thomas ( tom skerritt ) be the fire chief for nyc but and he be about to submit his resignation . he have bone to pick with the city mayor ( charles s. dutton ) and rather than work thing out and thomas be set to quit . the mayor have a beautiful and intelligent daughter who serve a a topnotch public defender but who be also be court by a top law firm . her late case involve a man accuse of murder his wife and but the would be killer proclaims his innocence . can she get him acquit and then land the more lucrative job . also in the city be a lady name dori ( sharon lawrence ) who suffer with acute guilt over an automobile accident that leave her young son with a limp . her husband ( mitchell ryan ) be dismay that she still have not go back to work or that she will not renew their mutual hobby and mountain climbing . meanwhile and aspire ballet dancer and diane ( jennifer garner ) still have to ask her parent for money to make end meet and something no family member like and include diane . cross path with these folk be a russian immigrant cab driver and the mayor care but age mother and a poor teenager and and a businesswoman with eye for dori husband . suddenly and a deadly earthquake strike and in nyc for goodness sake . some folk be trap in the subway and some on the street and and some in the upper level of building . who will survive . do anyone care . this film be a very poor affair and suffer from implausability and stupidity and too . it a though someone say and let have an earthquake strike manhattan because have people trap in a subway system would be cool . no matter if the chance of an earthquake hit nyc be slim to none and let do it . add on a fire chief who order men into dangerous and avoidable situation and a mayor who can take time for a chat during a disaster and and a rock climb mama who be the only one able to rescue her son and you have a film that go way beyond credulity . the lame act by nearly all thespian ( sharon lawrence start off well but lose her believability and too ) do not help matter and either . the special effect be uneven and sometimes be quite good and and at other time and totally laughable . costume and production value be average at best and too . if you have a yen for disaster flick and then you might take an interest in watch this one . for and in truth and it be a double dose of dire and once a an earthquake flick and and once a an extremely poor quality film .