Oh, come on, is that the best you can do Ronald Emmerich?!

Rating: 3/10 (14 January 2010)

Roland Emmerich, what can you say about this guy? We love him, we hate him; he makes bad movies, but they're hella entertaining. I don't know what this guy has against the world, but it seems like he likes to blow it up in any way possible. From Independence Day to Godzilla to The Day After Tomorrow, we now have 2012. Which ironically I think it's funny that the director got this totally mixed up. I love to watch the history channel, so I know the whole "myth" around the year 2012, it has nothing to do with the world ending or being shifted. Not to say that this is never going to happen, but it's not set in stone for the year 2012. But 2012, let's go for it, end of the world! Let's talk about the end of the world, Roland Emmerich said in an interview that this is most likely going to be his last adventure movie and if you are going to retire what you're best known for: Go out with a bang! 2012 limits what he shows as the "world" crumbles: Los Angeles has the big earthquake, Yellow Stone National Park gets a volcano, and China has a tycoon come in. That's it! I live in Chicago and it's never mentioned in the film so I can't help but laugh and say "Well, I guess we're safe. I'm just going to look out the window one day confused why penguins are in the back yard".
Jackson Curtis is a writer in Los Angeles who works part-time as a limousine driver for wealthy Russian businessman. Jackson's ex-wife Kate and their children Noah and Lily live with her boyfriend, Gordon Silberman. Jackson takes Noah and Lily on a camping trip to Yellowstone National Park, where they meet Charlie Frost, a conspiracy theorist living as a hermit and hosting a radio show from the park. Charlie references a theory that suggests the Mayans predicted the world would come to an end in 2012, and claims he has knowledge and a map of a secret "space ship" project. As evidence for his claims, he notes the suspicious deaths of many scientists who attempted to warn the public before information about the catastrophe was de-classified. The family returns home as cracks develop along the San Andreas Fault in California and earthquakes occur in many places along the west coast. Jackson grows suspicious and rents a plane to rescue his family. He collects his family and Gordon when the Earth's crust displacement begins and they escape Los Angeles as it slides into the Pacific Ocean. As the world collapses around them, they try to fly to China to board a ship meant only for the rich and VIP people of the world that will ensure their survival.
While 2012 is entertaining on the special effects level, it's in no way realistic, so the story blew it on any level that I could have had respect for. For God's sake, my friend is in the navy and while we were watching this movie he mentioned how in Washington, DC, the USS Kennedy no longer exists and yet it does in this movie. Another thing, I love John Cussack, but is he the new Arnold Schwartzenegger? For God's sake, it seems like Ronald throws everything at him and yet something he manages to escape at last second for each disaster. My favorite is a tie: either they go to Yellow Stone to find their friend, but when the volcano erupts they drive away while meteors are being thrown at them and even hit's the RV they're driving and somehow it still manages to pull forward. Second being how they're able to fly an airplane over an erupting volcano as it would actually pull them down due to the air clogging the engine. Ronald also picks Danny Glover as president! LMAO! Are you serious?! I was just waiting for him to say "I'm getting to old for this.." when he finds out about the world ending. He and Thandie Newton seemed so out of place for the film.
Please don't think that I hated this movie, I was just extremely disappointed, even if we want to be unrealistic on every level, it's OK. I just felt like this was a let down, like I said if Ronald wants to make this his last film, he should just go for it and make the world suffer. Unless he makes another film with him as a giant and just stepping on all the big cities, I'd buy a ticket on the spot. But I fell for it with 2012, it's totally worth it on the big screen just to see the special effects, but it's not going to have the same effect at home. The special effects were the only thing that made this film tolerable, but just a warning in advance, it's 2 and a ½ hours! Way too long, stupid story, bad characters; let's put it this way, if you like disaster movies, this is to be seen on the big screen, otherwise, just skip it.
3/10