2012 (Sony, 2009) D: Roland Emmerich, w/ John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Rating: NNN DVD package: NNN Rating: NNN
The end of the world isn’t all that breathtaking without the theatre-sized screen and eardrum-shattering sound system, but 2012 still provides enough mild thrills and chuckles to keep you amused for most of its two hours and 38 minutes.
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The alleged end of the world is actually massive earthquakes and giant tsunamis brought on by solar flares causing neutrinos to superheat the earth’s core (a bit of scientific gibberish worthy of Futurama).
Chiwetel Ejiofor, as the geologist at the heart of the top-secret attempts to save a tiny fraction of humanity, and average guy Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), both provide exactly the right degree of straight-faced seriousness, while Woody Harrelson as a conspiracy wacko who happens to be right and Zlatko Buric as a cheerfully corrupt Russian capitalist generate lots of laughs without disrupting the tone.
Director Roland Emmerich loves the juggling act of multiple plot lines and tells us all about it on the commentary he shares with co-writer, producer and composer Harald Kloser.
EXTRAS Commentary, hooray for Emmerich doc, more. Widescreen. English, French audio and subtitles.
