2012: Review By Fallenlords

I don't like disaster movies, so I wasn't looking forward to watching this one in the slightest. Though I have to say it started quite well, I was enjoying it ... until we are outrunning the ground collapsing for the third time, then it went downhill.

This film is way too long about 2.5 hours I reckon, though it was starting to seem like 12 hours. You could easily shave an hour off this film and it would still make sense and probably be more compact plus entertaining. There is no reason for it to be so long, because there is next to no plot apart from the world is coming to and end. They try to make a plot, a sort of conspiracy type affair involving the world's richest people and their safety but it doesn't work. Nor does the the sickly sweet and sticky ending ... yes I nearly wretched.

John Cusack plays a reasonable part and does his best to hold this film together and make it believable, he at least looks like he is trying. Woody Harrelson also attempts to make the film somewhat interesting with his outlandish character. I have to say the point at which his character departs from the film, is the point to me where things start to go wrong.

You have some top names in this film like Danny Glover playing the President of the United States. Though sorry I couldn't help but piss myself at his noble gesture, that was a real 'as if' moment. Thandie Newton, Amanda Peet and Oliver Platt didn't bring much to this film at all. In fact they looked a bit bored to me, as if they were asking the question when will we ever stop filming this? What the hell did I sign up for? Have I made a huge career mistake?

This movie isn't bad but it isn't good either and it doesn't discuss or go into the Mayan prophecy much at all. I was expecting a film based on 2012 to revolve more around the myths and have some weird explanations, but it only lightly touches on the prediction. This is actually a modern day Noah's Ark tale ... with the United States directing the moral compass once again. How bored am I of this goody two shoes persona that films like this turn out.... (very - as a matter of fact). It might of worked in the 50's but these days we are a little more clued up with world events and who is to blame for the state of not only the economy but world peace and a number of other issues.

Overall I started to watch this film and actually enjoy it, which surprised me for this type of film. In actual fact I think it could have been very good, possibly still could be very good if they trimmed some of the fat off the running time. But it's way too long, too sentimental and too repetitive.

As for the Director .. Emerich, well he isn't my cup of tea. I quite liked 'Independence Day' I thought that was a reasonable film, could have been better and once again let down by this American sentimental bullsh*t ... 'This is our independence day..'. This same sentimental crap spills over in 2012 and it is vomit inducing. We have minutes to do something, so it makes sense to take a time-out to say how much you love someone and look longingly into their eyes before you do what you have to do. Of course now you have 30 seconds rather than minutes but somehow time seems to stand still to capture the moment, wretch... It's this sort of needless tripe that drags this film out way beyond what should have been a max running time of around one and half hours.