Some people say the Mayan Calendar ended in 2012 and that meant it was the end.   The movie 2012 runs with that idea.   It is a film filled with special effects, clichéd characters, and a script you can shoot the plot holes.   The film begins in 2009 India where a scientist (Chiwetel Ejiofor) working for the US government discovers the neutrinos from the sun are causing the Earth’s core to heat.   That discovery kicks in a plan enacted by the US government and other nations to come up with a plan to prepare for the upcoming cataclysm by building arks.   Fast forward to 2012 where the movie introduces us to a deadbeat Dad/ failed writer (Jon Cusak) who wrote a book about the space shuttle Atlantis tragedy that only sold 422 copies.  

He takes his kids on a trip to Yellowstone Park (in a limo- cue one of many groans from this reviewer).   He discovers part of the park is fenced off by the US government (who has determined the disappearance of a lake is one of the signs the end is near).   Dad meets a conspiracy theorist (Woody Harelson) who has his own radio show telling about the end of everything in 2012.   When things start to happen and something mentioned by the radio guy hits our failed writer in the head, he sets out to save his former wife, their two kids, and his ex-wife’s boyfriend.   Destruction follows and plenty of bad science in what amounts to a popcorn movie that makes THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW seem like the best movie in the world.   2012 falls under the category of leave your brain at the door and watch pretty explosions and mass disaster.   Don’t even get me started on how bad the science in this film is.   2012 is just a popcorn film to enjoy without thinking how bad a film it is.

This movie review is (c)11-16-2009 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to lord-pragmagtic@hotmail.com