2012

From the trailers it was clear what this film had in store. And it delivered. I got my money's worth, as did all the college students who bunked their classes for 2012.

The Director-Producer-Writer of 2012, Roland Emmerich, has a thing for HUGE films. He has been associated with Hollywood hits like 10,000 BC, Independence Day, Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow. 2012 will prove to be the chocolate chip of his cookie.

As the Mayans have claimed, the world will come to an end in 2012. Crackpots all over America claim so as well, holding up placards that predict an apocalypse in the ill-fated 2012. Well obviously no one beleives that. Except it's all coming true. 

In 2009 an Indian scientist, Dr. Satnam Tsurutani (Jimi Mistry) detects that the earth's core is getting all heated up, and in a few years time the earth's crust will begin to shift, leading to massive earthquakes, unimaginably high Tsunamis, volcanic eruptions et al. In short, the end of the world.

Dr Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Satnam's friend, confirms the same. The American President, Thomas Wilson (Danny Glover) is alerted, who alerts other heads of states. The general public has no idea of this.

 

In the midst of this drama is Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a writer. His ex-wife Kate (Amanda Peet) and 2 children live with Kate's new husband, Gordan (Thomas McCarthy). Predictably, by the end of the film, he is united with his family. What happens to Gordon? Watch the film to know.

The story has thrown together all natural disasters into a single film. As a result the audience gets to watch in horror as earthquakes rip apart whole cities, hot lava erupts and consumes everything in its path and Tsunamis mercilessly swallow the whole planet.

 

Skyscrapers fall to the earth like sandcastles whipped by sea-waves, expensive cars fall into huge craters, people scream for their loved ones, running helter skelter. Perfectly executed.

It did cross my mind though, that had portions of the film been 3-dimensional, it would have been spectacular.

The movie is shot beautifully, and the USP of the film, the special effects, are astounding. It would be difficult to say which scene was the best; the gushing hot lava killing all life forms while looking so deathly-gorgeous, the Tsunami engulfing Washington DC or the mad chase to the airfield in a Limousine as the actors watch the whole city being wrenched apart all around them. 

Most Hollywood disaster films portray America as the savior of mankind. This film did that to some extent, though credit was given to the Indian scientist for making the life-saving discovery. 

The film had its own sterotypes though. The American President stayed on with his people to die with them, rather than take off on Air Force One. Supreme sacrifice, one that only the American leader could make!

Not too many people will fail to notice that he was Black. A tribute to Obama?

At crucial moments things go wrong, and it is only in the nick of time that actors escape excruciating death. Predictable, but required, for that edge-of-the-seat-anxious-nailbiting-experience.

The film almost gives out the message that if you have money you will live. People who had a "ticket" to a modernized Noah's Ark, were those that could afford to shell out a billion dollars. It's a different thing that even then lots of them died.

 

Of course at the end humanity won, and money took a back seat, owing to a speech (how typical) delivered by Adrian, which moved everybody's heart.

The acting was splendid. A special mention is in order for Woody Harrelson, for playing the demented Charlie. 

The only minus point of watching a much-awaited film: long queue at the snacks bar.