2012 (2009)

This film begins as geologist Dr. Adrian Helmsley (Chimetel Ejiofor) goes to India in 2009 to see evidence that the earth's core is heating up at an alarming rate. He runs back to the U.S. and explains his findings to a presidential aide, Carl Anheuser (Oliver Platt) who then reports it to the President (Danny Glover with a really bad lisp. Did he get new teeth or something?).

Several years later, Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) a one time published author and limo driver, is taking his kids camping in Yellowstone despite the fact that many earthquakes are occurring. He is separated from his wife (Amanda Peet) who is living with her plastic surgeon boyfriend Gordon (Tom McCarthy) who, it seems, his son prefers. While in Yellowstone, they enter a restricted area and are whisked off to a military/scientific base where Dr. Helmsley recognizes Jackson from his book which, by the way, predicts a global catastrophe. What are the odds? Jackson and kids head back to their campsite where they run into a whacko (Woody Harrelson in a role tailor made for him) that runs a pirate radio station out of his R.V. that predicts the end of the world. He tells Jackson about what he thinks is going on with the government and the end of the world and tells Jackson that he has a map of where the government is building "spaceships" to survive.

Jackson takes the kids home and later that day is when the world begins to fall apart. When things start to crumble, he drives to get the kids, his wife and her boyfriend. He then drives like a crazy man as the world is literally collapsing all around them to the airport where he has reserved a plane that Gordon flies (he is taking flying lessons)to Yellowstone so that Jackson can acquire a map from the wacko that tells them where the "spaceships are located. The so-called "spaceships" actually turn out to be Arks complete with animals that were available for the low low price of a billion dollars for those that could afford it (they had to finance the building of the Arks somehow. What?...the government would pay for it?). They are obviously expecting the flooding by the tsunami's that come with geological events that are so powerful that the continents and the Poles move (the South Pole ends up in Wisconson. Really!).

A couple of parts, such as the part where Jackson is making his mad dash for the airport, are so unbelievable they would be funny if not for the fact that people are being killed all over the place. There is a scene where they had to land a plane in a snow covered area in China in the middle of nowhere and a truck just happens to drop by and pick them up. Again, what are the odds?

The film, directed by Roland Emmerich who seems to be the king of the end of the world as his other movies "Independence Day" and "The Day After Tomorrow" both deal with apocalyptic type events, is not horrible as long as you don't take it seriously. If you look at it for what it is, a silly, slightly entertaining way to pass the time, then you might enjoy iT. The effects are good and may best be viewed at the theater.

180 Minutes. Rated PG13. I give this movie TWO STARS.