Dwayne Johnson’s $474M Disaster Movie San Andreas Gets Torn Apart by Experts

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Dwayne Johnson consistently stars in commercially successful movies. While a 2015 film of his drew criticism from scientists for its accuracy, it still performed well with audiences.

Dwayne Johnson surprised audiences in 2025 with his performance in the biographical film The Smashing Machine, showcasing his range as an actor. However, a decade earlier, he starred in the disaster movie San Andreas. When Vanity Fair had experts assess the realism of disaster films, San Andreas didn’t rank highly.

Environmental scientists Morgan Page, Michael Angove, and Peter Gleick analyzed how natural disasters are portrayed in films such as 2012, The Day After Tomorrow, and Twister. In a discussion starting around the 45-second mark, the experts focused on a scene from San Andreas where Dwayne Johnson’s character, Ray Gaines—a helicopter rescue pilot—realizes something is amiss when the water begins to pull back.

Angove, who manages tsunami preparedness, confirmed that the concern about a tsunami was valid. He explained that strong shaking, like what they just experienced, often precedes tsunamis when it occurs near water. The movie centers around a major earthquake caused by the San Andreas Fault, which causes widespread destruction along the West Coast.

The film’s depiction of the tsunami isn’t entirely realistic, according to the expert. They explained that a wave of that size requires a very specific and powerful type of underwater earthquake – one that doesn’t occur in that part of the Pacific Ocean.

According to Morgan Page, a geophysicist specializing in earthquakes, the location of the San Andreas Fault makes it less likely to generate tsunamis.

Angove summed up, “This way, the way it’s depicted, you can safely scratch off the list.”

Peter Gleick, an expert in water and climate, pointed out that disaster movies often destroy the Golden Gate Bridge. The filmmakers had to address this trope, but ultimately decided a similar destruction in their film wasn’t believable.

Despite the Unrealistic Approach, San Andreas Was a Hit

Dwayne Johnson has consistently appeared in highly profitable films. One example is a recent disaster movie that Warner Bros. distributed. Made for $110 million, the film earned over $474.6 million worldwide, making it a major financial success, according to Box Office Mojo.

Despite receiving mixed reviews, the film San Andreas still garnered attention. While critics found fault with the storyline and characters, Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino both received positive feedback. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a low 48% score from critics and a 52% audience score, indicating generally negative reception for both groups.

Brad Peyton directed the disaster film, written by Carlton Cuse. San Andreas brought Dwayne Johnson and Peyton together again, following their collaboration on Journey 2: The Mysterious Island in 2012. The film featured a strong cast including Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, and Paul Giamatti. There were discussions about a sequel, but plans never came to fruition.

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2025-12-19 22:46