All power and communication is down. The city is destroyed and bombs release chemicals into the air that kill everyone exposed to them. Despite all this destruction, “It’s a Disaster” is not even close to being an apocalyptic action film — it’s a comedy.
Directed and written by Todd Berger, “Disaster” revolves around four couples who are meeting for their Sunday brunch at home. After dealing with affairs, conspiracies, breakups, makeups, homemade ecstasy and grammar lessons, these characters come together to decide what to do with what may be the final moments of their lives.
This film’s humor runs on awkward silences, as well as the characters making ridiculous lines delivered in the wrong context — for example, a lesson on grammar while killer fumes leak into the house.
The performances complement the script in hilarity, as the actors go to extremes in revealing their true selves. Hedy (America Ferrera) goes through the most drastic change from a caring and conscientious educator to a person who no longer cares about anything since all hope is lost.
Meanwhile, Glenn (David Cross) turns out to be a religious fanatic and presents suicide as an option to save their souls when faced with the imminent end of the world, even though he appeared at first to be the most logical one of the group. The actors sincerely portray their characters’ outrageous behavior, and allow each line to contribute to the film’s comedy.
The film’s cinematography focuses solely on character interaction, with plenty of long shots in which the camera follows the characters around without cutting in or out to something else. This allows the audience to see the conversations move through the house, making them seem all the more natural.
“It’s a Disaster” critiques and satirizes the typical apocalyptic film that is currently trending in Hollywood. The film also manages to make fun of the typical relationships and characters one comes to expect from a movie. Above all, “Disaster” entertains and makes you laugh without resorting to juvenile humor.
Katherine Tejeda is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].