A Fun Special Effects Action/Adventure

Rating: 8/10 (27 March 2010)

Sure the plot is ridiculous. And,to be honest, the performances in this aren't that great, either. Still, when it's over, this movie leaves you feeling as if you've been on quite a ride. It's a special effects extravaganza - and the special effects are done very well; certainly some of the best FX work I've come across in a very long time. And that's what the whole thing revolves around: one special effects behemoth scene after another, with virtually everything (after a rather slow opening 10 minutes or so) being action/adventure and very little attention being paid to plot. Yeah, we get the basics. Some massive solar flare activity has affected the earth and is basically causing our world to turn itself inside out for lack of a better way to put it. The story (such as it is) is about the attempts of the international community to find a way to save our species (at least a few hundred thousand of us.) Considering all the publicity this movie received (or, perhaps it's better to say all the attention the ancient Mayan calendar received because of the movie) I was surprised by how little attention was actually paid to the ancient Mayan calendar in this. I believe it was mentioned a couple of times, but it certainly wasn't front and centre.
It's strange to say that this was enjoyable - strange because of the poor story, the sub-par acting and the very weak attempts at humour that are scattered throughout, which seemed out of place and in some cases just too cute (think of the scene in which Gordon and Kate are in a supermarket and Gordon suggests that it feels as if they're splitting apart - at which point the supermarket indeed splits apart with them on either side of the divide.) Right. Too cute. And yet, this is well worth watching. It's fun, action-packed, energetic and it leaves your head spinning at times. I thought it was thoroughly enjoyable.