This large format film has a smashing, seat rumbling intro. This great teaser of volcanoes, earthquakes and tornadoes makes promise of the scientific explanation, while its visuals and sound effects go directly for the visceral.

The rest of the production is more patient with the science. Taking time to talk with the experts that study the geological conditions leading up to these natural disasters. Though the production makes a calculated decision to leave the complex details to the classroom teacher, I certainly would have liked to know more. How accurate are the sensors? How do they work? Within how many days was the volcano predicted? Show me more details about the data for Istanbul earthquakes. The narrative teases me with an abundance of earthquake records in existence, but doesn't show them to me. Especially during a slightly long mosque scene, that data could have been set in text or graph form over the image.

Kevin Bacon's narration speaks with the urgency and profundity of these naturally disastrous forces. He does a fine job. A well-placed blues harmonica picks up where he leaves off. Some long lens shots of tornadoes dancing against yellow skies play with all the elegance of ballet. Earlier computer graphics visually explain the molten make up of the Earth and communicate well just how thin that crusty surface layer really is. Overall, more bang than information, though this is the big screen and the film will no doubt rock good questions out of curious minds.