Tidal Wave: No Escape (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

George Miller

Writers (WGA):

Tedi Sarafian (story)
Tedi Sarafian (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

5 May 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

When brutal tidal waves suddenly destroy many coastal communities in a short period of time, John Wahl...

Plot Keywords:

Tidal Wave | Disaster

Cast

Corbin Bernsen	...	John Wahl
Julianne Phillips	...	Jessica Weaver
Gregg Henry	...	Edgar Purcell
Larry Brandenburg	...	Frank Brisick
Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs	...	Marlan Clark (as Lawrence Hilton Jacobs)
Harve Presnell	...	Stanley Schiff
Aki Aleong	...	Dr. Agamo
Gene Wolande	...	Jules Benard
Lance Wilson-White	...	Chick (as Lance Wilson White)
Cheryl Francis Harrington	...	Nurse
David Fabrizio	...	Radio Officer
Stephen Bridgewater	...	Workman (as Stephen Wesley Bridgewater)
Teddy Lane Jr.	...	Paramedic
Andrew Walker	...	Lab Technician
Clint Lilley	...	Sniper

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Hallmark Entertainment

Goofs:

Continuity: When Wahl is in Schiff's Sail Loft we see the red digital clock in the background count down to 3:56. The camera then zooms in on the clock which has reset to 4:16.

Movie Connections:

Version of "Killer Wave" (2007)

The Special Effects Were The Best And Worst Parts Of This Movie.

Tidal Wave: No Escape begins with two tidal waves or tsunamis which seemingly coincidentally strike one after the other. One in Japan and one in the U.S. It is later learned that they were most likely man made and it soon becomes apparent when the man behind the waves demands 1 billion dollars. The only question to those in the movie, who are constantly pointing their fingers at the wrong guy, is who is really causing the tidal waves and how? We, the viewers, are let in on the perpetrator pretty early, so very little guess work is involved for us. This is more of a sit back and enjoy the special effects without using your brain type of movie.

Speaking of the special effects, how can they be so good and so bad at the same time? The tidal waves themselves were awesome. Having never even seen a picture of a real tidal wave before it crashes, this looked pretty realistic to me. So how they managed to create a giant wave that wreaks havoc through a few cities and why they need an obvious blue screen on other shots make the movie so horribly sub-par.

Corbin Bernsen, Julianne Phillips and Gregg Henry star here, but that really does not matter. The movie and these roles were so one dimensional, that nearly anyone could have played them. Gregg Henry should have steered clear entirely because he is a better actor than required here, as he displayed in Payback. This is definitely one for the special effects only. 6/10