When Worlds Collide (2012 Version)

When Worlds Collide is a 2012 American science fiction disaster film released by Paramount Pictures. It was produced by Roland Emmerich, directed by Michael Bay, and stars Joseph Kucan, Christina Aguilera, Ken Takakura, and Ian Somerhalder. The film is based on the 1933 science fiction novel & 1951 movie of the same name.
The film's storyline concerns the coming destruction of the Earth by a rogue star called Bellarix and the desperate efforts to build 3 space arks to transport a group of men and women to Bellarix's single planet, Odin.
== Plot ==
In the prologue, quotes from the Book of Genesis are shown and narrated, describing God's decision to wipe out humanity.
Pilot Owen Chuck flies top-secret photographs from Japanese astronomer Dr. Ken Yamato to Dr. Zack Brody in the United States. Brody, with the assistance of his daughter Jess, confirms their worst fears: Owen has discovered that a rogue star named Bellarix, accompanied by an Earth-sized planet named Odin, is on a collision course with Earth.
Brody warns the United Nations that the end of the world is little more than ten months away, with a close pass first by Odin, before Bellus destroys the Earth 3 weeks later. He pleads for the construction of "arks" to transport a lucky few to Odin in the faint hope that humanity can be saved from extinction. With other scientists scoffing at his claims, his proposal is rejected. The revelation causes great panic in many countries. The UK forces a decimation of its military to end rampant mutinies. Venezuela uses Tabun, Sarin & Soman gas on refugees and its own citizens in an attempt to weed out rebellion. India and China destroy each other in a brief nuclear exchange over a refugee crisis.
Wealthy humanitarians arrange for a lease on a former air base 73 miles outside Las Vegas to build an ark. To finance the construction, Brody meets wheelchair-using business magnate Randall Drakeson. Drakeson demands the right to select the passengers in exchange for his money, but Brody insists that he is not qualified to make those choices; all he can buy is a seat aboard the ark. Drakeson capitulates.
Jess tells her father she is attracted to Chuck, so he finds an excuse to keep him around, much to the annoyance of her boyfriend, medical doctor Ryan Harris. As Bellarix nears, martial law is declared and residents in coastal regions are evacuated to inland cities. Groups in other nations begin to build their own spaceships.
Odin makes a close approach first, causing massive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis that wreak havoc around the world. Several people are killed at the camp, including Dr. Yamato. Chuck, Brody & Harris take a helicopter to check out conditions across the United States and meet with the President in Lander, Wyoming, the temporary capital of the United States. Return with a precious sample of an extremely heat-resistant metal one of them had noticed. This solves the last remaining engineering obstacle: no material had been found before to make rocket tubes capable of withstanding the heat of the atomic exhaust for very long.
As the day of doom approaches, the passengers are selected by lottery, though Brody reserves seats for himself, Drakeson, Jess, Harris, pilot Dr. Michael King, and Chuck, for his daughter's sake. He also includes the young boy who was rescued, raising the number of passengers to 45. Chuck, feeling he lacks any needed skills, pretends to draw a lottery number, but Brody knows better. For Jess's sake, Harris tells Chuck that King has a "heart condition" that may kill him during liftoff, convincing Chuck he is needed as the co-pilot.
The cynical Drakeson fears what the desperate lottery losers will do, so he stockpiles weapons. When a young man turns in his winning number because his sweetheart was not selected, Silas, Drakeson's much-abused assistant, claims it at gunpoint, only to be shot dead by Drakeson. Shortly before the blastoff, many of the lottery losers riot, seizing Stanton's weapons to try to force their way aboard. Brody triggers the launch prematurely while he and Drakeson are still outside, so the ship will consume less fuel. With an effort born of ultimate desperation, Drakeson stands up and walks in a futile attempt to board the departing spaceship.
The crew are rendered unconscious by the g-force of acceleration and do not witness Earth's collision with Bellarix. When Chuck comes to and sees Dr. King already awake and piloting the ship, he realizes he has been deceived.
As the spaceship enters Odin's atmosphere, the fuel runs out; Chuck takes control and glides it to a safe landing. The crew finds Odin to be habitable. Owen Chuck and Jess Brody walk hand-in-hand down the ramp with their fellow survivors as a new day dawns. In the background is an artificial structure.
== Cast ==
* Joseph Kucan as Owen Chuck
* Christina Aguilera as Jess Brody
* Ian Somerhandler as Dr. Ryan Harris
* Donald Sutherland as Randall Drakeson
* Owen Wilson as Dr. Zack Brody
* Ming-Na-Wen as Julie Cummings (as Judith Ames)
* Ned Luke as Dr. Michael King
* Paul Wesley as Brad Silas
* Ken Takakura as Dr. Ken Yamato
* Alec Baldwin as Dr. Ottinger
* Steve Zhan as Donovan (uncredited)
* Eric Ladin as Rioter bringing guns (uncredited)
* Mike Shinoda as Rioter by bank (uncredited)
* Chester Bennington as Chief Customs Inspector (uncredited)
* Anthony Hopkins as Narrator/U.S. President (uncredited)
* Art Gilmore as Paul (uncredited)
Category:Another Decade