World comes to an end in disaster epic 2012

2012 offers a string of natural disasters, be it earthquakes, floods, or volcanic eruptions, the movie has all the ingredients that are a pre-requisite for any disaster movie.

Emmerich, without restraint, reduces Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and even Vatican City to mere debris.

Nevertheless, it is one of the most entertaining movies that the audiences will come across this year.

The movie plot
The movie is set in 2009 and as it begins we meet U.S. government geologist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who has just discovered that the Earth’s core is heating up very fast and will melt soon.

After carrying out some scientific calculations, he figures out that the world will come to an end in December 2012- an apocalypse that the Mayans had predicted centuries ago.

The geologist then rushes back to the United States to inform President (Danny Glover) and his ever-grumbling adviser (Oliver Platt). Together they devise a plan to construct arks that will enable human beings to take shelter when the planet is reduced to rubble.

You think that is silly? Wait, because there is more to come!

After this, the story jumps three years ahead and, in a ridiculous turn of events, Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a failed novelist, somehow discovers that the world is coming to an end.

There is also, Curtis’ ex-wife Kate (Amanda Peet) and children (Liam James and Morgan Lily) alongwith Kate’s new partner (Thomas McCarthy).

Add to this many totally irrelevant characters and you feel as if the director wanted to give work to all the unemployed actors who still haven’t got a chance to work in Hollywood.

Despite all the flaws, the movie is fast-paced and keeps the viewers on their edges. The sequence of events do look ridiculous at times and make you ponder on the intentions of the director when he thought of making this movie.

Common sense not at all common in 2012
Emmerich’s point is never clear throughout the movie and you wonder if he is he trying to spread the message that man’s disrespect for the environment and his fellow mortals is causing the Earth to rot from its core or that the world will end irrespective of the way we behave?

But you will probably be too amused while watching the movie and bursting into peals of laughter to care about the goof-ups.

So, go for it as 2012 is a pleasurable and enjoyable watch despite the flaws.