Today’s quick review: 2012. In 2009, an unprecedented burst of energy from the Sun destabilizes the Earth’s core. Over the next three years, Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) coordinates the government’s efforts to track and prepare for an inevitable global catastrophe. As the end approaches, Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), a failed author, catches wind of the official preparations and races to get his family to safety.
2012 is a disaster action thriller about the end of the world predicted by the Mayan calendar. With no way to prevent a shift in the Earth’s crust, governments around the world launch a secret program to save a select few people. 2012 sports a star-studded cast, large-scale special effects, and a suitably disastrous premise. However, even though it executes parts of the formula well, some questionable choices hold it back.
2012’s strength lies in its scale. Not content with just one catastrophe, 2012 packs in as many as it can. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and worldwide tsunamis are the fuel for its many action scenes. Each one could be the climax of another movie, with big-budget special effects and a series of very close calls for Jackson and his family. While some of the chaos borders on ridiculous, the sense of spectacle is excellent.
However, 2012 has some quirks that make it an uneven watch. The basic elements of the genre are all there: a pending disaster, a family in peril, and a ray of hope. But the through-line of the story is bizarre, relying on a series of far-fetched coincidences to even give Jackson a chance. The tone also fluctuates in weird ways, bouncing between tragedy, black humor, and moral dilemmas that are not handled well enough to resonate.
As such, 2012 is only a partial success. Those who are in it for the spectacle will find that its scenes of destruction are inventive and visually impressive, while its cast includes the likes of Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Danny Glover, Woody Harrelson, and Thandie Newton. However, the movie has a hard time weaving its threads into a compelling story, and it ultimately overstays its welcome. Approach with caution.
For a more sober disaster thriller with a similar setup, try Greenland. For a large-scale sci-fi disaster thriller that takes even greater liberties with its action, check out Moonfall. For a similarly cataclysmic disaster movie from the same director, try The Day After Tomorrow. For a more even-keeled disaster thriller about earthquakes in California, try San Andreas.
[5.8 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190080/). I give it a 6.5 for large-scale thrills tempered by some peculiar choices.