The Countdown to oblivion

Rating: 5/10 (13 November 2009)

Subtlety is without a doubt at the bottom of director Roland Emmerich's films, and the excitement of going to see his latest disaster movie pretty much ended midway through the film. Despite the CGI effects being top notch, the film quickly descended into absurdity and disbelief, and looked as if I was watching something from the 'effects gag reel' of The Day After Tomorrow.
Sadly, the idea of the ancient prediction about the world ending in 2012 is chucked away in the first 10 minutes or so, which leaves the rest of the film open to an unrealistic structure, and a lazy, unimaginative script, involving John Cusack's character with a highly embarrassing sub-plot about his family issues. How can a film that cost millions to make get tangled up in a senseless script that descends into its own non-logical manner?
Taking all of this into account (and the fact that the film is just a pinch too long), Emmerich has yet again stunned us with his visual effects, and is easily the best point to emerge from this disaster flick.
I really do hope that the world does end in 2012, because then, films like this that spend so much money on trying to make a good film, won't be made any more.