MOVIE REVIEWS
2012 Review
The year is 2009 and an important discovery is made: the temperature seems to be rising deep beneath the earth’s crust. After extensive studies, it seems that the violent storms on the sun are affecting the earth’s temperature and will only get worse. The story opens with Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) as he discovers this news and informs Washington as soon as possible. He tells the President’s Chief of Staff, Carl Anheuser (Oliver Platt), all of the facts he has learned about the analysis and is taken to meet the President of the United States, Thomas Wilson (Danny Glover). This is where the true crisis is about to start. In the next 3 years to follow, a lot of plans are made to prepare for the coming catastrophe.
It is now 2012, the camera focuses on Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a writer who lives in California. Jackson leaves to go pick up his children, but before he does, a tremor leaves a large crack in the street and seems to have been going on for a while (it is explained as earthquakes). Jackson picks up his children from his ex-wife, Kate (Amanda Peet) and her new boyfriend Gordon (Thomas McCarthy). Afterward, Jackson and his children head for Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming to try to enjoy some family time together. At Yellowstone, Jackson and his children see most of the park gated off, so they decided to jump the gate and discover what’s going on then are escorted out. That night, Jackson meets a local lunatic, Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson), prophesying the end of the world: the final days of the earth where earthquakes beginning to destroy California, sinking much of it into the ocean; Las Vegas crumbling beneath the earth and Yellowstone’s park super volcano erupting, taking out everything in its way. The government begins taking action by moving everyone who paid a large amount of money, but not informing any other people; hiding all the facts of what is going on. Jackson eventually realizes what Charlie Frost said wasn’t lies, but that he was right the whole time. He grabbed his kids, his ex-wife and her boyfriend, barely escaping the destruction of California. Afterward, there is a large adventure of them doing whatever they can to survive from the destruction, by escaping to China to get on the ships that can save their lives. As for Adrian Helmsley, he worked to try and warn the people because he believes people have the right to fight for their lives anyway possible and end it on their own terms, rather than to die in vain. Everyone sets their destination toward China, where the ships are there to save the human race (the ships are actually Arks, similar to Noah’s Ark). Problems arise with the people who were supposed to board and those sneaking in. It is then a race of time to sneak aboard to safety in an attempt to survive. With everything destroyed, how will human kind continue to survive? How will they deal with the loss of priceless memories and artifacts, also having no place to go to?
2012 is a full scale disaster movie that also includes aspects of comedy, romance between John Cusack’s character Jackson Curtis and his ex-wife Kate, while Gordon is around, making it often awkward at times. Special effects were handled by Sony Image Picture Works and a lot of work was put into the movie. Tons of creativity and research was fully thought through: how the destruction of states, landmarks, islands and countries would happen, which was wonderfully done. Seeing Hawaii as a burning island surrounded by lava or Yellowstone National Park’s Super Volcano going off, was just pure action and effects to make sure you glue your eyes to the screen and enjoy it all. 2012 is a must see movie of the year, because it also makes you wonder about the year 2012. With so many theories about 2012, this is just one of many that will make you wonder of the years to come.
** Written by Christopher Del Castillo
