Gerard Butler's 2017 sci-fi disaster film, Geostorm, is now available for free streaming on Tubi.
The film, directed by Dean Devlin, centers on a world reliant on a network of satellites designed to control the weather. When this system malfunctions, it unleashes devastating environmental catastrophes upon the planet. Butler stars as Jake Lawson, the engineer who led the creation of the orbital weather system, tasked with uncovering the cause of the malfunction.
Geostorm's premise involves a global weather-control system called "Dutch Boy" that begins to fail, turning Earth's climate against itself. The movie escalates this concept, featuring a range of spectacular disasters including hurricanes, flash freezes, and electrical storms. Despite a cast that includes Ed Harris and Zazie Beetz, Butler's performance as the brilliant, stubborn, and occasionally reckless Lawson is highlighted as central to the film's appeal.
Devlin, drawing on his background in producing and writing films like Independence Day, imbues Geostorm with a DNA of multiple storylines, global stakes, and elaborate destruction. The narrative also includes a subplot involving a plot to assassinate the U.S. cabinet and its commander-in-chief. Reviewers note that the film works best as pure popcorn entertainment, not aiming for subtlety. Butler's portrayal provides a human center to the otherwise outlandish plot, making the high stakes feel tangible.
Butler's character, Jake Lawson, is described as embodying the actor's reliable screen persona: intelligent, determined, and convinced of his unique understanding of dire situations. The film's opening courtroom scene reportedly showcases this, with Lawson defending his work with an assertive, almost arrogant, conviction that still manages to garner audience support. The physical nature of Butler's performances is noted as a key element in making even a far-fetched premise feel grounded.
Geostorm, with its 109-minute runtime, is characterized as a rare distillation of Gerard Butler's strengths as an action star, particularly in disaster scenarios where he excels at portraying someone trying to manage catastrophic events. The film's blend of spectacle and Butler's central performance has allowed it to find a new audience on the free streaming platform.