Tomorrow, you, the moviegoing public, will have a large decision to make that will alter the course of your weekend by roughly two hours. Are you going to take your hard-earned cash and see Cameron Crowe‘s Hawaiian story of love and self-discovery in Aloha? Or are you going to team up with Dwayne (always “The Rock” in our hearts) Johnson to save the California in San Andreas? Well, if accuracy with regards to seismic activity is important to your film choices, let US Geological Survey seismologist Lucy “Earthquake Lady” Jones school you on the upcoming disaster flick.
Jones was invited to the premiere of San Andreas, but according to her thoughts on the scientific facts of the film, she probably should have been invited to the writing room. Watch the film’s trailer now, and check out Jones’s thoughts below.
First big howler. San Andreas the movie pretends that California has a subduction zone. We can only have a M8.2
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
If seismologists could actually predict EQs, we’d all be much richer. Too bad that part of San Andreas isn’t real… — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
First big safety message- if the shaking is bad enough to damage a dam you won’t be able to run
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The seismologist says “no one listens to us until the ground shakes.” Thank heavens @ericgarcetti made this untrue — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The predictions aren’t real but EQ triggering is real. A California EQ M7.3 in 1992 triggered a M5.7 in Nevada the next day
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Yes! Drop, cover& hold on. The right thing to do in an earthquake — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Now people fall trying to run but they run anyway. I guess only the seismologists know Drop Cover Hold On
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
I like that the aftershocks keep on hitting and cause more damage. That’s the reality of Big EQs — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The human reality of EQs. You are probably going to be rescued by your neighbor- or the cute guy you just met
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Another good tidbit. Landlines work when cellphones are out because of no electricity — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Great emotional message – not knowing if your family is ok is hard. Do you have a family communication plan?
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
OMG! A chasm? If the fault could open up, there’d be no friction. With no friction, there’d be no earthquake — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The competent young woman knows what to do! And wins over the guys. Advertising for emergency training
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Special effects accomplished what the earth never will. People take pictures after EQs of damages but not of the buildings that are ok. — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Recognizing water draw down as sign of tsunami is good. However tsunami from San Andreas is impossible. Now we are in fantasy territory
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The competent young woman understands vertical evacuation. One way to escape tsunami is going up a building — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Competence makes the girl sexy! That’s a new message i can applaud!
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Bottom line: don’t learn seismology from #SanAndreas but maybe it will inspire people to take Community Emergency Response Training — Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
San Andreas is in theaters tomorrow, May 29.
(via Laist)
