2012

Now that I have seen 2012, I am not only convinced that we have three years to live, I am also convinced that director Roland Emmerich is not as terribly inept as I thought. He likes things on a grand scale, things to which everyone can relate; nature destroying mankind, aliens destroying mankind, teleportation to the other side of the universe (to meet aliens who would try to destroy mankind), and Godzilla. With 2012, which is not the sequel to his last film, 10,000BC, Emmerich is at the helm writing, producing, and directing a film that is just as relatable. This time, the destruction of mankind is caused by the sun’s ejected neutrinos during an interplanetary alignment, which is just nonsensical enough to spark a continental shift on the earth’s surface.

The story centers around author Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a novelist and lonely dad who wishes to win back the love of his son while trying to remain friendly with his ex-wife Kate (Amanda Peet) and her new boyfriend Gordon (Tom McCarthy, The Wire and writer of 2007’s The Visitor). He is paralleled by Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is the physicist that in 2009 first warned the president that by the winter solstice in 2012, the Earth’s continental plates will become much more mobile, virtually destroying everything on the surface. While Curtis races across the country with his family, searching for a safe haven, Helmsley is arguing with his superior Carl Anheuser (Oliver Platt) about the morality behind the government’s decision to keep the scope of the disaster secret. Supporting characters are; the president, played by Danny Glover; his daughter, played by Thandie Newton; a conspiracy nut, played by Woody Harrelson; and a greedy Russian, played by scene-stealing Croatian actor, Zlatko Buric. As the Earth crumbles, the characters are naturally drawn together, giving a Dickensian aspect to the film that felt forced in many of Emmerich’s similar works, such as Independence Day or The Day After Tomorrow.

The most amazing thing about 2012, given its trite dialogue, heavy reliance on CGI, and ubiquitous predictability, is that it works. Emmerich, dare I say it, is tender with his characters; he knows what fuels relationships, and knows that an audience cannot care about even the most realistic CGI effects if they do not care about the characters with which those effects are interacting. Not only that, but the underlying themes of the movie, the nature of relationship between parent and child and the ethical consequences of informing people of impending disaster, are actually interesting. Who would have thought that a genre blockbuster such as this could spark such deep philosophical debate? Again, this isn’t The Departed, but at least Will Smith isn’t knocking out any aliens.

John Cusack brings his goofy, easy personality to the screen, which helps us through the more boring, less destruction-intensive scenes quite nicely. Chiwetel Ejiofor, in probably his most visible role yet, also delivers his lines straight-faced and with no winks to the camera. Other performances, that of Oliver Platt, Woody Harrelson, and Zlatko Buric, are played for a more comic effect, but are equally as skillful and fun to watch. As the holes in the plot and story begin to form, the actors are the ones who gently grab your hand and guide you around them.

Of course, the real stars of the movie are the breathtaking visual effects. Virtually gone is the weird glossy look of many computer-generated images, letting you know that yes, this was designed on someone’s Mac in California. In fact, were the effects not depicting extremely ridiculous sequences, such as the tumbling roof of Saint Peter’s Basilica, an aircraft carrier crashing into Washington DC, and California sliding into the Pacific Ocean, they would be completely believable. In fact, if one were so inclined to witness great special effects, this would be a perfect movie to display them, and could even warrant going to the theater to see it.

For everyone else, this movie, especially because of its Lord-of-the-Rings-esque runtime, should be a rental. Yes, it’s a dumb movie. Yes, you must suspend all disbelief and allegiance to science. Yes, there will be scenes that you will laugh at and that will remove you from the film. Yes, there are boring parts. Yes, there are loose ends that remain untied. But, in the end, 2012 was entertaining, often engrossing, and satisfying on a level that most films in the same genre aren’t. Roland Emmerich is the face of films like these, but unlike other, poorer directors (ahem, Michael Bay), Emmerich is skilled enough to know that audiences want more than just explosions, they want an interesting story with interesting characters that will leave you impressed rather than exhausted. Of course, a few explosions never hurt anyone.

Starring: John Cusak, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Oliver Platt, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Tom McCarthy, Zlatko Buric

Director: Roland Emmerich

Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Runtime: 158 minutes

Rated: PG-13