Seven years after the seismic success of San Andreas (2015), San Andreas 2 (2025) shakes its way into theaters with even bigger destruction, higher emotional stakes, and a globe-trotting disaster plot that stretches far beyond California’s fault lines. Directed once again by Brad Peyton and led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, this long-awaited sequel doubles down on spectacle while continuing the story of one man’s fight to protect his family—no matter the magnitude.
After surviving the devastating California quake, rescue pilot Ray Gaines (Dwayne Johnson) has settled into a quieter life, working in global disaster response. But when a chain of deep-sea earthquakes triggers a planet-wide tectonic shift—caused by an unstable fault zone in the Atlantic—coastal cities around the world begin to collapse in a terrifying domino effect.
Ray is called back into action when his daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario), now a seismologist, goes missing during a mission off the coast of Iceland. With tsunamis swallowing cities and volcanoes erupting across Europe, Ray teams up with international scientists and military units to track the epicenter of the destruction—and stop a cataclysmic event that could reshape the planet forever.
Dwayne Johnson once again proves he’s the beating heart of this franchise. As Ray, he blends action hero toughness with genuine emotional depth, portraying a father willing to risk everything. Alexandra Daddario shines in a more action-heavy, intelligent role, taking charge of her own arc while deepening the father-daughter bond.
New additions to the cast include Henry Golding as a British rescue operative and Sophie Okonedo as a top geophysicist, both of whom bring credibility and emotional weight to their roles.
San Andreas 2 is a jaw-dropping visual experience. The disaster sequences are more ambitious than ever—collapsing bridges in Venice, an erupting volcano in Iceland, and a tsunami swallowing New York City in slow-motion devastation. The visual effects team deserves major credit for rendering these sequences with terrifying realism.
A standout moment involves a zero-gravity helicopter rescue inside a collapsing underground fault—equal parts thrilling and claustrophobic.
Though packed with action, the film still grounds itself in themes of family, human resilience, and global unity. The plot carries a more international tone, showing how disaster transcends borders and how cooperation is key to survival. It also raises questions about climate change, tectonic instability, and humanity’s place in the face of natural forces beyond control.
The tone is serious but peppered with moments of humor and hope, especially between Ray and Blake, whose evolving relationship adds real emotional resonance to the chaos.
San Andreas 2 (2025) is a seismic success—an epic disaster film that balances adrenaline-pumping action with heartfelt emotion and global stakes. Dwayne Johnson carries the film with strength and sincerity, while the expanded cast and ambitious scope make this a worthy successor to the original.
