* AssPull: [[spoiler:The Sheriff, and Hank turning into such ruthless antagonists out to commit murder in the final act can feel this way after so much earlier on made them seem like good men trying to do their best to protect the town, with the sheriff even explicitly refusing an opportunity to loot or vandalize the home of an enemy.]]
* BrokenBase: The last act of the movie where [[spoiler:The sheriff and his men turn bad and start fighting Jim and Tom]]. Either it spices up the movie and makes the remaining fight scenes more interesting or it feels completely unnecessary and out of character, [[spoiler:in addition to killing Jim’s remaining men too anticlimactically]], and makes it tempting to say the film's first hour was for nothing after spending so long with [[spoiler:the sheriff and his men as characters the audience was rooting for.]]
* EnsembleDarkHorse:
** AntiVillain mastermind Jim, played by Creator/MorganFreeman, thanks to being an AffablyEvil and [[EvilIsCool badass]] NobleDemon.
** Former InnerCitySchool teacher turned bank robber Mr. Merhlor.
** Harold and Doreen (played by Creator/BettyWhite), for the comic relief they provide.
* EvilIsCool: Jim, played by Creator/MorganFreeman.
* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: [[HenpeckedHusband Henry]] and [[Creator/BettyWhite Doreen]] rowing away from the bad guys.
-->'''Doreen:''' Row faster! Stop lily-dipping! Get us away from here before those bastards change their minds!\\
(Henry sighs, gives her an exasperated look, and begins to turn the boat around.)\\
'''Doreen:''' Henry! What are you doing?\\
'''Henry:''' I'm going to row back there and see if they'll shoot you! Or me, it's fine either way!\\
'''Doreen''' (shocked): Henry!\\
'''Henry:''' Do you want me to get us out of here?\\
'''Doreen:''' Of course!\\
'''Henry:''' [[PrecisionFStrike Then shut the fuck up!]]
* HarsherInHindsight: The comic relief moments of Hank the dam worker (like being caught on the toilet by some floodwater) once [[spoiler:he ends up a ruthless antagonist in the final act.]]
* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: Most people who've ever been to high school can probably imagine how awesome it would be to drive jetskis through the half-flooded hallways.
* QuestionableCasting: Creator/RogerEbert said in his review that he just couldn't buy Creator/MorganFreeman as a villain because he was just so nice.
* VindicatedByHistory: While the movie was a BoxOfficeBomb, it has become a CultClassic amongst fans of the action and disaster genres.
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