Skyfire (2019) User Reviews

A good fast-paced volcanic ride...

[paul_haakonsen · 6/10 · 12 February 2021]

Well, this was actually an enjoyable disaster movie. I hadn't even heard about it before now in 2021 when I sat down to watch it. And I must admit that I didn't really know what to expect from the movie, so writers Wei Bu and Sidney King had every opportunity to impress me and entertain me.

And they certainly did that, because "Skyfire" turned out to be an enjoyable disaster movie, much akin to "Volcano" or "2012". So if you enjoy those kind of movies, then you most certainly will also like "Skyfire".

Sure, the movie's storyline and script was fairly predictable, if not actually generic in terms of what you'd expect from a disaster movie. But still, director Simon West managed to make it into an enjoyable journey nonetheless.

Visually then I must admit that I was definitely impressed with the effects and CGI in this 2019 movie. I do like it when disaster movies have proper CGI and special effects to carry the movie and make it presentable in an enjoyable and realistic manner. And the special effects team definitely did that with "Skyfire".

Some of the events that took place throughout the course of the movie. I mean, such as the flying chucks of molten lava that miraculously also manage to strike very close where the protagonists of the movie tend to be at any given moment in the course of the story, or the fact that a certain person was struck by a flying molten rock just as the person was waving good bye. It is stuff like that which makes for stupid moments in disaster movies, and "Skyfire" does have its share of such moments.

I found "Skyfire" to be a fast paced movie, and director Simon West did manage to keep the movie flowing at a great pace from the beginning and right up to the end.

My rating of "Skyfire" lands on a six out of ten stars. I was wholeheartedly entertained by this disaster movie. And I can warmly recommend that you sit down to watch it, should you have the chance, and especially so if you enjoy disaster movies.

Decent movie from China

[ssjsolidsnake · 6/10 · 25 November 2020]

Good movie from China, gives the same vibes as Jurassic world without the dinosaurs. CGI is well done and I was waiting for the obvious hollywood trope at some point but it never happened, good change of that, a nice surprise. It's a cool disaster movie to watch with the family and I really hope they make more of them.

Brilliantly silly disaster B movie

[luckybuccaneer · 6/10 · 13 March 2021]

Unbelievably silly, totally preposterous and absolutely brilliant! The terminator of volcanos that just keeps throwing everything at them. Who cares how ridiculous it is, it's got great CGI and some really great stunt work. Just sit back while you and the family are munching into your Saturday night take away and revel in it.

Nice discardable disaster movie

[carlos-pires · 3/10 · 28 January 2021]

If you discount the usual PRC propaganda undertones present in most Chinese movies (with the usual greedy western white villain), this is a nice disaster movie. The Chinese have always been experts in action movies, and this is no exception. Action and suspense are masterfully produced all through the movie, but you will get nothing else here. Characters and dialog are mostly silly, with the usual over the top drama, which can make for an added layer of involuntary comedy.

By no means perfect, but my high rating due to the entertainment level it provides.

[paulclaassen · 7/10 · 28 November 2020]

Tianhuo Island is as beautiful as a paradise. It almost makes people forget that it is located in the "Ring of Fire" the world-famous Pacific Rim volcanic belt. The volcano erupted, and the fate of the people in the island was entangled.

Well, I've seen my share of volcano movies (of which 'Dante's Peak' and 'Flight Crew' are my favorites, and 'Pompeii' my least favorite), so I was very excited to watch this.

The first thing that grabbed me, was the beautiful score - sweeping, melodic, epic. Then the stunning cinematography and amazing visuals. This film truly LOOKS amazing on screen. This is the type of movie I'd watch for the scenery and cinematography alone.

'Skyfire' felt like a 'Jurassic World' sequel - without the Dinosaurs, off course. From the setting to the disaster element reminded me of 'Jurassic World'. The characters and their back stories are pretty basic, but lets face it, we're not here to analyze characters, are we? We watch these films to marvel at the destruction scenes and be thrilled by action and chaos that ensues in the wake of a volcanic eruption.

The film was like a silky smooth chocolate on my palate, satisfying every craving. 'Skyfire' takes the viewer on a roller coaster ride from the very beginning. The action and suspense never lets up. This is an impressively well made film that never ceases to amaze, and there really never is a dull moment.

My biggest critique would be the acting. Hannah Quinlivan, especially, wasn't strong enough to portray the film's hero, Meng Li. We needed someone who could do for this film what Angelina Jolie did for 'Tomb Raider', or Kate Beckinsale for 'Underworld'. They are powerhouse performers who did the characters justice. Possibly the biggest issue is the fact that directors use too little practical effects nowadays, so actors have very little to work with.

Despite loads of improbabilities, this was a hell of a fun movie; exciting, thrilling and very well made. This might just rank among my favorite disaster movies - certainly on an entertainment level!

DUBBED MOVIES SUCK!

[kimbo009 · 4/10 · 10 August 2021]

I was in the mood for an action-filled, silly-but-fun disaster movie tonight, and this was exactly that--except to my deep disappointment, it was dubbed. Every dubbed film I have ever seen ruins the film with terrible translations that make dialog provokingly inane and the film hard to watch. I like hearing the original language, and the actual voices of the actors, and besides the terrible translations, the acting of the dubbing voices are much worse! I once had the misfortune to see a dubbed version of Crouching Tiger on cable, and I was horrified that even that exquisitely beautiful, sad film was reduced to a farce, with laughable, horrendous dialog and acting. I wish the Skyfire version I saw on Crackle tonight had had subtitles; it would surely have been less ludicrous.

Ah, well. In addition to the many special effects, it would seem that young lovers can swim underwater (with no diving tanks) and hold their breath for at least half an hour...! I wish I could do that.

Popcorn flick

[pharmaman-37312 · 7/10 · 23 November 2020]

Ok, the story is a bit simple, but it's a nice popcorn disaster movie

bad premise

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 21 June 2020]

As a child, Meng Li and her father barely survive a volcano eruption but her mother is not so lucky. Despite that, she grows up to continue her mother's work as a young woman researching volcano and even working under reckless entrepreneur Jack Harris (Jason Isaacs) who has built a resort on a volcanic island.

This is a stupid premise. You're telling me that he built a resort on the side of a smoking volcano. Worst than that, you're telling me that people are willing to pay to stay there. Sometimes, people want to do a day trip to get a selfie in the crater but they're not having a restful night's sleep on top of a volcano. For this premise to work, the volcano needs to present itself as dormant but secretly active. Meng Li needs to be the outsider trying to warn the establishment of the danger. The premise is all wrong. I do like the possibilities within the father-daughter relationship. As for the CGI action, some of it looks relative good but some it looks fake. I can't give this a passing grade.

Entertaining

[dhanisingh-40445 · 7/10 · 25 December 2020]

What a pleasant surprise. This is a gem. The movie is set in the present on a futuristic park but has that good old fashioned action adventure feel to it. Very refreshing. Highly recommended.

Silly Popcorn Movie

[the_nephilim71 · 4/10 · 26 November 2020]

This movie is unintentionally funny with it's totally impossible stunts to what I assume are mix ups in language translation. Jason Isaacs was excellent, as usual.

Loved it.

[jewelch · 8/10 · 15 April 2021]

If you like disaster films like 2012 and The Day After Tomorrow, this is a film you will love. Special effects are on par with Hollywood but the acting in many cases was better as there was no pandering to egos. Ignore the fact it's subtitled and watch it. James Welch Henderson Arkansas. 4/12/21.

what......

[sfr-83919 · 7/10 · 21 January 2021]

... the heck did i just watch?! That was totally crazy. Imagine San Andreas with Dwayne Johnson, but on a pound of steroids. This was WAY over the top. If you go in expecting a completely ridiculous but VERY well done film, it's an easy 7. If you expect Oscar performances, it's a 3. I literally spat out my drink, TWICE!

Jurassic World and Dante's Peak had a baby

[lojitsu · 5/10 · 21 September 2021]

Here's The Lowedown on "Skyfire" (NR - 2019 - Blu)

Genre: Thriller/Disaster My Score: 5.4

Cast=4 Acting=4 Plot=5 Ending=7 Story=4 Intense=7 Pace=6 Suspense=4 Disaster=8 F/X=5

A seemingly dormant volcanic island becomes the site of a resort, using the energy of the mountain to power everything. But what would happen if this woke up the volcano?

"I'm not leaving this island...until we're done." It was like Jurassic World and Dante's Peak had a baby that tried to coast on its genetics. As a disaster movie junkie, there were parts I liked. Look for some cheesy CGI and bad acting, but then you get some crazy stunts that may keep you going for another few minutes. It's not a horrible watch...but it's not worth hunting for.

Skyfire

[henry8-3 · 4/10 · 26 February 2021]

Zillionaire Isaacs has built a resort right next to volcano that previously killed the mother of Quinlivan, who is staying there as she now looks to introduce a new system to monitor volcanoes.

Incredibly cheesy with a very 70s script and barely an original idea on show. It is though impressive to look at and sometimes pretty exciting albeit the messes the guys get into and then out of do seem to stretch the disaster movie rule book rather thinly.

More than just another volcano/disaster movie. Excellent and intense film with lots of great effects, emotion, and action, for both entertainment and positive ethical messages

[Mivas_Greece · 7/10 · 27 February 2021]

Disaster movie from China. The central idea is an active volcano which erupts not once but twice during the film. From the beginning the film takes us to the volcano area and to the suspense, starting very promising with the first eruption of the volcano and with emotion. It continues the story where years later, the volcano area becomes a theme park and tourist resort/attraction, and all the scenery of the Volcano Park is strongly reminiscent of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. Wonderful all the scenography and directing with excellent effects, background music, great acting performances by all and a film with fast pace, intense suspense and abundant action, while despite its short duration, the central protagonists and their characters develop quite well. A scenario that holds the interest of the watcher from start to finish, and lacks nothing as it has plenty of suspense, action, romance, lots of plot twists and a lot of emotion. Good example of Chinese cinema, although apparently influenced by the American in effects, continues to give examples of morals with positive messages but also a lot of emotion. I would like even more duration personally, but even during this time, it has everything that this particular central idea of the volcano and Volcano Park could have. It's recommended to everyone.

7.5/10 from me

What a waste of money!

[janetford8 · 2/10 · 17 February 2021]

It was so far fetched it was ridiculous. A girl running around with no shoes on through ashes and lava - no way! I'm regretting spending £5.49 on it

Chinese catastrophe flick Hollywood fashion

[redtiago · 6/10 · 1 December 2021]

Chinese catastrophe film in Hollywood fashion. But it doesn't fall short of american movies. It's far from brilliant, but it's entertaining, and within the genre, despite the usual exagger and the banal family dramas, it's pretty reasonable.

I recommend it to fans of this genre of films.

Even the subtitles were bad

[jonbecca · 1/10 · 12 April 2021]

This is probably one of the worst movies I have seen in a long time. Even the subtitles were poorly executed, random and out of sync.

Disaster movie

[zardoz-13 · 7/10 · 5 July 2021]

If disaster movies reveal anything about mankind, they display our contempt for Mother Nature. Emotions run rampant and pandemonium rules in the extravagant Chinese disaster epic "Skyfire" after a volcano erupts without warning, stampeding thousands of panic-stricken people, and virtually destroys a tropical island paradise. Disaster movies are predictable, and British director Simon West and scribes Wei Bu and Sidney King observe all the usual cliches while they dazzle us with plunging fireballs etching smoke trails across the skies and cliffhanger heroics involving daredevils hanging on by sheer tenacity. The stunning CGI visual effects will keep your eyes riveted as gray smoke clouds billow, searing orange magma boils down hillsides like terrestrial streams, and those inevitable fireballs make craters out of whatever lays in their path, while screaming people scramble for sanctuary. "Skyfire" evokes memories of the Irwin Allen disaster epic "When Time Ran Out" (1980), with Paul Newman, William Holden, and Jacqueline Bisset, where a volcano incinerated a South Pacific resort. "Dante's Peak" (1997) starring Pierce Brosnan & Linda Hamilton as well as "Volcano" (1997) with Tommy Lee Jones were the last major contemporary American volcano catastrophe epics. Mind you, little has changed since them or even Paul W. S. Anderson's historical hokum "Pompeii" (2014) with Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Kiefer Sutherland. You can find worse ways to waste 97 minutes than watching this unrated film toplining Jason Isaacs as a treacherous western entrepreneur and Taiwanese-Australian actress Hannah Quinlivan as a vulcanologist with daddy issues. Interestingly, "Skyfire" is tainted with any ulterior Chinese Communist political propaganda, unlike the recent Jackie Chan thriller "Vanguard." The blistering "Skyfire" prologue alienates a father and his daughter. Chinese vulcanologist Tao (Xueqi Wang) is working at a base camp on the Pacific Island of Tianhuo in the shadow of an enormous volcano. Belching fire and ash, the volcano erupts and disperses flaming meteors like an artillery barrage. Meanwhile, Tao's wife Sue (Alice Rietveld) and their young daughter, Meng Li (newcomer Bee Rogers), lurk in the field, near the volcano when it rumbles to life. Jumping into a truck, Tao careens off to rescue them. Although Tao's daughter caught a ride on a fleeing dump truck, Sue is pulverized by a sizzling chunk of rock. Afterward, Tao explains the Tianhuo volcano eruption lasted a mere twenty minutes, dispersing death and destruction across the island, compared to the 12-hour Pompeii eruption. At this point, Tao laments the construction of a luxury resort park not only on the island, but also featuring an elevator that lowers spectators into the mouth of the volcano. Naturally, Tao criticizes the industrialist, Jack Harris (Jason Isaacs of "Black Hawk Down"), for erecting the resort. The man who built this resort. Since the tragic death of his wife, Tao has been estranged from his daughter, Meng (Hannah Quinlivan of "Skyscraper"), who has grown up and become a vulcanologist, too.

Meantime, Harris is embarking on Phase 2 of his resort, and his wife and he give investors a tour, while tourists teem into the premises. Harris cites the usual objection, "Only a lunatic would build a world-class resort on a ticking time bomb of molten earth." Nevertheless, Harris projects Phase 2 will make him debt-free. He appeals to these investors with statistics: "Ten-thousand visitors a month representing hundreds of millions of dollars a year." Of course, he classifies 'danger' as the prime incentive for visitors. "Because today's tourists want to live life on the edge." Suddenly, the paradise that Harris has created turns literally into Dante's Inferno, and he must supervise the evacuation. Sadly, many of those thrill seekers die gruesome deaths in their haste to leave the island hellhole. No sooner has Tao warned his colleagues about the impending disaster than he flies to the resort to bring his rebellious daughter back before she cremates herself. Predictably, Meng refuses to leave, and Tao winds up lending a hand during the evacuation. "Skyfire" doesn't waste time igniting its spectacular CGI fireworks and our scientists scramble against time to save lives.

Simon West, whose credits include the original "Laura Croft: Tomb Raider," "Con-Air," and "Expendables 2," thrives in this calamitous cauldron. He orchestrates on-location filming in Malaysia, with studio work in a diving tank, and dazzling CGI pyrotechnics so everything appears reasonably seamless. The evacuation constitutes an Indiana Jones escapade with everybody braving a gauntlet of obstacles. Before the volcano erupts, West stages a romantic, underwater interlude. A guy proposes to his gal, and they dive into the depths to an open clam containing her wedding ring! An adrenalin-laced scene involving two parallel monorail coaches hurdling back to the resort is the most exciting scene. Passengers hurl themselves from one coach to another in a desperate bid to escape the doomed coach whose rail has been damaged. The Jeep automotive manufacturer gets a terrific plug as their vehicle survives one misfortune after another. Predictable but entertaining, "Skyfire" musters more than enough mayhem and revelations, especially Jack Harris' last-minute redemption.

Predictable and implausible

[danimredessociales · 3/10 · 20 December 2020]

The plot of the film is very hackneyed. Nothing new: Scientist haunted by her past and her relationship with her father. Tourist promoter who does not attend to reasons. Succession of events that we all expect and actions more of superheroes than of ordinary people.

It was never going to be a Dante's Peak, but it was bloody good fun.

[Ashley-Smith-March-Cambs · 10/10 · 8 December 2020]

For a start, Skyfire was never meant to be an Oscar winner, or a film that made you question the meaning of life, or even one that had you reaching for the tissues to dry your eyes. But, what it was meant to do, was to allow you 90 minutes to just relax, to forget all the troubles of the world, and to let you enjoy one hell of a rollercoasting romp of a ride, that had, almost everything except the aforementioned qualities of a big budget movie. Obviously, the world isn't China's biggest fan right now, but in these uncertain times, we have to be thankful for anything that makes us forget the bad stuff around us, and Skyfire dies just that. Directed by Simon West, written by Wei Bu and Sidney King, and, more than ably acted by Xueqi Wang, Hannah Quinlivan, Shaun Do and Jason Isaacs, Skyfire dies exactly what it says on the tin. With a thrill ride/leisure park set on the side of, and on top of an active volcano, an in-debt owner and his wife, and a bunch of K-pop boy/girl band lookalikes attempting to flee the 'said' erupting volcano by manner of all sorts of vehicles and directions, and with CGI that would not look our if place in a Hollywood movie, Skyfire didn't disappoint one bit. Just leave your brain at the door, engage your heart into it's action parameters, and then just enjoy the ride. It's crazy, awesome and fun!

Sure it's disaster nonsense, but it's so crazy and over the top I can't help but enjoy it.

[IonicBreezeMachine · 6/10 · 28 March 2022]

Tianhuo Island is an island in the South China Sea with an active Volcano. Several years after losing her mother in a volcanic eruption, Meng Li (Hannah Quinlivan) has grown up following in her mother's footsteps to finish the Zhuque system whose purpose is to predict volcanic eruptions. Tianhuo has now become a resort destination by businessman Jack Harris (Jason Isaacs) who employs Meng as well as a tram of other volcanologists to monitor any potential disasters. When Meng's estranged father, Wentao Li (Wang Xueqi), comes to try and convince Meng to come back with him she refuses still harboring a grudge over the loss of her mother and his perceived absenteeism as a father, but eventually Tianhuo begins.

Released in 2019 after a series of delays, Skyfire from Chinese based companies Meridian Entertainment and Base FX was an attempt by the Chinese film industry to expand their reach to Western audiences in a similar fashion to how Western films have tried to reach coveted markets in Asia (especially China). When the film was shopped to international distributors at the Cannes Film Festival, producer Jennifer Dong revealed her intentions to do for Chinese disaster films what The Wandering Earth did for Chinese Science-Fiction films (with Wandering Earth currently the fifth highest grossing China production of all time). Dong further expressed intent on making Skyfire a franchise promising a trilogy of films, merchandising, and theme park attractions. While exact numbers are hard to come by, Skyfire never achieved widespread distribution in Western markets only opening at 2 theaters by Screen Media in the United States and despite debuting in China at #1 it only earned about $24 million in total (well short of the standards of The Wandering Earth). The movie itself? You'd be forgiven for thinking it's yet another cookie cutter disaster movie involving a volcano like When Time Ran Out, Dante's Peak, and Volcano, and I suppose it is, and yet the movie gets so insane with its execution I found myself thoroughly engrossed.

When the movie begins we pretty much hit all our disaster movie hallmarks. Ostentatious resort or structure just begging to be destroyed? Check. Obstacle to our protagonist motivated by maintaining image or profit? Check. Estranged family drama? Check. So you're probably wondering "what makes this so special?", well that would be in the sheer insanity in Skyfire's action sequences and leaps (sometimes literal) in logic. At about the 40 minute mark Simon West gives us non-stop crazy beginning with a scene where our main characters ride a loosened monorail car down the sheered side of the volcano and come out without a scratch on them (despite literally hovering in midair due to the fall), we have car chases with our heroes outrunning lava flows or pyroclastic clouds, heroic sacrifices that become unintentionally humorous, and a complete BS miraculous survival that'll leave you howling at the screen. At only 97 minutes the movie never overstays its welcome and it caps itself off perfectly with an ending credits that combines a music video for Jay Chou's "I Truly Believe" with behind the scenes footage showcasing the stunts and greenscreen work that went into making this movie. And if there's a better way to end a movie like this, I haven't thought of it.

Skyfire is disaster nonsense, but it's the kind of insane disaster nonsense I can't help but love. While the opening 40 minutes are pretty standard setup for a movie like this (hologram projectors notwithstanding) the remaining 50 minutes are an orgy of exaggerated volcanic destruction that'll take you back to being five years old and getting that giddy thrill of watching Twister or Dante's Peak. I'm actually kind of sad we're never going to get those Skyfire sequels now.

None sense story

[ks-60500 · 2/10 · 13 March 2021]

Similar film been made by Hollywood 20 years ago and China now make a new one. I would say this one just cannot make as good as Hollywood 20 years ago in terms of visual effect. Start the nonsense now. 1) Explosion without a sign; 2) Stupid Human error cause a sudden drop ; 3) biz man decided to open a theme part next to volcano. All things just too hard to accept to me or the producer thinks the audience are moron? It's a typical movie for excitement but just too hard to convince me the baseline. I rate 2 just because I'm Chinese to support. Sad.

Awful

[tiggiedapuss · 1/10 · 23 January 2021]

It went from £5 + on amazon next time i saw it it went down to 99p , I thought I couldn't go wrong at that price , how wrong was i, the trailer made it look really good

So Bad, It's Actually Entertaining

[magoomj · 7/10 · 3 March 2021]

This is the best worst movie I've ever seen, lol. Completely ridiculous in some parts, full of tons of unlikely and improbable situations, yet somehow enjoyable. The subtitles were a bit distracting but I got used to them after a while. Silly, exciting fun, nice easy popcorn movie.