Noah would be proud

Rating: Null/10 (26 November 2009)

When Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) set out with his kids on a camping trip, little did he know that the world as he knew it was about to end. It seems top scientists and world leaders have known for years what the Mayans knew - that the earth would be destroyed by earthquakes and tsunamis in 2012 - and only a few people would be saved aboard giant arks being built in China. Jackson, being a resourceful (and preternaturally lucky) guy, rushes his family to China with no time to spare.
This movie delivers on the special effects, no doubt about it. Watching California collapse into the ocean was really convincing. There were two problems for me, however: I didn't like any of the characters (many of whom were cartoonish) and the endless narrow escapes were too ludicrous to take seriously. Cusack wasn't a strong enough leading man to hold my interest; likewise Amanda Peet never convinced me she was a real wife and mother experiencing the last day on earth. Their kids were too cute, the Russian bad guy was neither villainous nor funny, just off-putting, and Danny Glover was wasted playing a noble President.
I've enjoyed watching Emmerich's other disaster flick, "The Day After Tomorrow" many times because the characters were likable, the plot was compelling, and the effects didn't dominate the story. This movie, in contrast, had too much CGI, unbelievable action, and an ending that was never in question. This is a good enough movie to see once, but that's all.