Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Earthquake

Play trailer Poster for Earthquake PG 1974 2h 2m Mystery & Thriller Action Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
41% Tomatometer 34 Reviews 36% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
When a major earthquake hits Los Angeles, the various residents of the city cope with the chaos and destruction. Successful architect Stewart Graff (Charlton Heston) argues with his demanding wife, Remy Royce-Graff (Ava Gardner), as the disaster hits. Later, when he checks in on his flirtatious friend Denise Marshall (Geneviève Bujold), they begin an affair. As the personal dramas continue, the city is threatened by aftershocks and possibly even greater quakes.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Earthquake

Earthquake

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The destruction of Los Angeles is always a welcome sight, but Earthquake offers little besides big actors slumming through crumbling sets.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Pauline Kael The New Yorker 09/27/2023
Earthquake is a marathon of destruction effects, with stock characters spinning through. Go to Full Review
Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
Mark Robson's Earthquake is an excellent dramatic exploitation extravaganza, combining brilliant special effects with a multi-character plot line which is surprisingly above average for this type film. Go to Full Review
David Parkinson Time Out 01/26/2006
The special effects are of a high order as Los Angeles is razed, so it is unfortunate that the same intelligent attention is not extended to either script or direction. Go to Full Review
Ed Hayman Flint Journal Apr 6
Earthquake has a grainy, uneven texture and is the sloppiest job of editing I have ever seen in a major movie. Go to Full Review
David Sterritt Christian Science Monitor Apr 6
Some of Earthquake is startling and realistic, but most is hokey and trite. Go to Full Review
Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) 05/09/2023
Earthquake uses a gimmick, "Sensurround," which makes the theatre seem to tremble during the quake scenes. It's effective and makes about 10 minutes of the picture worth seeing. The rest is crudely-written formula melodrama that wastes an all-star cast. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Anthony S. @SpraAnt May 15 Earthquake is an interesting movie, held together by interesting ideas, but slowly coming apart at the seams with every earthquake. The plot is bare bones, an accent to the films liberal use of practical effects. This film is classic Hollywood at its best and worst. Big name actors holding together a thin script with sheer grit and determination. Supported by a suprising number of unexepected guest stars. They try to rope in some scandalous or suprising elements to elevate some scenes but they work to varying degrees. Overall though, I think I would have come away alot happier had the ending been more satisfying. I think it was one of those things where it sounded alot better on paper, but was much more difficult to execute. This is a film for those who are fan of practical effects, and people showing off their acting chops while in the thick of it. It doesn't always work, might not always make sense, but it is a fine flick to watch to pass the time. See more Joel H @RT47793553 May 12 I can see why Earthquake made seismic waves at the box office when it was released. However, now that a few decades have passed, this movie’s façade has begun to crumble. While many of the visual effects are well done, it’s fairly obvious when miniatures or matte paintings are being used. And the once all-star cast isn’t as impressive since the actors aren’t really well-known anymore. I also felt like the few forced moments of humor were completely out of place in this otherwise dramatic film. There were a few terrifying moments, but overall, I didn’t find Earthquake to be that groundbreaking. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Feb 17 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Ed . @RT01276001 Aug 22 I remember liking this movie years ago, but either it or I haven't aged well. The special effects are of its day, but the post-quake Los Angeles landscape is so obviously 1940s or 50s (or 30s?) back lot. Ava Gardner is a legend, but one wouldn't know it from this film. Her undecipherable accent should have received a separate paycheck. It's hard to care for any of the characters, except perhaps Lorne Greene, Walter Matthau and the landlord of that boarding house, who needed to learn how to better screen his tenants. See more Blu B @RT43513976 09/23/2024 Standard disaster movie fare especially for 70's one. Worst part is the editing which in the first half is outright terrible but gets better in the seond half. It's still not that good though overall. It jumps around terribly and each story really has no consequnece on the main plot at all. Stuff just happens and the earthquake happens no matter if you take one or all of these subplots out. Everything else is just alright about it. Very forgettable soundtrack and boring. Everyone is pretty one dimensional stock characters. Even Heston who were lead to believe is the main hero is forgotten about for long strectches. This does get a bit more exciting and somewhat frantic when the earhtquake happens and the destruction/rescue occurs though. But man the first 50 minutes are boring. The destruction is actually pretty good honestly and the sets look pretty cool too so it does have that going for it. It does just sort of end though. Besides that, yeah not much else to say. If you you've seen one disaster movie especially one of the better ones from this era than you've seen them all. This isn't one of them though. Skip It. See more Gabriel A @RT08135192 09/19/2024 It's a very good film, great visual effects considering the year (1974), and good acting characters too. I mean, it's pure entertaining, don't expect more. See more Read all reviews
Earthquake

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Earthquake

Movieclips: John Williams: 11 Incredible Themes Movieclips: John Williams: 11 Incredible Themes 27:14 Earthquake: Official Clip - The Dam Bursts Earthquake: Official Clip - The Dam Bursts 2:37 Earthquake: Official Clip - Pantyhose Drop Earthquake: Official Clip - Pantyhose Drop 2:51 Earthquake: Official Clip - The Tunnel Flood Earthquake: Official Clip - The Tunnel Flood 2:15 Earthquake: Official Clip - Livewires and Rushing Water Earthquake: Official Clip - Livewires and Rushing Water 2:30 Earthquake: Official Clip - Hanging on by a Thread Earthquake: Official Clip - Hanging on by a Thread 3:11 Earthquake: Official Clip - Destroying Los Angeles Earthquake: Official Clip - Destroying Los Angeles 4:46 Earthquake: Official Clip - The Earthquake Strikes Earthquake: Official Clip - The Earthquake Strikes 3:43 Earthquake: Official Clip - Psycho Soldier Earthquake: Official Clip - Psycho Soldier 2:52 Earthquake: Official Clip - Cop vs. Soldier Earthquake: Official Clip - Cop vs. Soldier 2:47 View more videos
Charley Varrick 82% 83% Charley Varrick Watchlist Escape From Alcatraz 97% 85% Escape From Alcatraz Watchlist TRAILER for Escape From Alcatraz Family Plot 90% 62% Family Plot Watchlist The Hindenburg 31% 39% The Hindenburg Watchlist Rollercoaster 53% 49% Rollercoaster Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis When a major earthquake hits Los Angeles, the various residents of the city cope with the chaos and destruction. Successful architect Stewart Graff (Charlton Heston) argues with his demanding wife, Remy Royce-Graff (Ava Gardner), as the disaster hits. Later, when he checks in on his flirtatious friend Denise Marshall (Geneviève Bujold), they begin an affair. As the personal dramas continue, the city is threatened by aftershocks and possibly even greater quakes.
Director
Mark Robson
Producer
Bernard Donnenfeld
Screenwriter
George Fox, Mario Puzo
Production Co
Universal Pictures, The Filmakers Group
Rating
PG
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Action, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 15, 1974, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Runtime
2h 2m