Aftershock is less about the disaster and more about the people. This is an unusual but very good twist to the typical TV disaster film. Although the disaster itself, an Earthquake in this case, obviously plays an enormous part in the film the 3 hour movie really delves into many, many different characters, their lives, and their stories. As good as this is to see it is also one of it's shortcomings. There are SOOO many characters and stories and some of the stories don't even really get resolved or any sort of closure to it. The film is a plethora of TV actors and one break through role by Jennifer Garner 2 years before she was CIA Agent Sydney Bristow. She was such an unknown she doesn't even get anywhere near top billing despite the fact she is a major character. I didn't even know she was in it until I saw her.
It's tough to break down every role in this film because there is SOOO many. Jennifer Garner definitely plays one of the lead characters as aspiring dancer Diane Agostini. She's as cute as she usually is in her roles and comes across as a little childish at times but the role is boosted by the romance with Fred Weller who plays Russian cab driver turned knight in shining armor Nicholai Karvovsky. Together Garner and Weller are terrific and make the most of the horrific situation around them helping each other out at every turn and revealing back story between them. I think out of everyone they are the most watchable and carry the film substantially. Tom Skerritt plays fire chief Thomas Ahearn who is ready to resign because of a personal argument with the Mayor of New York. Skerritt is pretty good in everything he does. He definitely has presence and a strong ability and brings class to his roles. His character Ahearn is strong but a little too silent. I expected him to be a little more forceful and in control. Still his scenes are well done. Sharon Lawrence plays over protective mother Dori Thorell who has an emotional back story involving a car accident that nearly crippled her son. Lawrence does the best job hands down of really giving her character a story arc. She goes from being a total mess to taking control of the situation and saving her son from death. I didn't feel that Lawrence had really good screen presence but she is adequate. Charles S. Dutton plays Mayor Bruce Lincoln. His squabbles and chemistry opposite Skerritt is good. Enemies forced to work together and they definitely portray that well. I found Lincoln most of the time to be kind of a blow hard but he still manages to take control of his city in crisis. Although they set up a deep relationship between Dutton and his daughter played by Lisa Nicole Carson, it's one story that they kind of leave on the back burner. Carson's character Evie is trapped in the subway and Dutton's character rarely mentions her during the crisis and we never see them reunite. Other supporting cast members include Rachel Ticotin, JR Bourne as the bad guy who has just been cleared of murder but is completely guilty and the young Michal Suchánek as Lawrence's son. He does a terrific job in his few scenes. Everyone in the film is adequate and save for a very few performances and moments the cast is not outstanding but they all serve their purpose. There is just so many of them to keep track of and stories to follow it's a bit much at times.
Director Mikael Salomon is certainly no stranger to film and no stranger to cinematography so the talent is there but perhaps the budget is a little low. That being said there is some incredible special effects for a TV film and the Earthquake itself is quite terrifying. The film is just a little bland perhaps being so long, and have so many characters. It's mostly typical TV fluff but it's not bad and it's worth seeing for something perhaps not normally seen. The nice thing about it is that there is a really uplifting message about hope...something important nowadays in an age of natural disasters, 9/11 and war. There is a message about working together, never giving up hope, and rebuilding from disaster. It's a nice movie and worth checking out. It's not outstanding but it's okay. It's less cheesy and better acted and presented than recent TV disaster flick Category 6. (see my review.) Also interesting to see is the World Trade Center and their interpretation of how it still stands even after a deadly destructive Earthquake. 6/10
It's tough to break down every role in this film because there is SOOO many. Jennifer Garner definitely plays one of the lead characters as aspiring dancer Diane Agostini. She's as cute as she usually is in her roles and comes across as a little childish at times but the role is boosted by the romance with Fred Weller who plays Russian cab driver turned knight in shining armor Nicholai Karvovsky. Together Garner and Weller are terrific and make the most of the horrific situation around them helping each other out at every turn and revealing back story between them. I think out of everyone they are the most watchable and carry the film substantially. Tom Skerritt plays fire chief Thomas Ahearn who is ready to resign because of a personal argument with the Mayor of New York. Skerritt is pretty good in everything he does. He definitely has presence and a strong ability and brings class to his roles. His character Ahearn is strong but a little too silent. I expected him to be a little more forceful and in control. Still his scenes are well done. Sharon Lawrence plays over protective mother Dori Thorell who has an emotional back story involving a car accident that nearly crippled her son. Lawrence does the best job hands down of really giving her character a story arc. She goes from being a total mess to taking control of the situation and saving her son from death. I didn't feel that Lawrence had really good screen presence but she is adequate. Charles S. Dutton plays Mayor Bruce Lincoln. His squabbles and chemistry opposite Skerritt is good. Enemies forced to work together and they definitely portray that well. I found Lincoln most of the time to be kind of a blow hard but he still manages to take control of his city in crisis. Although they set up a deep relationship between Dutton and his daughter played by Lisa Nicole Carson, it's one story that they kind of leave on the back burner. Carson's character Evie is trapped in the subway and Dutton's character rarely mentions her during the crisis and we never see them reunite. Other supporting cast members include Rachel Ticotin, JR Bourne as the bad guy who has just been cleared of murder but is completely guilty and the young Michal Suchánek as Lawrence's son. He does a terrific job in his few scenes. Everyone in the film is adequate and save for a very few performances and moments the cast is not outstanding but they all serve their purpose. There is just so many of them to keep track of and stories to follow it's a bit much at times.
Director Mikael Salomon is certainly no stranger to film and no stranger to cinematography so the talent is there but perhaps the budget is a little low. That being said there is some incredible special effects for a TV film and the Earthquake itself is quite terrifying. The film is just a little bland perhaps being so long, and have so many characters. It's mostly typical TV fluff but it's not bad and it's worth seeing for something perhaps not normally seen. The nice thing about it is that there is a really uplifting message about hope...something important nowadays in an age of natural disasters, 9/11 and war. There is a message about working together, never giving up hope, and rebuilding from disaster. It's a nice movie and worth checking out. It's not outstanding but it's okay. It's less cheesy and better acted and presented than recent TV disaster flick Category 6. (see my review.) Also interesting to see is the World Trade Center and their interpretation of how it still stands even after a deadly destructive Earthquake. 6/10