Over the top CGI - and that's all, folks!

Rating: 4/10 (20 November 2009)

The end of the world - and you get it, ten times over. In fact it gets a bit repetitive two thirds of the way through. Yes, mostly the CGI is very good - never very convincing, but then people put up with some wooden dummies in that helicopter shot of the 'Titanic' so we can't really complain! Having seen the trailer for 'Avatar' just before the film here, I was pleasantly surprised how good the CGI was compared to the Snow White/blue genie cartoon that Cameron wishes to dish up before Xmas. Unfortunately the in between dialogue pieces are pretty dire except for the odd gag - The Quenn and Prince Philip with the corgies getting on one of the arks! But let's face it, Jennifer Aniston and Seth Rogen comedies have some of the worst scripts imaginable, and they keep coming out, so why be so vehement about '2012?' The acting is unmemorable, and the San Andreas Fault seems to have the biggest acting role during the halfway stage of this overlong movie. Cut it down and it could work much better! However, Emmerich really does hide a lot of sly satire at Americans and the USA in his films that are a hoot on reflection. In 'Day After Tomorrow' the US had to beg for help from Mexico, while at the end of this Americans are going to have live in Africa! Hoot! Hoot! There should have been more of this but no, why bother, when you can demolish LA and Las Vegas, as well as the White House with a giant US aircraft carrier! Not much of the USA for Emmerich that is left to destroy!!!!