As the bacchanalic atmosphere of Halloween begins to engulf, the movie buffs have quite another reason to cheer as Gerard Butler-starrer Geostorm rolls into cinemas this Friday.
A disaster film, Dean Devlin’s directorial debut chronicles a deadly storm that threatens to cripple the earth with its cataclysmic consequences, culminated on account of the malfunctioning of some climate-controlling satellites.
Whilst the high-adrenaline trailers have set the pulses racing, the release has generated palpable (and plausible) excitement. However, here are certain things you may want to know before heading to the theatres (in case you’re planning to)
Double Negative to the credits for Geostorm VFX
Being a disaster movie, visual effects form an instrumental part of Geostorm. Like Armageddon, 2012, San Andreas and many others before it, this one too is replete with depictions of monumental mass destructions, and that naturally calls for some complex yet visually enchanting VFX.
Prominent British motion picture company Double Negative have weighed in majorly with the special effects, and mind you, they look stunning!
The ginormous space satellites, cities getting washed across with massive tidal waves, the catastrophic cyclones sucking everything on its way and many more VFX-heavy scenes make up Geostorm.
Visually though, a viewer is in for a treat. Credits also to Flash Film Works, Framestore, Hydraulx, Inguenity studios, Method studios, Rising Sun Pictures and Soho VFX for their impeccable work with the effects.
Weather-control and subsequent disaster: A tried and tested concept
Climate-controlling satellites gone haywire may seem new to the ears, but it’s a concept that’s been in the movie circuit for ages and only a handful few know about this.
The first traces of it could be found as long ago as 1959 when the 25-minute documentary Eyes in Outer Space was made, wherein the Paul Frees-narrated story talked about plans of satellites not only predicting the weather, but also controlling it.
Our Man Flint (1966) soon followed suit, and in fact, even West Germany came up with a production of their own, The Noah’s Ark Principle in 1984!
The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Owning the Weather (2009) and even the Sony Pictures animation Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs that same year, are some of the movies of the Twenty First century that involve a plot identically similar to that of Geostorm.
Director Dean Devlin may have tried to stir up a new (geo) storm here, but that’s more like a storm in a tea cup.
Butler dons the saviour’s hat, again!
We may not have seen him dressing up in a superhero costume, sporting a mask and gliding through the tall skyscrapers like our Marvel and DC heroes, but Gerard Butler has regardless been there and done that.
If not exactly a superhero, Butler has donned the saviour’s hat on numerous occasions in the past. Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen, 300, Machine Gun Preacher, the upcoming Hunter Killer and many more have seen the Brit star not just leading the cast but also essaying the role of a saviour, in one way or the other.
In Geostorm too, he’s the rescue man, a former ICSS commander who’s tasked with saving the planet once the calamity strikes. Of course, he’s backed by the whole ICSS team in the noble cause, but Butler’s the man, the honcho who’ll chaperon them throughout the cataclysm.
The Avengers? Justice League? who’re they!
Geostorm – The Game
In case you didn’t know already, Sticky Studios have launched a Geostorm version of their own – the game version!
Based on the premise of the movie itself, the game however comes with its own twist as three members of the Dutch Boy project have to gather and transfer information about a rogue satellite to the International Space Station, in what is also a turn-based puzzle.
Sounds interesting?
The game comes in four chapters of which the last and concluding one will be released later this year. Available on both Android and iOS, the Geostorm game has accrued upto half a million downloads and is absolutely free to play.
So go ahead, experience the geostorm and become your own agent Jack Lawson!