Starring Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton Directed by Roger Donaldson Rated PG-13, with profanity and violence including children in danger Running time 112 minutes Jack gives this film a rating of 6 out of 10

(Feb. 6, 1997) -- Toss in a bit of Jaws, a touch of Twister and a dollop of Earthquake. Mix with a lot of digital hot air. Then watch the mountain blow its top.

That's the recipe for Dante's Peak, the first of two volcano movies heading into theaters this year. (Volcano erupts on screen in May.)

Dante's Peak is part of the current revival in disaster flicks, obviously prompted by the digital technology that allows today's filmmakers to obliterate the world with the click of a mouse.

The appeal of such films is basic: Show us something we've heard about, but have never experienced. Jurassic Park trotted out the dinosaurs, Twister put us in the middle of a tornado, and now Dante's Peak dips us in lava.

It's all about special effects. Show filmgoers the disaster and they'll show you the money. On that limited criteria, Dante's Peak works.

If such films provide a decent story and engrossing characters, that's a bonus. There isn't much of a bonus with Dante's Peak, though Pierce Brosnan wrings out as much charm as possible in the lead role.

Brosnan plays Harry Dalton, a "volcanologist" with the U.S. Geological Survey. He travels from locale to locale, using a variety of meters, gadgets and chemicals to check on possible volcanic activity. Harry's also been famous for his hunches; they may not always be scientific, but they're pretty darn accurate.

Harry has been dispatched to Dante's Peak, a charming community, nestled at the foot of a dormant volcano in the Northern Cascades of Washington. Early indicators point to a possible eruption.

Once there, Harry becomes quickly convinced the place is about to turn into Dante's inferno. He corrals the town's mayor, Rachel (Linda Hamilton), to begin evacuation preparations.

But as with the community threatened by a shark in Jaws, the politicians and community-investment types would rather ignore the warnings. Why stir up trouble and jeopardize the town's economic development over a volcano?

Surprisingly, the chief naysayer is Harry's boss at the Geological Survey. He has seen the effect of crying wolf before and is reluctant to give the town an early warning. (Of course, we know the result of such reluctance -- when the lava flows, he'll be toast.)

Before the mountain blows, Harry and Rachel also heat up a bit, gradually developing a romance. Rachel's a single mom and Harry likes her two kids. (Of course, the attachment also gives Harry somebody he'll have to rescue, once the fireworks begin.)

For the first hour or so, filmgoers will have to be content with brief hints of impending doom. In one case, two skinnydippers get deep-fried when the temperature suddenly soars in a hot spring.

Finally, at the halfway point of the film, Dante erupts. The movie's elaborate, computer-generated effects kick in, and the film finally earns its box office receipts. The explosive action comes just in time, for the screenplay by Leslie Bohem offers little excitement on its own.

Most of the plot is derivative, and some of it is a little silly. But at least it's serviceable. And director Roger Donaldson doesn't let too much plot go by without spicing it up with action.

The handsome Brosnan is plausible as a geologist with a hint of Indiana Jones, while Hamilton makes a believable small-town mayor. But both actors are meager supporting players. The star of the film is the title character, the rumbling, fire-spitting mountain called Dante's Peak.