Starring Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, and Alexandra Daddario. Rated PG. Now playing

Known as “Franchise Viagra” for his ability to resuscitate action sequels with his genial yet authoritative presence, the chiselled man-mountain Dwayne Johnson now tackles nature itself as steadfast rescue pilot Ray Gaines.

As this enjoyably old-fashioned adventure pic commences, Gaines is an anchor of his L.A. Fire Department rescue squad, but a man adrift in his off hours. A recent family tragedy left him in self-loathing isolation, costing him the affection of his wife, Emma (Carla Gugino). His daughter, Blake (Alexandra Daddario), is about to leave home for university in San Francisco. You could say he is going to hit bottom… Rock bottom.

If only some massive, expensive CGI-enhanced disaster were to occur—the long-overdue fracturing of the San Andreas fault, for example—Gaines could somehow bring his professional and home lives together in a frenzy of action and emotional catharsis that could save them all…

Yes, this movie is just that corny. It is a tale about ordinary people doing their best in a bad situation, and there is nothing witty, satiric, or edgy about it.

On the plus side, there is nothing witty, satiric, or edgy in this movie. There’s no metacommentary, subtext, or even villainy. And for something like this, that’s fine. There’s not much need for additional psychological conflict when the world is literally falling apart.

Director Brad Peyton just puts the characters and situations together in a tidy and efficient way, establishing everyone as a basically decent human being, and then blows them up. If Peyton is making an authorial statement, it would be something like “being in a gigantic earthquake would suck, extremely and comprehensively.”

That doesn’t mean it sucks for the audience. There’s just enough character development to develop a rooting interest in the Gaines family, which keeps the viewer focused on the human story amid the scenes of (curiously bloodless) destruction and mayhem. You want them to live. And then you want to cancel your next trip to San Francisco.