Written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Runtime 158 min.
4.5 out of 5
The Mayans warned us thousands of years ago that 2012 would mark the end of the world as we know it.
They were right.
We just didn’t listen.
Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), separated dad and small-time novelist, goes for the ride of his life when him and his family are caught up in the end of the world in the year 2012.
Dr. Satnam Tsurutani (Jimi Mistry) stumbled onto the truth of what was really happening to the Earth back in 2009. He showed his friend and colleague Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who in turn told Carl Anheuser (Oliver Platt), who in turn told the President (Danny Glover). Plans were made. Research done. Even some advancements were made . . . but all for naught.
Catching wind from lunatic conspiracy theorist and radio broadcaster Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson) that all the rich folks in the world plus those who would create the perfect gene pool were to be held up in a series of arks ’til the disasters ran their course, Jackson Curtis takes his family on an adventure to head them off and get onboard themselves.
Disaster after gigantic natural disaster ensues and the Curtis family narrowly escapes with their lives, that is, until they find the arks somewhere in China and learn that the powers that be have other plans in mind for humanity’s survival.
If there was any one word that I would use to describe this film, it would be “big.” Actually, not just “big,” but “BIG!!!!” HUGE! COLLASSAL! GIGANTIC and UTTERLY MASSIVE!
At the time of this review, this movie is still in the theatre. It definitely is a must-see-at-the-theatre movie. You need that big screen and surround sound to do it justice.
Everything is big scale in this one: the collapsing buildings, the giant earthquakes, the mountains crumbling, land folding over itself and falling a zillion feet to the Earth’s core, the tsunamis, the dust clouds—the list is endless, and everything is done HUGE. The whole time I was just sitting there with my mouth hanging open going, “Whoa . . . whoa . . .”
Sure, there are a few convenient plot devices and a few impossible odds are overcome, but I went into this thing expecting a popcorn blockbuster with over-the-top special effects and that is exactly what I got. I left the theatre with a huge smile on my face.
Though I personally don’t buy into the world ending in 2012, this is still one worth seeing.
Go see it. You’ll love it. Good times for all.
