2012

Genre : DVD ( DVD )
Release : 2010/03/02
Price : $19.49

Buy

Now this is how you destroy the world. Roland Emmerich's 2012 pounces on a Nostradamus-style loophole in the Mayan calendar and rams the apocalypse through it, gleefully conjuring up an enormous amount of Saturday-matinee fun in the process. A scientist (Chiwetel Ejiofor) detects shifting continental plates and sun flares and realizes that this foretells the imminent destruction of the planet. Just as the molten lava is about to hit the fan, a novelist (John Cusack) takes his kids on a trip to Yellowstone; later he'll hook up with his ex (Amanda Peet) and her new boyfriend (Tom McCarthy) in a global journey toward safety. If there is any safety. The suitably hair-raising plot lines are punctuated--frequently, people, frequently--by visions of mayhem around the globe: the Vatican falls over, the White House is clobbered (Emmerich's Independence Day was not enough on that score), and the California coastline dives into the Pacific Ocean. Unlike other action directors we could name, Emmerich actually understands how to let you see and drink in these vast special-effects vistas--and they are incredible. He also honors the old Irwin Allen disaster-movie tradition by actually shelling out for good actors. Cusack and Ejiofor are convincing even in the cheesiest material; toss in Danny Glover (the U.S. president), Woody Harrelson (a nut-bar conspiracy-theorizing radio host), Thandie Newton, and Oliver Platt, and you've got a very watchable batch of people. Emmerich hasn't developed an ear for dialogue, even at this stage in his career, and the final act goes on a bit too long. This is a very silly movie, but if you've got a weakness for B-movie energy and hairbreadth escapes, 2012 delivers quite a bit of both. --Robert Horton



Stills from 2012 (Click for larger image)

The director of INDEPENDENCE DAY tries to bring us another disaster blockbuster picture, though, this one doesn't quite hit the mark in storytelling. It did well at the box office so expect a sequel or spin off. Tale focuses on several main and subplot stories taking place as the Earth's core prepares to destroy the planet. There are a ton of awesome special effects in this picture and that's what pushed it up to a three star. The story is mediocre to poor in certain places with some high points where it seems to be going well and then just fails to deliver. So if you love CGI and the like this is the movie for you if you love disaster films. Now, if you really want to see an "A" quality disaster film there are several but I'm thinking of the 70s TOWERING INFERNO at the moment. WHEN WATCHED: 08/30/2010; MY GRADE: B minus.

I'm giving this 5 stars to help balance out the stupid, ridiculous 1 star reviews. There are certain people who like to say that the good movies are bad and the bad movies are good. They like the movies that lose money, are boring, and have no entertainment value. They prefer movies to have no special effects and nothing that's fun or entertaining. In other words, they like bad movies and they hate anything that's popular and successful. 2012 is one of the top grossing movies. I wouldn't say it's a great movie in every way but it has amazing disaster visuals and provides good entertainment value. It's a good movie to watch on your big HDTV and hear on your surround sound system. Also the story is fairly interesting. 2012 is certainly much more watchable than a terrible movie such as "Children of Men." People who trash popular entertainment such as 2012 think they're so smart, but I think they're idiots. I happen to have a very high IQ myself and I much prefer blockbuster movies over the boring little garbage movies that the critics praise.

More of a sci-fy mmovie than what I like Expected more of the Myan information/calendar.
Well done.

With the top-notch actors and previews with awesome special effects, I expected an exciting film. Wrong! This movie fell flat. What's worse is that it's long. If not for the outstanding special effects and Woody Harrelson's role, the film is a total zero. Terrible writing, plot development and execution. Basically, a terrible movie.

I thought this was going to be some docu-drama about the Mayan proposed end of the earth in 2012 but it was way more fun and exiting than I had expected. I couldn't believe the amount of bad reviews this movie is getting because I really enjoyed it. The other reviews are like something my dad would say, "Planes can't do that. or People don't act like that". Enjoy the movie the way it is, don't expect to be blown away. I enjoyed the plot and story and Woody Harrelson was awesome. One last thing, the special effects really were amazing, I never thought anything looked green-screened so this was an edge-of-your-seat nail-biter for me.