"2012" MOVIE REVIEW

http://www.mannythemovieguy.com

Like its reported over bloated budget of $260 million, everything about 2012 is huge and expansive. From the films length (158 minutes!) to the special effects, and all the way to its believability factor, 2012 is a film of massive proportions.

Different kinds of epic proportions awaits us in the year 2012. According to the film, the apocalypse is near. The Mayan calendar is set to reach the end of its 13th cycle on December 21, 2012 and nothing follows that date. 2012 tells the story of whats to come.

At the center of death and destruction is Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a failed author with a failed marriage. He stumbles upon the news that the world as we know it is coming to an end. So the poor sap becomes a hero in the eyes of his kids, his ex-wife Kate (Amanda Pete) and her current husband, Gordon (Thomas McCarthy).

2012s narrative is told from two points of view: those who know about the cataclysmic events that await the earth and those who remain in the dark. Woody Harrelson steals the show as a hippie prophet named Charlie Frost who tells Jackson about the impending gloom and doom.

Director Roland Emmerich, the current father of disaster movies, knows the formula by now. Credible actors playing good and evil characters facing unbelievable situations equals apocalypse film at its finest. Emmerich used this time-tested formula in Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, heck, even Godzilla, and now, the director has used it again in 2012.

When the film works, it really works! The first half of the film is a joyful orgasm of exploding cities! Oh look, Santa Monica falling into the ocean! Goodbye Yellowstone! Arrivederci Roma! But after a few of these eye-popping monstrosities, the novelty wears thin.

Emmerich co-wrote the campy script with Harald Kloser who previously worked with the director in 10,000 B.C. There are many unintentionally funny scenes but there also some good moments with genuine emotion.

One of my favorite scenes involves actor Chiwetel Ejiofor who plays the presidents chief science advisor. Hes warning his cruise-ship singer father, played by Blu Mankuma, about the imminent disaster. These two great actors are not even shown in a scene together theyre talking on the phone but their performances resonate emotionally.

Remember the scene in Independence Day where Bill Pullman as President Thomas J. Whitmore addresses the country about the looming alien invasion? Theres a similar scene in 2012 featuring Danny Glover as President Thomas Wilson. But Glover as the commander-in-chief doesnt have the same gravitas as Pullman. His character is reduced to a caricature.

Im torn with this film. On the one hand, I love disaster flicks and all its merry mayhem. I was like a kid in a candy store taking in all the apocalyptic images the movie could muster. But I overdosed quickly! By the final reel, I found myself looking at my watch, hoping for 2012 to end. I even caught myself rolling my eyes at the preposterous conclusion.




I did like the image that Emmerich used in the end. For one brief second, I caught a glimpse of what 2012 was supposed to be. But the majority of its budget was used on special effects and not to perfect the storyline.

Its a shame because I was ready to embrace the film and all its clichés, formulas, and plot holes. I was even willing to throw out the film critic handbook because there are many exciting and entertaining moments.

Alas, 2012 is reduced to being wonderfully messy. But theres salvation! This coming Thanksgiving, another apocalyptic film is coming to theaters. Its called The Road starring Viggo Mortensen based on the Pulitzer-prized winning novel by Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men).

Enjoy being a witness to seeing the world end in 2012, and then pay attention to how the remaining survivors live in The Road, a much better and deeper disaster movie.




2012 gets 2 The End is Near kisses

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• manny
• movie
• guy
• 2012
• film
• review
• critic
• apocalypse
• roland
• emmerich
• judgment
• day
• end
• of
• the
• world
• john
• cusack
• independence

[DethMagnetik]

i just saw that movie last night and loved it. i didnt think it was gonna be worth it but it was.

it was said that he was a failed actor...in the movie hes a failed author, NOT actor

[mdelar]

@DethMagnetik Thanks for watching...yes, I don't know what I was thinking when I read my script...in all my written reviews (check my description or my website), I said failed author...but I read it as actor...my apologies...blame it on old age :)

[berner]

"A failed actor in a failed marriage in a failed movie"

[mdelar]

@berner Brilliant! Thanks for watching and have a great day!

[berner]

@mdelar I also happen to like movies with "massive" proportions in them too ;)

[mdelar]

@berner lol :)

[Soap10000]

guys this isnt going to happen my calender on my phone keeps going on 

[omgguy1234567891]

Why do lifeless trolls always post stories that are scary in a way?

[TheKCProductions1000]

This was the best movie ever but, if your emotional, you will cry 99% of the time. It was really sad until the end, you will be really happy and clapping

[Ilurblur]

2012 is not going to happen! Everyone w brain know the end of the world is BULLSHIT. I'll be laughing when ur wrong. :D

[boxingisbest]

@movienaut The US has plans of evacuation in case of major natural disasters such as super vulcanos,big meteors,an alien invasion, im sure that the people on that list is people like bill gates that pays for himself to be on it. The only fact so far is the gigantic solar storm that is predicted in the movie also the yellowstone vulcano is showing signs of erupting soon wich would be the end of most of humanity

[YouDontDeserveItVids]

@skillzdatpaythebills Letz thumb-up this comment, everyone!

[skillzdatpaythebills]

i actually think this is the worst movie i have seen!

[Herowebcomics]

It was eppic,unfortunitly it was soo eppic that the thought of anyone surviving

it made it unbelievable .

How could a guy that was supposed to be an average driver live through that volcanic eruption?

And how could a guy that almost never flew a plane survive the building avalanche?

[movienaut]

I love half of the movie, and the other half are things I want to forget.

About the 2012 it is true that there are none fact about the end of the world, at least not like the movie. But it is true that the goverment has an evacuationlist that has famous names from other countries that military will bring to a safety place somewhere in the world. Why would US spend money every year for that list?

And last, just because fish and birds died around the world, does not mean the end of the world.

[Jeorney]

Films like this often involves powerful emotive suggestion & hidden meaning thats different to what what you think the film is about. Try interpreting this film as if the disaster element was not a component. Interpret it in terms of political, economic and social change.

[Eternalsummersong]

@BlueDragon992: Yeah the first trailer sounded like it was really going to happen. It scared the crap out of people. I told my friends it was the trailer to the movie. Lol! They didn't believe me until the damn movie came out.