Tokyo has not seen an earthquake over 5.0 in a long time (1923), so this generation has gone soft. What will they do when hit by a 7.9 quake? Because one is projected to happen within one month...Directed by Kenjiro Ohmori, who is not even known in Japan for anything.The Fortune 5 DVD was apparently copied from VHS, with the jumpy frames and snow. The dubbing is what you might expect. Sometimes called "Earthquake 7.9" and other times "Megaforce 7.9" or even "Deathquake".There is a scene where they purposely crash cars head-on into each other, in order to design a fireproof automobile. Why? Because "in an earthquake, cars will burn first". And in an earthquake, it is fire that kills, not the shaking.There are some interesting Japanese cultural aspects, with a focus on disgrace of a family name, rather than an individual -- the prediction of an earthquake is a big deal, it seems.

Geologist realizes a big earthquake is coming but no one will listen. Whats worse is his father in law had predicted the 1923 Tokyo disaster and he's been called unworthy to be his successor. Of course the big one comes and Tokyo is knocked flat.A poorly dubbed Japanese film that is pure soap opera for the first half. The second half- after the earthquake destroys a model city its an escape drama. There are some nice moments but the film wastes them either by undercutting the action by too many poor miniatures or by having people do unreal things. Hokey and not very good it has an ending you won't believe...

How many disaster movies can there be before we get tired of them. Come on, we can see them on the Discovery channel all day long.I agree with the comment that the first part of this movie is just a soap opera. The Great Predictor's grandson makes a prediction and everybody starts moaning about how he is ruining the family name. The evil mother-in-law convinces the wife to throw him out into the arms of his mistress, whom she wants to meet. Can you believe that? The wife wants to approve the new wife! At the same time the mistress' has someone in love with her that doesn't have a wife, but she sends him packing.Now, that the soap opera is over, the earthquake appears.The special effects are really good, but the dubbing is bad. That is why I like subtitled films. The actors are all very experienced and have won many awards, so you will get to see some of Japan's best in an oft-repeated story.But, the soap-opera story returns with a kitchy ending.

I remember seeing the International version of "DeathQuake", as released by the good folks at Toho, in a Science class at my High School Jr. year, and boy, it is still stuck on me for that long. It is kinda like Japan's answer to an Irwin Allen film.It starts out with a seismic wave researcher, whom predicted the next Tokyo/Yokohama earthquake, just like his psychic great-grandfather did in 1923. Hardly anyone believes him, until it is too late. The intensity of the Earthquake (in the int. version, it is said to be magnitude 10!) is probably the most intense of any disaster film. We could only imagine this happening and pray for no earthquake that intense to hit anywhere ever again.*SPOILER* Probably the most touching and personal favorite scene is where the researcher and other main characters rescues a little girl from being crushed by flaming debris. How can that not tug your heartstrings?*END OF SPOILER*