The Volcano – Movie Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODgDfo6frOc

From the creators of the delightful The Intouchables is The Volcano (alternative title – Eyjafjallajökull), a hilarious French-language romp that follows two ex-lovers that by chance (due to Eyjafjallajökull, an active volcano in Iceland) pair up and go on a hell of a journey to their young daughter’s wedding in Greece:

The Volcano hints at Mr & Mrs’ Smith with the frequency in which the couple, Alain (Dany Boon, from Micmacs) and Valerie (Valerie Bonneton) are attempting to murder each other for their deep seeded resentment to one another and their spoiled relationship – with hilarious results. While racing against the clock to get to Greece, the pair meet assorted figures and get themselves in all sorts of trouble. They hitch a ride with God’s advocate in his mobile church but are soon fearful of his intentions, as his past jail sentences and homicidal nattering come up in conversation.

Also, between bloody fistfights and spiteful pranks, the pair manage to steal a plane, trash a Porsche, kill a sacred national emblem and cause a whole lot of bother in their wake. The lot is filmed on Valerie’s camera, with which she is compiling a video as a gift for her daughter’s wedding present. The footage catching snippets of the couple in their frankly awful circumstances – be it on a stolen plane that’s running out of fuel in the middle of Albania, or as Alain is suffering with a crossbow wound to the shoulder.

It’s not as emotive as The Intouchables or as batty at Micmacs but its level of comedy is up there and it’s a great watch. Perhaps not an ideal film to watch with your ex though, they might get ideas of revenge…

The Volcano (Eyjafjallajökull) will be released Australia wide on June 26 via Pinnacle Films. 

Review by Carol Bowditch.