Since December 23, 2024, the French comedy Eyjafjallajokull is a sensation on Netflix, quickly climbing into the top 10 most-watched programs on the platform. Eleven years after its theatrical release, this film directed by Alexandre Coffre with Dany Boon and Valérie Bonneton is finding a new lease of life and winning over an international audience.
Released in 2013, Eyjafjallajokull — also called The volcano to simplify its pronunciation — wonderfully mixes humor and absurd situations. The film is inspired by the real eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull in 2010, an event that paralyzed global air traffic and caused more than a billion dollars in losses. In this context, the screenplay features Alain (Dany Boon) and Valérie (Valérie Bonneton), two divorced parents who hate each other but must travel together to Greece to attend their daughter's wedding. Their plan turns into a nightmare when the eruption blocks the flights, forcing them to undertake a chaotic road trip that will put them to the test.
An explosive duo and an inspired dynamic
Alexandre Coffre was inspired by The War of the Roses by Danny DeVito to create the conflicting dynamic between Alain and Valérie. The couple, a caricature of ex-spouses incapable of living together, engages in merciless manipulation, traps and arguments. As Dany Boon explains: "Every time we think they're finally going to get along, they take advantage of it to push the other down a little more. It's exhilarating for the viewer!"
The filming was not easy for the actors, who performed several demanding stunts. Dany Boon says: "I found myself in a wrecked plane, dragged by cables at high speed. We spent days being shaken and hit in all directions." A physical involvement that, according to him, added to the realism and humor of the film.
An unexpected second wind
When it was released in theaters, Eyjafjallajokull had attracted nearly 1,7 million viewers, but its profitability was considered modest compared to its budget of 23,1 million euros. The 3,5 million euros earned by Dany Boon represented 15% of the production costs. However, the arrival of the film on Netflix changed the situation. Today, it is the second most viewed content on the platform, just behind the Christmas thriller Carry on with Taron Egerton.
Renamed The Volcano Internationally, the film charms subscribers around the world with its universal humor and improbable situations. The performance of Dany Boon and Valérie Bonneton, oscillating between complicity and hostility, continues to captivate. With this success on Netflix, Eyjafjallajokull confirms its status as a cult comedy and proves that some stories have no expiration date.