2012 - The world as we know it will come to an end

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2009)

I was on my way out of a theater in Plano, Texas when I was lucky enough to be offered a free ticket to a preview showing of 2012 thirty minutes away. So let's just throw this out on the table: you heard and saw the entire premise in the trailers. Expect nothing more, and nothing less. 2012 is your typical disaster story, but it does contains deeper overtones and more spectacular special effects than what recent apocalyptic movies have been feeding us. The first half of the film, akin to The Day After Tomorrow, consists of nature's first "warning" signs and scientific exploration of how to prevent the destruction of the world, with, of course, the U.S. government leading the way. As the events lead to the fated date in 2012, we are introduced to the typical dysfunctional family of divorced parents and two kids, with Cusack as a father that neglects his children in order to pursue his writing career. Surprisingly, the large majority of the film is not centered on Cusack's character of Jackson Curtis or his family. A large handful of characters from diverse backgrounds share equal screen time, including Chiwetel Ejiofor as a government adviser, Danny Glover as the President, Woody Harrelson as a crazed fanatic, and Osric Chau as a Tibetan monk. Not to fear, acting was not a considerable problem among any of the actors/actresses. In fact, there were several unexpectedly emotional farewell scenes that were masterfully written in. This was a good move, seeing as a wide range of affected and interlinked characters prevented the clichés that would come from following just one family. That's not to say 2012 doesn't have its clichés. Like I said, the story doesn't deviate far from awesome destruction, to the narrow escapes, to the valiant attempt to preserve mankind. There is one thing I must say though: if you're going to watch it, do yourself a favor and watch it on the big screen. If you weren't able to tell from the previews, 2012 boasts some of the most incredible CGI sequences, probably in movie history. The movie consistently bombards the audience with scene after scene of satisfying disasters: the annihilation of California, the eruption of Yellowstone, and the volcanic destruction of Hawaii, to name a few. The action sequences were so thrilling and intense that several times I felt myself shaking in anticipation. When it comes to effects, there's never one second when 2012 fails you. Ultimately, the story winds down to the attempt to save mankind by boarding "arks" China has built. One problem: there's 15 minutes to go before tidal waves engulf China along with the rest of the Earth and there are still hundreds of people waiting to get on the arks. Here's where the clichés skyrocket with patriotic speeches and deep interpretations of humanity. Following the pattern of Independence Day and the Day After Tomorrow, the ending is a happy one (and we'll just ignore that fact that almost every living thing on Earth has been killed)! Needless to say, even though 2012 touches on some deeper overtones involving us as human beings, the ending is slightly awkward and the action somewhat loses its luster.
If you wanted to combine Titanic + The Day After Tomorrow + Independence Day, then you've got your perfect movie. As your all-around film, 2012 is satisfying to say the least. But as a disaster film, it takes destruction to a whole new draw-dropping level. Overall, I give 2012 a well deserved 8/10.