2020 (2017) User Reviews

Shockwave: Not actually terrible

[Platypuschow · 5/10 · 28 September 2018]

Shockwave: Countdown to Disaster is another of those films that will be repeated on the Scyfy channel for years to come.

It tells the story of a super weapon that has been set off and is burrowing through earth causing rampant eartquakes that are gradually tearing the world apart.

It's your usual generic cliched to hell disaster movie stuff that has every trope going. A goverment who don't listen to the warnings, an estranged couple who are both experts in this particular field, the whiney kid of the estranged couple, every country getting destroyed but it being the US who save the day etc etc etc.

CGI is average, performances are slightly above average and the plot is a combination of fairly good and really quite terrible. It get's weirdly dark in places, has your standard filler middle and sickly sweet finale.

For what it is it's actually above par, against your average film however and it's still a mess.

The Good:

Has its moments

One great comedic relief character

The Bad:

Same ol', same ol'

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Once you've seen one of these movies you have literally seen them all

Bad and they knew it.

[jasonsalmon-52014 · 3/10 · 31 January 2018]

I get that a lot of people grew up watching scifi movies and have these big grand ideas that they think will make next great scifi movie, you can skimp on the special effects if you take that into account when planning out the film, you can skimp on the actor rates if you spend more time finding the right unknowns, but when aim high with the effects but don't have the budget, when you aim for sexy and talented actors but only have enough budget for one and you choose sexy and when you have a director that really overestimates their vision you end up with lame movies like this, you knew this film was lame and that's why you bought the 500 7,8 and 9 rating votes on here. Next time just put all your effort into making an engaging and immersive story, then find the most talented actors you can get with your budget, then and only then if you have money left do you go for the sexy and the flashy explosions. Overall I give it a 3/10, It would have been a 2 but I just feel sorry for the people involved so I added one.

Not smarter than a 5th grader in SFX or screenplay.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 4/10 · 31 January 2018]

Nick Lyon's bio reads he's an award winning director. What award lol? Camera directing was OK, but him directing his actors was terrible, and although all C-grade actors, I blame the director for the amateur directing of his actors as seen through his camera.

Even though the screenplay was atrocious by novice Blaine Chiappetta, at least the story concept from the writers was interesting, although some obvious plot issues could have been avoided. The producers should have invested in an experienced screenwriter to portray the story better.

Then there's the in-your-face terrible 1980's SFX. My 12 year old can create better effects with his cell phone apps! How hard is it in this day and age to find some SFX/VFX final-year student with skills (so many out there) that would have created 10x better effects - probably for free just to have their name in the credits? They were way too obvious and took a lot away from the film.

I know this was a low budget film, but any money should have been allocated in better areas and then maybe this would have been a 7 or an 8+. It's a generous 4/10 from me, as I've seen much worse.

Changing the title of this movie, won't make it better

[davidjen-92491 · 2/10 · 24 September 2020]

Somehow, this movie is worse than 2020. Is it over yet? Seriously, clean out your sock drawer instead.

I normaly watch any sci-fi but this is painfully bad !

[headtagsniper · 1/10 · 14 April 2018]

This film is really bad, the special effects seem to be made my someone with their pocket calculator and the script is just sad with no scientific facts what so ever, and my dog can act better !

I never write reviews but I had to warn people of the scam that this film is and the 6 star rating is fake !!!!!!!!!

Ignore the fake voting

[pubquiz · 1/10 · 4 November 2019]

This is so bad it should have gone straight to Audio 0 / 10

One star is tooooo high for the CRAP

[pubquiz · 1/10 · 28 January 2019]

I've seen better acting on daytime soap opera's from Australia Ignore the fake ratings AVOID AT ALL COST!!!

Because they deserve it

[Snootz · 1/10 · 31 January 2018]

I'm rating this one star for very obviously gaming the IMDB rating system. Anyone well-acquainted with this system can spot fake rating stats almost immediately. 800+ "high" ratings. However of those 800+ ratings we find only 3 reviews... and all of them negative. I would tend to believe those 3 reviews more than the 800 questionably high ratings.

I've said it before and will say again: If you have to fake your own ratings, you've already failed... and not just in film making.

typical low budget movie

[tony_allen-66636 · 2/10 · 1 February 2018]

Not up to much for me but if you like fake superimposed explosions it might be your thing. As above review states I feel its sad the review system is fixed as certainly does not deserve an 8?!

It only can be a lost bet !

[emmanuel49300 · 1/10 · 3 September 2018]

Every physician will tell you : only a trepanation can lead to such writing, directing, acting, "specialeffecting" ... Or it is the result of a collective lost bet !! Whatever it is, don't waste your time with that ... sorry I can't find an appropriate word for that piece of s..t

Is not all that bad :)

[asage19 · 6/10 · 23 February 2022]

I've seen soooo much worse disaster movies.

This one isn't great, but it's not all bad. The annoying kid is not revolting, there's a funny character for comic relief, the special effects are tolerable.

You know what you're getting, and it delivers. Explosions! Fires! Earthquakes! Did I mention explosions? :D Best of all, we get to see spots around the world exploding - the really bad ones don't do that, they seem to centre on Small Town, U. S. A., which is really annoying.

This is a fine timewaster. We know we're not getting some expensive Hollywood production (and some of those have been pretty bad, eh?).

Umm...

[jpzphilly · 1/10 · 17 August 2018]

Arguably the WORST movie ever made. I almost vomited all over myself from how painful it was. If the actors were paid anything more than a Snickers Bar I'd be absolutely shocked

Man, that was soooo... bad...

[turnedgood · 1/10 · 31 January 2018]

What else can i say? It was so bad it almost make me cry...

I'm not talking about effects and stuff, I'm talking about acting. Well, actually, not acting at all...

It reminded me of my school years, school theater and all. That bad!

Maybe it has to do with the script, the dialogs. I mean, even the best actor in the world cannot actually act on a very-very bad script...

Not more to say. A total waste of time

Beyond rubbish! Honestly this film is not! 5 stars, its fake voting!

[rbarden-53599 · 1/10 · 29 May 2018]

This film is so bad, I don't even know where to start, the terrorist on the 50 cal. mounted gun was actually shaking the gun to create the effect of shooting and his teeth were bleached, they all seem to be retarded, the sfx remind me of old computer games, and there is no logic what so ever.

I thing the director likes volcanoes, tornadoes, earthquakes, girls and shooting so lets just put them all at the same time .. that should make a good film ..

Honestly this film is not !! 5 stars, its fake voting

Below average

[uhanif100 · 2/10 · 4 June 2021]

Poor acting and same old plot disaster graphics are also bad.

A disastrous shocker

[TheLittleSongbird · 2/10 · 31 March 2018]

The story concept may have sounded unoriginal, but there was something oddly intriguing about it. Have an appreciation for action and science fiction, good to classic films in both categories, and they have been known to gel very well together as well. Expectations were not enormous for 'Shockwave', having seen some really bad concept wastes and terrible examples recently of action and sci-fi individually and together, but part of me was hoping that it would somehow work and rise above any such limitations.

No such luck. First things off, there are definitely worse films out there than 'Shockwave', of both genres individually and together and overall. It's not even one of the worst low-budget films or worst concept wastes seen recently, and boy have there been a lot. My conflicted feelings and fears before watching proved not to be irrational for a film that mostly lives up to the words "shock" and "disaster".

Being a fair reviewer trying to see the good in bad or disappointing films, who actually hates giving out low ratings and writing negative reviews, the camera work is okay and the scenery likewise. To me the good qualities end there however.

'Shockwave' is sloppily edited and drably lit which does make it to completely appreciate the good things. The sound and scoring are intrusive, over-obvious and look cheap even.

Despite some degree of initial promise, the story is silly and predictable with no tension or suspense. Some of it takes itself too seriously too. The action is unexcitingly choreographed, contains the worst of the sloppy editing and generally just looks laboured and silly. The sci fi is confused, utter gibberish, less than thrilling and ridiculous, the lack of research is obvious and there is an improvisatory feel at times it felt.

Worst of all are the effects, direction and script. The effects are awful beyond description, even for low-budget. The direction shows someone ill at ease, or more unfamiliar, with the material and even more so someone who had no idea how to direct the film or what to do with it. It really does compromise the acting, which never rises above mediocre throughout. Not surprising with such amateurish direction and a completely witless and cheese and awkwardness laden script.

Overall, saying that 'Shockwave' is very bad is being kind. 2/10 Bethany Cox

Weak and amateurish

[pietclausen · 3/10 · 4 November 2019]

Don't bother about this movie. A home movie could have made a more professional product. This one has a poor script, bad acting, and a ridiculous plot.

Many other movies with a ridiculous plot can be fun to watch if it is well made, but this one isn't one of those.

Typically bad

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 9 July 2020]

SHOCKWAVE: COUNTDOWN TO DISASTER is another extremely low budget disaster flick that looks and feels like an independent production. It features a mish-mashed storyline tying together three popular scenarios from this genre, from a ruthless organisation intent on profiting at the expense of mankind, to an estranged family caught up in natural disasters, to some terrorists who've stolen a top secret weapon with the ability to manufacture destruction. None of it gels and it looks and feels quite awful, with cheesy scripting and acting from an unfamiliar cast ill-at-ease with the material. The disaster scenes themselves are limited to a handful of lacklustre CGI shots, and it's all been done better elsewhere.

I Get So Nervous When I'm Around You...

[wandernn1-81-683274 · 3/10 · 8 March 2022]

Seriously? Another movie with a title change? Listed as '2020' on Imdb but listed as 'Shockwave: Countdown To Disaster' on Amazon. Okay well that's what this movie is, a Countdown To Disaster.

I did love the carnage however and seeing cities burning. Especially New York City. Lotta love for NYC burning. LOL, so funny when the helicoptor is just casually cruising so low that the multiple 'shock explosions' of terrain get it in a blast. WoW. So cheesey. Who writes this???

And the daughter of the scientist dressed in like...volleyball player shorts the whole movie. She gets knocked down like 40 times in the movie but always manages to land on her butt, otherwise her knees and legs would be goop.

Anyways, thankfully it ended! 3/10.

Bad Bad Bad !

[pattie7459 · 1/10 · 7 August 2020]

Sorry do they actually spend money to make this drivel ? Maybe I didn't give it a chance after turning it off after 15 mins - too excruciating to watch , hoped it might get better .....but NO .

Waste Of Time And Data

[shivamsiliconion · 1/10 · 8 May 2020]

A Disaster Movie about Disaster .. A Third Class Vfx . Don't waste your time

Interesting cover, but lacking interesting contents...

[paul_haakonsen · 2/10 · 9 December 2022]

Right, well I can't exactly claim that I was harboring any high hopes for this 2017 disaster movie titled "Shockwave" from writers Blaine Chiappetta, Rafael Jordan and Ari Novak. Sure, the movie's cover was rather interesting, but then again, they tend to be that way and the contents are rubbish when it comes to the majority of disaster-based movies. But still, I opted to give "Shockwave" the benefit of the doubt, and it might actually be a surprisingly good disaster movie.

But no, it wasn't a good movie. The storyline in "Shockwave" was very generic for a disaster movie, but that is something I can manage to endure, as many disaster movies follow the same formula. But it was the lack of common sense in the storytelling, the atrocious special effects and the lack of realism in the movie that made "Shockwave" into an abysmal movie experience.

Director Nick Lyon was on wobbly ground here with "Shockwave", because the writers definitely hadn't provided him with much of anything solid to work with. The storyline was laughable and insanely generic, the character gallery was bland and forgettable, and the special effects were so bad that they indeed were 'special' effects. Not to mention the somewhat wooden, rigid and toe-curling acting performances.

And don't we just love these localized disaster movies? You know, where all the mayhem and destruction seem to be narrowed down on following a select group of people. Yeah, "Shockwave" was one such movie.

90 minute of this ordeal was bordering on more than what should be endured, but I stuck with "Shockwave", hoping that the movie would improved. It just never did. As it is with the majority of disaster movies actually. In fact, the best thing about "Shockwave" was actually the movie's cover.

My rating of "Shockwave" lands on a two out of ten stars.

Catastrophe-movie, literally!

[RodrigAndrisan · 11 November 2018]

The kind of movie you want to end up as soon as possible, that you can see something else or do something else, anything else. The acting is not bad but the story is. Script deja-vu in many other sub-productions of the same sub-genre.

Unbelievably bad!

[khuthadzomasindi · 1/10 · 28 March 2021]

Waste of time. Acting is really poor and everything else is just so bad!!!

So bad it's almost good!

[angela_dezille-78956 · 1/10 · 24 March 2021]

This has to be , hands down, the worst disaster film I have ever seen. It was so bad, it prompted me to join just so I could write a review!!!! I laughed my entire way through! The extremely poor CGI kept me watching. Not laughed so much in ages!!!!