AllMovie

Most of the running time of a typical disaster movie is filler. Viewers almost always go in knowing that they're going to witness some cataclysmic moment, and that that moment is the reason the film was made in the first place. This puts a burden on the writer and director, as they must find a way to make all of the exposition and rising action leading up to the climax entertaining and, hopefully, enthralling. To say that the makers of Krakatoa, East of Java, missed the mark in this area is an understatement. There's a potentially good story in this historical event, but it's not told here. Instead, viewers are treated to a trite, uninspired plot, insipid dialogue, and by-the-numbers characterization. Bernard Kowalski's plodding direction does not help matters, failing to even build suspense and play with tension effectively. The cast is talented, but no one is doing very good work here, and most of the actors are unexpectedly wooden throughout. Fortunately, Krakatoa does have a first-rate eruption sequence with excellent special effects. In addition, the on-location (in Majorca) photography provides for some lovely scenery. None of this is enough to make Krakatoa actually good, but it does offer some small reward for sticking with the film past its first few minutes.