Movie review: 2012

2 of 5 stars

Roland Emmerich has made a career by directing big-budget apocalyptic extravaganzas that delight in showing the world’s most famous landmarks crumbling under onslaughts of aliens, elements and even a giant lizard. “2012” continues this trend. It’s as if Emmerich looked through vacation postcards for monuments to destroy instead of writing an actual script. 

The film opens with scientist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) discovering that the Earth’s core temperature is increasing at a rapid rate that will eventually cause the Earth’s crust to shift drastically. When it finally does, devastation of biblical proportions ensues, and writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) must save his estranged family and make it to the “arks” that will save the last vestige of humanity. 

Other than its visuals, the best aspect of “2012” is its use of supporting roles. Woody Harrelson makes the most of his part as an unhinged radio host who sees a conspiracy in everything and foresees the coming apocalypse. In addition, Danny Glover makes an appearance as the noble and strong-willed president of the United States. That’s right, Murtaugh from “Lethal Weapon” is the leader of the free world.

But haven’t we seen all of this before? “2012” is just “The Day After Tomorrow” without the science and Jake Gyllenhaal. How many times can we really watch a car outrun an earthquake fault line or a plane take off just before the runway crumbles beneath it? Clocking in at close to three hours, too much is never enough for this film.

Ultimately, “2012” is just a rehash of Emmerich’s previous films, another disaster movie with more ham-handed symbolism and allegory. With relatively few new elements brought to the table, there’s no reason to suffer through the catastrophe once more.