2012 (2009/I)

Dr. Adrian Helmsley, part of a worldwide geophysical team investigating the effect on the earth of radiation from unprecedented solar storms, learns that the earth's core is heating up. He warns U.S. President Thomas Wilson that the crust of the earth is becoming unstable and that without proper preparations for saving a fraction of the world's population, the entire race is doomed. Meanwhile, writer Jackson Curtis stumbles on the same information. While the world's leaders race to build "arks" to escape the impending cataclysm, Curtis struggles to find a way to save his family. Meanwhile, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes of unprecedented strength wreak havoc around the world.

Perhaps they should have waited a year or two in production before releasing this film. The script had the feel of a formulaic plan hobbled together from projects past. The score failed to reflect the gravity of the tragedy at hand. In fact, there was little in the way of investment with respect to the main characters as they still seemed to be strangers at the end of the film. It was exhilarating at times, but lacked the focus on individual characters to allow the catastrophic impact of the events depicted to reach a personal level.

You've seen Independence Day, you've seen War of the Worlds, now the world is coming to an end once again in the movie 2012 starring John Cusack. My first thoughts when the movie finished was "Wow, that was way too long". I felt there was a lot of nonsense they really should have left out of the movie. The majority of the criticism I've heard about this movie was bad. Like always when I watch a movie, I felt I was going to give it an open mind and ignore the negative criticism. Overall, the film was not bad nor good, but in my opinion, just decent. It's John Cusack, his family and the world trying to run away from the crashing world. Will they make it to safety and one must wonder what safety is in a world that's coming to an end??? If the world was coming to an end in reality, the first thing I'd do is say bye bye family and then I'd get drunk.

***/*****

3/5 Stars