Lack of good storyline.

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I am totally ambivalent about this movie. I had seen it years ago and had no distinct memories of it, but I watched it again last night and had two contradictory reactions. First, the movie, at one level, is ridiculous. The number of credibility-straining moments borders on the absurd. The intention of the movie makers seemed to have been to proceed as quickly as possible from one action moment to the next, and never to relax the suspense for even a moment. Then my other reaction: SO WHAT? At the time I was in the mood for a movie that would completely take my mind off other things, and this one sure did, even if at was at the point of finding humor at the plot situations. The movie also had the good sense to make fun of itself, inserting a generous number of laugh lines. It was also nice to have the charming little sub-plot with Betty White (God bless her) and Richard Dysart. Interesting to see Ed Asner. I thought that this must have been one of his last flicks, but found that the old leftie is still working at the age of 87. Morgan Freeman is always good to watch, as is Randy Quaid.Sometimes a good old mindless action film is just what you need. This is definitely one of them.

Hard Rain (1998): Dir: Mikael Solomon / Cast: Christian Slater, Morgan Freeman, Minnie Driver, Randy Quaid, Betty White: Standard action disaster film that uses its flood to complicate another conflict. A truck load of money becomes stranded in a flood and villains shoot the driver but Christian Slater escapes with the money. After hiding the loot he is pursued by the villains in speedboats. Director Mikael Solomon makes great explosive action but he isn't so lucky on the screenplay end. The actors are as stranded as the civilians. Slater does his best dodging bullets and speedboats and anything else thrown at him while struggling to stay afloat. Morgan Freeman is miscast as the villain, and since he is such a likable actor we are given a conscience. Minnie Driver plays a cop who at one point is handcuffed to a railing as water rises. Randy Quaid does what he can as the cardboard Sheriff. Even Betty White appears in this waterlogged fiasco and cannot even bring comic relief. These are decent performers at the mercy of a screenplay that does little more than drown those who do not find higher ground. Pointless disaster film that attempts to combined an action film as well but it comes off like one of those alcoholic beverages that spews upward before it hits the back of your throat. Hard Rain is plainly hard to believe. Perhaps flushing it down a toilet will render a better effect. Score: 2 / 10

I loved this movie. I am a big Christian Slater fan, even though his latest work is crappy. This movie was very entertaining and enjoyable with action, drama, and some wit. It is what I look for when watching a video. Besides, it did have somewhat of a different plot/backdrop plot than most movies. The rain causing the floods were an original idea. Most flicks just have a robbery on the streets and a chase. This one was original and contained some twist and turns. There was a hint of a little romance involved between the strangers with no real action. Betty White was a real pistol and her husband was quite funny. The whole idea of watching a flick is to enjoy it, escape for an hour and a 1/2- 2 hours. This will definitely let you do that.

'Hard Rain' ('HR', or 'Flood' 1998) DVD, was filmed under a working title of 'The Flood', but this title was apparently deemed too disaster-centric. 'HR' contains a solid cast & brilliant acting working under fine direction that produced an intriguing premise/plot in the mold of the Disaster/Thriller/Heist mixed genres. Released with a tag line of, 'In the worst storm in living memory, one guard stands between five men and three million dollars', Morgan Freeman is cast in role that would likely influence his later roles in 'Nurse Betty' (2000), 'Big Bounce' (2004), & 'The Contract' (2006). 'HR' contains the typical editing/continuity flaws, but is beautifully shot & the cinematography helps to produce an appropriate atmosphere/backdrop for the unfolding action & plot twists. 'HR' is a dark, suspenseful, & entertaining production that is recommended for fans of the Disaster/Heist genre and the curious Disaster/Thriller mixed-genre viewer. 'HR' debuted the same year as the similar, but inferior, production of 'Terror in the Mall' ('TitM' 1998), & is worth a watch for the comparison. For variations on similar theme consider: 'The Last Drop' (2006); 'The Ladykillers' (1955); 'The River' (1984); 'Kelly's Heroes' (1970); 'Earthquake' (1974); 'The River Wild' (1994); 'Operation Amsterdam' (1959); 'The Thomas Crown Affair' (1968); 'The Italian Job' (1969); 'The Towering Inferno' (1974); 'Titanic' (1997); 'Flood: A River's Rampage' (1997); 'The Hindenburg' (1975); & 'The Train' (1964).