Continental Split

Can't put my finger on what it is, but I know a bad movie when I see it. Typical storyline where people don't heed warnings, predictable side stories, bad acting, pseudo-science.

My wife says she can tell by the colors in the movie that it is cheap.

Yet for some reason we still watched it because there is something about seeing things that we've never seen before that is entertaining. Like rubber-necking an accident. Stupid things like leaving the fate of the world in the hands of unqualified people, relying on rookies to fly a helicopter or handle a nuclear bomb.

This movie is the disaster.

If you're going to make a film about an area, you could at least pronounce the name the way the locals do. It's not New "ma Drid", it's New "MAD rid", Missouri. I used to work in the Southeast Missouri, Southern, Illinois, Western Kentucky area. I visited the New Madrid Earthquake Museum and had customers from that area that did business with the company in Memphis where I worked. I have never heard any of them pronounce it New ma Drid. When you have have an opportunity to grab supporters for you project by filming or basing it in the area of their homes, you don't slap them in the face by pronouncing it wrong. Everyone in the Western Kentucky, Southern Illinois area were proud when "US Marshalls" was filmed in their area and they call that film their own. When they filmed "The Firm" in Memphis, it was the same, a film they could call their own. Next time, research the area the film is about and get the details right for what could be the biggest fans of the project, the people of that area.

As another Missourian, and someone who's traveled, please learn how the locals pronounce the town at least. It's like how Kansans know the river is pronounced "Ar-kan-zis" when it's within our borders, but our local news guy, who's been here for decades, still calls the town south of Wichita "Ar-kan-saw City."

Low budget, special effects are not that special. And the plot is literally the same as in the movie Twister. Same sorta-divorced couple, who used to work together, suddenly working together again on an invention to help predict earthquakes. Only difference is she's supposed to be getting married instead of him and they have 2 grown children.

No one from SEMO would mispronounce the names of the towns. Yawn.

The town is New Madrid. It's not in Spain. It's in Missouri.

As a native Sikestonian, learn the local language before using it.

Sikeston or New Madrid aren't cities. They are just towns. The cities in Missouri are Springfield, Saint Louis and Kansas City.

The New Madrid fault line has a rich history. No mention of it. The proposed epicenters are well known.

The local accent usage is a side bar of possible update as well.

Make it believable. The Mississippi River is a huge factor in the impending quake. And it is a deep, swift and demanding river. It is no casual kayak ride. Barge workers risk their lives daily to work on it.

It's obvious whomever directed this had no accurate knowledge of the area or the situations that are prevalent and current. Someone should have spoken to the mayor's office, since it is mentioned in the movie and gotten relevant facts. They are always ready and willing to help if a movie is going to be made representing our area.

Timing of this movie is interesting. Not much info and very glossed over; it is a fast-moving movie that mostly focuses on what they could do to stop it rather than the real horror that would ensue amongst the people. Zero depth to it; not so engaging and repetitive like most disaster movies. Afterwards you have nothing to take home about it.

The plot could have shown clues amounting over the previous ten years that would point to its inevitability, then shown the aftermath of the people, how they cope, react and how the country was affected, which states got hit worse, and how they go on after the split. What they will do to rebuild....