by then it had just become the standard disaster movie

Which I hate. And a Merry Christmas it was to all the viewers, esp the kids. I think they nicked more than teleport bracelets and "Information" from B7. :-P

Max was a predictable villain too given we'd been hit over the head with his gold-toothed smile and name several times. The only real surprise for me was that Astrid died and Alonzo didn't.