I get the joke (spoiler contained)

Rating: 8/10 (22 November 2009)

2012 is nearly every disaster movie you've ever seen rolled into one. I pretty much knew that going into the theater, but once I saw the cruise ship capsized by a tsunami I was certain nothing would be off limits. Clearly the production team all the way down the line knew what they were doing -- creating the ultimate disaster movie. Utilizing every bad cliché and bad dialog synonymous with the genre had to be intentional. There is no doubt in my mind about that.
Earthquakes, fires, sinking ships, erupting volcanoes, floods and airplane crashes. It's all there, and the special effects (especially the insane LA earthquake) are top notch. The automobile and airplane escape sequences are ridiculously unbelievable, but therefore all the more exciting. Several scenes are shamelessly stolen from other disaster movies (most notably the "Poseidon" films) but it's all done in good fun.
Regardless of the absurdity of the movie, it's a enjoyable ride and indeed the ultimate disaster movie. Fans of the genre will certainly get what they paid for. My biggest complaint is that it's too long. The last 30 minutes are painfully tedious. But hat's off to those involved in the production for having a sense of humor about the whole thing.