Ridiculous hokum but absolutely top-notch entertainment

Rating: 8/10 (28 March 2009)

I rarely add comments here on IMDb, but I feel obliged to add my tuppence worth to the incredible range of opinion about this film.
I went to see this today with my fifteen year old son. I knew nothing about it prior to the movie, having only seen the TV spots.
I loved it.
I loved the premise: it's engaging and hooks your curiosity. This would be a difficult movie to walk out of - you have to have your curiosity satiated about how on earth it'll be wrapped up.
I loved the special effects. I have read people commenting about the CGI in this movie, saying "it sucked". They're wrong. Did they see the same movie I saw? The disaster scenes are - quite literally -- breathtaking. They leave you gasping. The plane scene (which appears on the TV spots) arrives with no build up, and is shockingly realised in a single ninety second take which shocks and horrifies. The subway scene makes you wince. It's a long time since I have heard an audience shriek.
I loved the ending. I have heard people suggest that the film should have ended a few minutes earlier and leave the inevitable apocalyptic conclusion to the viewer's imagination. Forget that! For a popcorn film like this, that is movie snobbery rubbish - I didn't want to imagine it. I wanted to see it. I wanted to see whether or not the director would be fearful of avoiding showing what he hinted was coming, and he delivers some meat - with an ending that is not wholly happy.
That said, the plot does not survive detailed analysis. So don't bother, just treat it for what it is, a theme-park ride with a story that does manage to maintain your interest until the end.
The acting is workmanlike and effective, albeit uninspiring. Cage is in glum and mumbling mode for a lot of the film, yet this does suit the nature of the character he's portraying, and his supporting actors (including the children) are sufficiently convincing such that, unless you are expecting Citizen Kane, you won't find your eyes rolling.
It seems to me that many of the negative reviews question the validity and purpose of the quasi-religious message the film (it could be argued) offers as denouement. I didn't get that feeling - I just saw a bit of sci-fi fun, which did not need to be dissected in great detail and certainly didn't offend my non-religious sensibilities.
Settle down with the popcorn, put your brain in "entertain but don't tax me" mode, and enjoy the charging rush.