty Norwegian fjord town that might be in danger from a tsunami. How? Well, apparently there are millions of tons of rock precariously situated on the mountainside that are likely to eventually slide down into the water and create a monumental tidal wave. There are loads of early warning systems in place and that's lucky for geologist "Kristian" (Kristoffer Joner) and his family. His wife works in the local hotel and his children are all ready packed for their imminent move to Stavanger. The inevitable happens, and now it's a battle for survival as everyone in the town must get to higher ground else drown. Luckily there are no predatory sharks, this time, but it does rather shine a light on the effectiveness of nuclear shelters. Rather than just bomb them, just aim at a nearby lake and watch the water flood the ventilation shafts! Can they stay alive? The premiss is quite interesting, but the execution is pretty standard fayre with a lot of dialogue and some scenes of jeopardy that aren't really especially innovative - though the visual effects are quite well presented towards the conclusion. It's hardly a film you'll never remember but it passes the time OK.

Some pretty darn good CGI for a smaller budget movie. And when the two guys were stuck in the crevice while it was closing?!?! I was legitimately afraid for them. I do wish we could have experienced the wave for longer but alas … that’s the nature of a tsunami. A few seconds of action and then lots and lots of devastation. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ One of the better disaster movies overall. Straightforward, good acting, and not overwhelmed with bad CGI.

The Wave is an excellent Norwegian language disaster film. It centers on a geologist who is leaving town with his family for a better paying job. However, before he leaves, he suspects the mountain there may be in danger of imminent collapse. He has to convince his colleagues while there is still time for escape. When his worst fears come true, the town's inhabitants have 10 minutes to escape. Chaos then occurs as everyone tries to escape and the geologist tries to save his family. The movie cost over $6 million to make which is impressive considering the size of Norway. I would have expected a movie like this to cost much more. Everything seems very realistic. The actors and actresses did a tremendous job. There is a very well done scene inside a small shaft that had me trying to catch my own breath. As of the date I'm publishing this, the movie is available on Netflix in the US. It's definitely worth watching even if you have to pay for a rental or purchase (available for download from all major US providers). Don't let the fact that it is a foreign language film stop you.