Tommy Lee Jones reprises his role as Tommy Lee Jones in this cinema classic. Volcano was released around the same time as Pierce Brosnan's mega-smash, Dante's Peak, and let me tell you, that was a real movie, there. Volcano had a lot to live up to.
Ok, I've never actually seen Dante's Peak, but, like all movies that have similar counterparts released at the same time, there has to be a bad one and not-quite-as-bad one. Something tells me that Volcano was the not-quite-as-bad one.
Here's the story: There's a bit of an earthquake, and Tommy "Lee" Jones, who works for OEM (Office of Emergency Mmmsomething), decides to go in to work to help out, even though he's on vacation. He's the boss, so he figures they need him. "Tommy" Lee Jones also has a daughter, played by Gaby Hoffman, who you might remember from Kevin Costner Likes Baseball Part II. She's 13 years old, and she stays home with the babysitter. There's also the cute geologist, played by Anne Heche. She's there to geologize.
A bunch of boring stuff happens, and Anne Heche and her ugly, soon-to-be-dead partner decide that it's possible they're dealing with a volcano, which would be really bad. Of course, no one believes them until it's too late.
Anywho, Anne Heche and her friend go inspecting, and, wouldn't you know, the friend plummets to her ultimate demise, and Anne Heche pretty much knows what's going on.
Finally, the volcano erupts, a little, spewing ash and liquid, hot magma. Buildings burn. People die. Tommy Lee becomes a hero and handles the situation pretty much singlehandedly.
Everything goes pretty much as you'd expect. It's not a bad movie, per se. In fact, it has some cool scenes. But, in the long run, it's just not a memorable flick. Hell, I don't even remember half of it, and I just watched the darn thing.