Review of 2012 (2009) by Ahsa'n A — 09 Dec 2012

Well it had to happen sooner or later. Hollywood finally released a movie based on the 2012 phenomenon. What is the 2012 phenomenon? Well according to the Mayan Calendar the world as we know it will end on December 21, 2012, creating a global shift of the Earth's crust and most everyone on Earth will die. "2012" has disaster movie written all over it. And who better to direct a disaster movie then Roland Emmerich, who blew up the White House in "Independence Day", destroyed Madison Square Garden in "Godzilla", flooded New York City in "The Day After Tomorrow" and ruined Jean-Claude Van Damme's career in "Universal Soldier".

"2012" takes place three years before the year 2012 were scientists in India have discovered that the Earth's core temperature is increasing rapidly, and will eventually destroy the earth. An American scientist, Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor-American Gangster) tells the President of the United States (Danny Glover-Lethal Weapon 1-4) what has been discovered and urges him to take immediate action. The governments of the world join together to build a number of arks in China to save a number of people when the world ending. Of course it's kept a secret from the general population. To fund the venture, billionaires are allowed to buy a ticket to be on the arks for one billion Euros. When the year 2012 finally arrives, a writer, Jackson Curtis (John Cusack-1408) is enjoying a camping trip with is two kids, when he meets Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson-Zombieland) a 2012 conspiracy theorist and radio show host, who begins telling Jackson of the government's plan of building the arks in China (it never explains how he knew about the arks to begin with). Jackson dismisses him but everything Charlie told him begins to come true. As the world begins to crumble, Jackson rushes him and family to China in hopes of reaching the arks in time.

"2012" contains some very impressive action sequences. We see Las Angeles being destroyed by a massive earthquake and then collapse into the Pacific Ocean. The Yellowstone Caldera erupts burning everything in its path. We watch a giant tsunami, carrying the John F. Kennedy Air Craft Carrier, crash into the White House, and many more acts of disaster related mayhem. Unfortuanlay effects can only take a movie so far. The story is weak, predictable, and most of the performances are corny. It's hard to imagine a person who is watching the world coming to an end not show any sign of fear or even panic. Whenever something bad is happening all John Cusack does is crack funny one-liners (which aren't even supposed to be funny, but you end up laughing anyway because you can't believe he would say something like that- one of his one-liners is a reference to "Pirates of the Caribbean") while his wife and kids stare at him wide eyed. I will give credit to Danny Glover and Chiwetel Ejiofor who are the only characters who portray genuine emotion throughout the film. Do they reach the Arks on time? Does humanity survive? You reach a point in the story that you almost don't care. Besides its ridiculous story line and lack of convincing performances, "2012" is worth seeing just for its special effects and escapism. It will sit well for most people who just want to shut their brains off and have a good time at the movies. I will say this, as a disaster "2012" does its job.