Lois Larson
The 1980 film When Time Ran Out... is an action-adventure movie produced by Irwin Allen. The film stars Paul Newman, William Holden, and Jacqueline Bisset and follows the story of a group of people trying to escape a volcanic eruption on a resort island. While the film received negative reviews for its special effects and script, it has been noted for its multiple character development and suspenseful moments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action, Adventure, Drama |
| Release Date | 28 March 1980 |
| Runtime | 2 hours, 1 minute |
| Producers | Irwin Allen |
| Cast | Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset, William Holden, Edward Albert, Red Buttons, Barbara Carrera, Valentina Cortese, Veronica Hamel, Alex Karras, Burgess Meredith, Ernest Borgnine, James Franciscus, John Considine, Sheila Allen, Pat Morita, James Goldstone |
| Plot | A dormant volcano on a resort island in the South Pacific unexpectedly erupts, leading to a dash for high ground. |
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Poor special effects
The 1980 film "When Time Ran Out..." is an action-adventure movie produced by Irwin Allen. The film is set on a resort island with a dormant volcano, which unexpectedly erupts, endangering the lives of those on the island. The movie features an all-star cast, including Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset, and William Holden.
While the film promises thrilling disaster scenes and suspense, it falls short in terms of special effects, which have been widely criticised as poor and unacceptable. The visuals are described as "disastrous", with a combination of pre-existing volcano footage, poorly executed animation, and phony-looking model buildings. The much-anticipated eruption scene, which should have been the climax of the movie, fails to impress due to wobbly back projection and a bathtub tidal wave.
The protective capsule used by the oilman character to inspect the volcano is particularly ridiculed for its laughable design, including a glass floor, which experiences a series of unexplained malfunctions. This scene is cited as one of the worst effects in the history of the genre, even falling below the standards of television.
The special effects in "When Time Ran Out..." are further criticised for their lack of innovation, with most of the visuals appearing to be recycled from previous disaster films. The blue-screen trick photography is described as dreadful, and the overall production value is questioned, especially considering the film's substantial $20 million budget.
Despite the impressive cast and tropical setting, the movie fails to deliver on the action and excitement expected from a disaster film. The bridge scene, intended to build suspense, falls flat and feels agonisingly slow, eliciting unintended laughter from the audience instead of the desired tension.
In conclusion, while "When Time Ran Out..." attempts to revive the disaster film genre, it ultimately disappoints due to its poor special effects, uninspired plot, and lacklustre action sequences. The film serves as a reminder that a high budget does not always translate to high-quality visuals or audience engagement.
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Bad acting
"When Time Ran Out" (1980) is a disaster film with an all-star cast, including Paul Newman, William Holden, and Jacqueline Bisset. The movie follows a group of people trying to escape a volcano eruption on a resort island. Despite its star-studded cast, the film received negative reviews, with critics citing poor acting, writing, and special effects.
The acting in "When Time Ran Out" has been described as "wooden" and "soap opera-like." One review specifically mentions the wasted talent of Ernest Borgnine and Burgess Meredith, whose performances were overshadowed by the film's other shortcomings. The movie has also been criticized for its writing, with one reviewer calling it "beyond awful" and citing multiple factual geologic errors.
In addition to the weak acting and writing, the film's special effects have been widely panned. Reviewers have described the effects as "terrible," "cheesy," and "ho-hum," with one critic noting that most of the visuals are pre-existing volcano footage placed in front of the actors using chroma-key technology. The eruption footage itself has been called "poorly executed post-production animation."
The bridge-crossing scene, which was meant to be suspenseful, falls flat due to its excessive length and failure to build tension. The scene, which goes on for over 20 minutes, feels slow and fails to engage the audience. Instead of creating suspense, it elicits snickers from the audience, further highlighting the overall poor quality of the acting and direction.
Despite the negative reviews, some viewers have found the movie entertaining in its badness. One reviewer gave it four stars, acknowledging its flaws but appreciating its unintentional humor and the presence of A-list stars.
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Lack of action
"When Time Ran Out" (1980) is an action-adventure film that was expected to be filled with thrilling sequences and suspense. However, despite its promising premise, the film fell flat in terms of action and excitement.
The movie, produced by Irwin Allen, is set on a resort island with a dormant volcano. The plot revolves around an oil driller, played by Paul Newman, who leads a group of people in a desperate attempt to escape the impending eruption. While the setup suggests a heart-pounding race against time, the film fails to deliver on the promised action.
The film's pacing is often criticized as sluggish, with excessive dialogue and a lack of thrilling set pieces. The story builds up to the volcano's eruption, but the anticipated runaway action never truly materializes. Instead, the audience is presented with lengthy and uneventful scenes that fail to engage or excite.
One of the few action sequences in the film involves a group of people slowly crossing a treacherous path to safety. This scene, which goes on for over 20 minutes, falls flat due to its excessive length and lack of suspense. The characters' escape is drawn out and uneventful, failing to create any sense of urgency or thrill.
The film's special effects and visuals also contribute to its lack of action. The volcanic eruption, which should have been a spectacular and thrilling centerpiece, is underwhelming and unrealistic. The combination of chroma-key effects, poorly executed animation, and phony-looking model buildings fails to create an immersive experience. The tidal wave, meant to add excitement, comes across as a "bathtub tidal wave" and fails to rescue the film from its lackluster action.
In conclusion, "When Time Ran Out" suffers from a lack of action due to its slow pacing, limited thrilling sequences, and disappointing special effects. The film fails to deliver on the promise of a heart-pounding disaster thriller, leaving audiences feeling underwhelmed and uninterested.
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Unnecessary subplots
The 1980 film "When Time Ran Out..." is considered to be one of the last films of the 1970s disaster movie boom. The film is about an island hotel resort that is threatened by a neighbouring volcano that is about to erupt. The film features an ensemble cast of characters, including staffers, vacationers, love triangles, natives, a criminal and their pursuer, and an oil driller, played by Paul Newman, who is wiser than everyone else.
While the film features a large number of subplots due to its large cast, many of these subplots have been criticised as being unnecessary. One such subplot involves a cockfight in the village, which has been described as "preposterous" and contributing to the film's lack of realism. Another subplot that has been criticised is the inclusion of a laboratory perched on the rim of the volcano, which similarly detracts from the film's sense of reality.
In addition to these specific subplots, the film has also been criticised for its excessive number of subplots in general, with one review describing the film as having "500 subplots". This criticism suggests that the film may have benefited from streamlining its narrative and focusing on a smaller number of key storylines.
Furthermore, the film has been criticised for its use of cheesy special effects and a convoluted story, with some reviewers questioning the logic of certain plot points, such as the decision to drill for oil next to an active volcano. Overall, while "When Time Ran Out..." features a variety of subplots to explore its ensemble cast, many of these have been deemed unnecessary or detrimental to the overall quality of the film.
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Clichés
"When Time Ran Out" (1980) is a disaster movie set on a resort island with a dormant volcano. The film features an ensemble cast, including Paul Newman, William Holden, and Jacqueline Bisset, and is produced by Irwin Allen, known for his work on "The Poseidon Adventure" and "The Towering Inferno".
The film has been criticised for its excessive use of clichés and tropes common in disaster films of the 1970s. One such cliché is the presence of a complex web of relationships and subplots, including a web of infidelity, that adds drama to the story. The characters' relationships are cultivated throughout the film, with occasional visits to the volcano's crater providing a sense of impending disaster.
Another cliché is the use of a love triangle, which was a common trope in disaster films of the time. The relationship between the characters played by Paul Newman, Jacqueline Bisset, and William Holden is a key element of the film, with their interactions and dynamics driving the story forward.
The film also features several action sequences and attempts at suspense, which have been criticised as falling flat. One such sequence involves a group of people slowly crossing a treacherous bridge over a river of lava, which has been described as agonisingly slow and failing to elicit the intended suspense.
In addition to the relational and action clichés, the film also employs familiar disaster movie imagery. The volcano eruption, for example, includes flaming meteors, a tidal wave, and lava flowing towards a four-star hotel on a Pacific atoll. These special effects have been criticised as poorly executed and unacceptable, even for television.
Overall, "When Time Ran Out" has been described as a film that relies heavily on clichés and tropes of the disaster genre, with mixed reviews on its effectiveness in delivering suspense and entertainment.
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Frequently asked questions
The movie is about a South Pacific island's dormant volcano that unexpectedly erupts in fury. The plot involves an oil driller (Paul Newman) who leads a dash for high ground when time runs out on the resort island's volcano.
The movie features flaming meteors fired from the volcano, a tidal wave, lava, and a bridge over a river of lava.
Both movies were produced by Irwin Allen and feature similar roles played by Paul Newman and William Holden.
The movie received negative reviews from critics, with a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 25/100 on Metacritic. It was also selected as one of the "dogs of the year" by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.
In addition to Paul Newman, the movie also stars Jacqueline Bisset, William Holden, Red Buttons, Edward Albert, and more.
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