Thrash

Directed by Tommy Wirkola, Thrash follows several characters, including Phoebe Dynevor’s Lisa and Djimon Hounsou’s Dale, as they attempt to survive in the face of a deadly hurricane. It’s agreeably familiar subject matter that’s employed to uneven yet entertaining effect by Wirkola, as the filmmaker, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a briskly-paced thriller that benefits from its recurring emphasis on less-than-subtle action sequences and set-pieces – with the perpetually watchable atmosphere heightened by the inclusion of a few genuinely enthralling digressions. (This is particularly true of a late-in-the-proceedings interlude involving Dynevor’s fierce efforts at protecting her newborn from ravenous sharks.) And while certain aspects of the narrative seem somewhat shoehorned-in, with this particularly true of a rather pointless subplot involving three foster kids, Thrash generally lives up to the potential of its over-the-top premise and sustains one’s interest for the duration of its appropriately brisk running time.

*** out of ****