To find out how inaccurate ideas about volcanoes have shaped public perceptions, researchers from Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences evaluated how accurately volcanic eruptions are shown in Hollywood films.
Assessing 20 films from 1942’s Superman vs Volcano, to 1997’s Dante’s Peak, and more recently 2014’s Pompeii, the volcanologists found that these films usually misrepresent cycles of volcanic behaviour. Most included examples were visually spectacular with added – sometimes physically unrealistic - lava flows.
The study, ‘Mayhem, magic and dangerous myths?: Volcanoes on the big screen’, published in the Bulletin of Volcanology journal, suggests that more accurate portrayals could help volcanologists communicate the uncertainty and heightened tensions that accompany intensifying volcanic activity.
Professor Jenni Barclay, AXA Chair in Volcanology in Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences, and the study’s lead author, said: “Movies rely on dramatic tension, but volcanoes are often reduced to little more than spectacular special effects of lava and destruction, with nearby communities portrayed as powerless victims. Far more could be done to tell the remarkable human and scientific stories that emerge during eruptions, capturing both the slow, demanding reality of volcanic activity and its awe-inspiring power.”
Key findings from the research, include:
Hollywood gets the uncertainty right – but compresses the timelines
Many films accurately portray the period of volcanic unrest before an eruption, including earthquakes, gas emissions, scientific uncertainty, and difficult decision-making. However, they dramatically shorten the timeline, making eruptions escalate from warning signs to catastrophic explosions within hours or days, whereas real eruptions often unfold over weeks or months.
Fast-moving lava is one of cinema's biggest scientific myths
The visually exciting runaway bright red lava is at odds with the reality of the dull grey tones associated with typical eruptive activity from arc stratovolcanoes – the volcanoes commonly depicted in movies due to their recognisable cone-shape. In most cases pyroclastic flows - fast-moving avalanches of searing hot gas, ash and volcanic rock - are the dominant hazard, rather than lava itself. When lava does show up during eruptions it rarely moves as fast as the movies would have us believe.
Scientists become superhero rescuers instead of team-playing problem solvers
Movies often portray volcanologists armed with seemingly magical instruments capable of accurately predicting eruptions or stopping disasters through technical interventions. The authors argue that real volcanology is far more uncertain: forecasting typically provides probabilities and evolving risk assessments rather than precise predictions.
Communities are underrepresented, while panic is overrepresented
Hollywood films tend to focus on heroic protagonists, with local populations portrayed as panicking crowds or passive victims. The researchers argue this overlooks the important role that residents, emergency responders, and local authorities play in real volcanic crises.
Real eruptions can make compelling stories without sacrificing accuracy
The authors conclude that scientific realism and engaging storytelling are not mutually exclusive, pointing to documentaries as examples that successfully capture the suspense of prolonged unrest, uncertainty, and human decision-making. The team suggests that a limited TV series or mini-series could better reflect the true pace, tensions, and complexities of volcanic crises.
The study was produced in collaboration with researchers from the University of Oxford, University of Manchester, and Niigata University (Japan).
Paper
‘Mayhem, magic and dangerous myths? Volcanoes on the big screen’ by J.Barclay, B.V. Davies, J. Farquharson, and D.M. Pyle in Bulletin of Volcanology [open access]