2012
posted November 10, 2009 10:20 AM
Cashing in (big!) on the apocalypse
Apparently determined to end his career with a bang as the ‘disaster film’ director of record, Roland Emmerich has thrown everything imaginable at the screen in this mother (nature) of all destruction flicks. With the world about to implode, a select group of people are determined to survive and preserve the human race in this impossibly ludicrous guilty pleasure. Silliness aside, 2012 will undoubtedly be a worldwide box office smash, luring any moviegoer willing (and able) to turn off his brain and go along for the 158 minute thrill ride.
Emmerich, the force behind other end-of-life-as-we-know-it epics like Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow and even good ‘ol Godzilla (1998) has outdone himself with this global disaster tale that blames the world’s impending end on natural causes. A series of non-man made calamities befall the planet starting with earthquakes in California and worse as a growing tsunami makes its way to China, taking out everything and everyone in its path. Emmerich and his co-writer Harald Kloser are smart enough to know sheer chaos would not cut it without compelling human characters to root for … and then watch die. Central to the plot is loser author Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) whose brilliant novel led to the breakup of his marriage to his wife Kate (Amanda Peet) who, consequently, has recently taken up with another guy named Gordon (Tom McCarthy). Still the ever-protective Dad, Cusack heeds warnings from nutcase Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson) and gathers up the family just as the apocalypse begins its deadly march. Meanwhile U.S. President Wilson (Danny Glover), aware for a few years that all this was coming, presides over a plan to create a Nemo-like Nautilus contraption that key government officials from around the world will use to ride out the storm. Harrelson is somehow privy to information of the exact whereabouts of this race-saver and has maps to help Cusack and company find it.
With over-the-top car chases, plane chases and every other kind of chase, this CGI wetdream of a movie keeps the special effects houses in business as every significant monument from the White House (why is Emmerich determined to gut this place in film after film?) to Rio de Janiero, to the Vatican goes down, down, down. With some witty touches (a takeoff on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is a hoot) and lots of unintentionally funny dialogue, 2012 (which gets its inspiration from the Mayan calendar predicting major “changes” in that year) somehow manages to keep us riveted for over two and a half mind-boggling hours.
Although the true stars here are the visual effects wizards, Cusack cashes in whatever indie-cred he’s had in the past to sock this dumb stuff home. Amanda Peet is very good at looking worried/terrified while McCarthy as her boyfriend comes in handy as an ace pilot after just two short lessons. Glover is stoic as the President while Chiwetel Ejiofor is just too damn earnest as his all-knowing science advisor. For that matter so is Thandie Newton, as the President’s humorless daughter. Harrelson is a riot as a low-rent radio host and would-be prophet who foresees the world’s end and Oliver Platt steals every scene he’s in as the highly manipulative Chief Of Staff.
Theater owners need not worry as Sony’s holiday destruction derby is anything but a disaster and should fill their coffers all season long.
Distributor: Columbia
Cast: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton.
Director: Roland Emmerich
Screenwriters: Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser
Producers: Roland Emmerich, Larry J. Franco and Harald Kloser
Genre: Action Adventure
Rating: PG-13 for intense disaster sequences and some language.
Running time: 158 min.
Release date: November 13, 2009
49 Comments
Leave a comment
onexd said:
is a great movie in 2009 whith with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince & Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (www.onexd.com)
November 12, 2009 10:06 AM
Anonymous said:
Why is roland always make a disaster movies$?Maybe he needs a major change in his life.
November 12, 2009 11:24 AM
Denisse I. said:
it was an amazing movie!
something that anyone should deffinately go watch
something different for once!
November 14, 2009 12:11 AM
Anonymous said:
Great Movie, dude its just a movie quit being so critical.
November 14, 2009 2:45 PM
celebstar said:
The cast is more formidable than one might expect from a glorified B-movie. Clearly the actors, knowing the identity of the director and having read the script, could not have been under the misapprehension they were embarking upon the second coming of Citizen Kane.
http://celebstar.org
November 14, 2009 2:48 PM
dudu said:
great movie...
November 14, 2009 3:14 PM
Pankaj said:
full entertainment but left the People behind to think for nature before it gets too late
November 14, 2009 11:44 PM
Luka63 said:
Great entertainment watched twice. Smarter than the "The Man Who Stares at Goats" and "Where The Wild Things Are", that's for sure. After this movie you are touched so deeply that you just want to do something better in this world. After the "Goat" movie I felt nothing except dumbness - I left the Goat movie right after when the army was drugged, giggled, goats were running everywhere with the prisoners. The Wild Thing is may be for the very few people who went through something and could relate, and most importantly, wanted to relate; for a normal human being - it's just nothing new was told us that we didn't already know, simply boring and dumb.
2012 on the other hand, is a great movie, and very smart!!!
November 15, 2009 12:10 AM
Martin Covich - Tampa, FL said:
2012 is truly a disaster movie, in fact it’s so scary I will stretch it and say it should have never been made. Why did Hollywood even waste its time? The movie’s bad story line omits common sense and the star-studded cast of characters saved their absolute worse acting just for this move. After watching the news reports all week long I was excited by the hype regarding the special effects so I can’t tell you how disappointed I was when I witnessed the diastases cartoonist effects for myself. Hollywood should do a flip-flop and remarket the movie as a comedy because 2012 is the joke of the millennium. The scariest thing about 2012 is that it ever got made.
November 15, 2009 6:26 AM
Martin Covich - Tampa, FL said:
2012 is truly a disaster movie, in fact it’s so scary I will stretch it and say it should have never been made. Why did Hollywood even waste its time? The movie’s bad story line omits common sense and the star-studded cast of characters saved their absolute worse acting just for this movie. After watching the news reports all week long I was excited by the hype regarding the special effects so I can’t tell you how disappointed I was when I witnessed the diastases cartoonist effects for myself. Hollywood should do a flip-flop and remarket the movie as a comedy because 2012 is the joke of the millennium. The scariest thing about 2012 is that it ever got made.
November 15, 2009 6:28 AM
selimy said:
it was an amazing movie and the effects was awsome i think that movie is the best movie i have ever seen before
November 15, 2009 8:02 AM
alexx said:
greatt movie butt ii justt want to know is this really gonna happend ?? :(
November 15, 2009 12:26 PM
Anonymous said:
have not seen it looks good
November 15, 2009 12:42 PM
zaja said:
response to alexx:
"...is this really going to happen?"
Yes, the day is coming. The most important thing to remember, is to be ready for that final ending. To live life to its fullest, sharing and caring for its people and the planet. To live 'right' NOW, in the sight of God.
That is what it has always been about. [If you don't know about God, then it is time to learn about the loving Father that cares for us.]
Imagine: we only have three years to live. What do we need to do TODAY to make the best of it?
It doesn't all come to an end on that final day either. If we live 'right', there is a great reward awaiting us...'beyond our imagination' from a God that loves us so much.
With true faith, there is NO fear. (If the day comes in our lifetime, or if it does not, it doesn't matter. Living 'right', has great guarantees in the eternal life ahead.)
Take care my friend! Have a nice trip. You only live once!
November 15, 2009 4:07 PM
Alicha in Charlotte,NC said:
Wow !! For those who didn't enjoy the movie....I'm really not sure what to say to you other than its just entertainment ! I thought the movie was great ! It had me on the edge of my seat. It took my mind off the rat race outside the theater. What more can you ask ? The special effects, I thought they were great ! I don't understand how one or why one would say that the special effect weren't good. Were you wanting it in 3D ?? I hell to the no !! Not that one. What I saw was just fine, damn good ! As far as the acting skills, ITS AN ACTION MOVIE !!!! I'm not watching or looking for Shakespeare. If you haven't seen the movie please don't listen to some of these critics. Go and see it for yourself. Just relax if you can an enjoy the adventure. ;)
November 15, 2009 4:40 PM
Quinton in Memphis, TN said:
Man this movie to me and my family was the movie of all movies in the Disaster Realm, if you say different I don't know what movie you was watching! This movie had me laughing hard, had me on the edge of my seat sometimes, and also my mouth was open so much that you would have thought I was Frozen! 2012 is a great movie to go watch and enjoy, the Special effects in this movie was right on Point, and for the drags that think different, I think you was at a movie theater sitting way in the back and you probably was texting while watching! Shame Shame!!
November 15, 2009 5:03 PM
jmyst2 said:
Is this really going to happen? someone asked! WHATEVER!!! Our planet is BILLIONS of years old. Do you think that some guy is going to predict the end of the earth in our world....whatever.......
November 15, 2009 5:46 PM
AC said:
big thums up, that is what enterteiment is about, everybody enjoys the trill, everybody comes out exausted, it may not be a oscar contender but it was worth the cost of my ticket ll the way!!
November 15, 2009 6:47 PM
AC said:
big thums up, that is what enterteiment is about, everybody enjoys the trill, everybody comes out exausted, it may not be a oscar contender but it was worth the cost of my ticket all the way!!
November 15, 2009 6:47 PM
suborto mukherjee said:
Very very good movie I have seen this movie 5 times and will be seeing how many time I don't know, very good photograph, cmaera etc etc entire movie team work is very very. If such thing nautral deasters comes in India, we Indian no more living because still now we don't have a single space ships.
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November 16, 2009 12:10 AM
Chris said:
Martin in Tampa.
Errrm why did you go see this movie in the first place?
If anyone likes the disaster movie then this is possibly the ultimate.
As for you saying the special effects were bad, well you must have been watching a completely different movie than the one being discussed here.
The effects are possibly the greatest EVER to hit the big screen, they are incredible.
Great movie, go see it.
Response to zaja..That is what it has always been about. [If you don't know about God, then it is time to learn about the loving Father that cares for us.]
Loving father that cares for us?? Where? Where is this loving father of which you speak??
November 16, 2009 3:52 AM
Anonymous said:
vibhor jhanwar
November 16, 2009 3:56 AM
agil said:
anonymous is a homodickien on the end of civillizaton
November 16, 2009 7:39 AM
Jennifer1980 said:
This movie was sooo overdone with special effects, it completely ruined it for me. The unrealistic chases were also ridiculous - it seemed like they escaped death every time by just a millimeter - WOW, were they lucky, who would have suspected?! I hope that next time the ground starts splitting up, a fire ball is chasing me, etc. I'm gonna be that lucky too.
November 16, 2009 9:37 AM
naveed said:
that is really best movie of the yaers!
November 16, 2009 11:26 AM
Matt said:
This movie was outstanding.
I was on the edge of my seat, and was so into the movie. 2012 probably has the best visual effects i have ever seen in a movie.
If you like Drama,comedy,suspense and action this movie is made for you.
It was the best thriller movie of the century.
It has amazing effects, a hell of a story line, and shows how much we should love our familys.
It also has some comedy put into it witch was very funny and unique.
Best movie i have seen in years.
November 16, 2009 2:07 PM
Matthew said:
Jesus Christ - how many of you people are being paid to post "best movie ever!"???? I have seen this movie. And I have watched nearly every disaster movie ever made. This movie was pure crap. Big budget effects do not a good movie make. This movie barely even touched on the mysteriousness of the entire end of world/2012 subject matter. The characters were stereotypical, lacking any real depth. The plot was predictable to a T, and the dialogue was cheesy and boring. There was little to no emotion. The Governor Arnold actor was terrible - they should have paid the real deal for a cameo! There were several plot holes. This movie comes nowhere near close to being the best movie ever made. Stop smoking crack - it kills!
November 16, 2009 3:49 PM
jeff said:
Absolute worst movie i've ever seen. terrible directing/acting/story/dialogue. Do not see this if you're over the age of 12.
November 16, 2009 5:32 PM
beetlejuice said:
This was TERRIBLE!! Do not waste your $. There's a reason why they couldn't get any decent actors. This director should never work again!
November 16, 2009 5:36 PM
titanium said:
its a really good movie. don't compare it with other movies.
more info to Persians at : www.titanium-news.blogfa.com
November 17, 2009 3:44 AM
Nishant badsah lodge said:
Great movie in my life
November 17, 2009 5:09 AM
tac said:
great...movie..in...my..life...aalllrighty then..if that dont get me racing to the theatre i dont know what will
November 17, 2009 6:27 AM
interested said:
Why is it that the people who liked the movie mis-spelled and mis-used the English language, sounding like uneducated podunk hill dwellers? It's like CNN was covering a Right to Life rally.. "seen this movie 5 times and will be seeing how many time I don't know, very good photograph, cmaera etc etc entire movie team work is very very." Really? No, really?
November 17, 2009 1:06 PM
Anonymous said:
I really want to see this movie. To those who say, "Don't waste your money", you are RIGHT!!! I will NOT waste my money in a theatre!! Instead I will wait for the Blu Ray disc and BUY IT!!! To those who ask, "will this happen?" I will say, Probably NOT, but it COULD happen. Anything IS possible!! If it does, you Christians can take your "GOD" theory and kiss it GOODBYE!!!
November 18, 2009 5:48 PM
seham - In Saudi Arabia said:
Hello This Movie is great but is it true in 2012 that will be End of world ?
This is a lie no one knows what God wrote about the case with the 2012 Thank you all and best Movie is a film "Bella" and Adorid
November 20, 2009 12:52 PM
Roger said:
The visual effects are amazing. Really good job from the CJI team.
Cheers!
November 21, 2009 3:48 AM
Don said:
The computer job imagery is superb, but the script is junk.
November 21, 2009 7:13 AM
Faisal said:
Excellent movie.
Thanks Rolland.
Hope you will make more great movie like this.
November 22, 2009 8:47 AM
bhelLa,,. said:
woOw....
grEat moviE of thE yeAr 2009 whith with twilight saGa- nEw moOn,,
November 22, 2009 5:39 PM
Stewart said:
For me, 2012 is one of the best movies in this year due to too many rubbish movie such as Inglorious basterds (asleep in just 20 mins), the box, watchmen, etc. You will like this movie as long as you ignore the acting and don't think too much.
November 22, 2009 7:00 PM
moje sabz said:
in film az behtarin filmhaye action va hadesei hast . this is my love
November 26, 2009 1:24 PM
Kalan said:
I am really bummed by all the faux intellects who proclaim this movie is crap. I enjoyed this movie for what it was, a roller coaster of a good time. Those critics who have announced that we should not even waste our time with this movie enjoy a huge following of sheeple who hang on their every word. Then these sheeple regurgitate the words of the critic as their own. Yeah, you do it and you know who you are. Jeff, Matthew, beetlejuice and all you other sheeple, go to a movie to enjoy, not to criticize. You might find you will go away happy instead of angry with the world.
November 28, 2009 10:39 PM
Karzan said:
I want to say that this film is a great developement in the boxoffice it differs than any film that I have seen before.it's more than amazing.
November 29, 2009 4:48 AM
Mitchell Vasallo said:
It was a good movie. But I think it was too long. I just think they had to many characters that dragged the story. And to me being so so pilot, a chauffer driver. Re kindle love so quickly when boyfriend just died. An insane mountain hermit. All of this became a formula for most of them to live after the disasters.
December 2, 2009 3:22 PM
seham - In Saudi Arabia said:
This movies This fantastic film, and no fancy effects, but propaganda made him one of the strongest films, but is not strong wonderful film New Moon proved himself even a movie Drnk Knight .. The thing that made me think about whether this film will bring the truth or of fiction .. On Resurrection, and no one knows except God Almighty and the most important thing that we are pleased that the Muslims would overcome the infidels in the last time .. Thank you all
December 8, 2009 4:29 AM
Anonymous said:
good movie
December 11, 2009 7:59 PM
fix-me-up said:
boring toooooooooo long.
it was still playing on the half way !!!! when my super size delux popcorn box was empty.
December 12, 2009 7:59 AM
Kamran Mirza said:
awesome movie...
December 22, 2009 6:03 AM
Amar said:
The greatest movie and documentary(and i stress documentary - u will all see. hhahahahah) of 2009....!!!
December 28, 2009 2:07 PM