2012 Movie
The 2012 Movie, directed by the
amazing
Roland Emmerich, is
based on a date that is important to many different
cultures, scientists, religions, and governments -
the year 2012. On December 21, 2012 a global
catastrophe will occur, plunging the world into
darkness and noting the heroic struggle of
survivors. It took in almost $80,000,000 its
first week.
Here is the plot of the brilliant
2012 movie as
described on Wikipedia:
A global cataclysm caused by the
collapse of the Earth's crust and worldwide
floodings that leads to the end of the world and has
survivors struggling for their lives, while a US
Government agency called the "Institute for Human
Continuity" attempts to use ships to ensure the
survival of the human race.
The film explores the idea of a global doomsday
event coinciding with the end of the Mayan Long
Count Calendar's current cycle on or around December
21, 2012 (the northern hemisphere's winter
solstice). Among the disasters shown in the trailers
are earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves
Starring John Cusack and Chiwetel
Ejiofor, and supported by actors Danny Glover and
Woody Harrelson, the movie aired in theaters
around the world during November, 2009.
America and Canada saw 2012 hit the big screen
on November 13, 2009. Those in Western Europe
first saw the movie on November 11, 2009.
2012 the movie was marketed
by a now infamous and fictional website called,
www.whowillsurvive2012.com.
The website features the movie trailers, an escape
sweepstakes where you could enter to win Cruise West's
Voyages of Great Explorers, as well as a quiz on
survival skills, a so-called Survive 2012 game.
There are several I-phone applications on
www.whowillsurvive2012.com
as well.
But, perhaps the most interesting
part of the
2012 Movie website,
is the fictional and very interactive "Institute for
Human Continuity" (IHC) webpages, which promote
the end is just the beginning. Who is
the IHC? A viral marketing campaign, The IHC
(unlike the nut on the street with an "End is Near"
sign) is a serious scientific research and public
preparedness company. Taking their cause from
more than 30 years of research by astronomers,
mathematicians, geologists, physicists, and
anthropologists, the IHC has developed a number of
initiatives to prepare the world for the apocalypse
that will come on December 21, 2012.
The IHC's overall goal is to
prepare the world for the year 2012. There you
can vote your selection for post-2012 world leader
(11 candidates), and receive an interesting piece on
the mysterious celestial object that is to enter the
Earth's orbit in 2012 (leading to a disastrous
outcome for Earthlings, and read the latest news
covering breakthrough scientific discoveries by the
IHC.
What are the IHC initiatives?
While the overall goal of the IHC is to focus on
colonization and escape efforts in relation to the
year 2012, there are 6 main initiatives:
1. E.A.R.T.H. - Educational
Awareness Regarding Threats to Humanity. Shows
visualizations to the Earth's major planetary
threats.
2. Operation Safe Haven.
Survival Initiatives running up to 2012.
3. Cultural and Historical
Analysis. Anthropological revelations about
2012.
4. Cultural Preservation.
5. Human Excellence.
6. Lottery.
There are also various disaster
scenarios explained by the IHC.
Solar Activity, Crustal Displacement
(commonly known as
planetary alignment),
and
Planet X all top the list of impending or
potential disasters that may occur in December 2012.
More interestingly, there is
information on the subterranean nuclear-powered
shelters located in Antarctica, which have been
built to withstand volcanoes and earthquakes.
They are essentially unused missile silos, purchased
from various countries by the Operation Safe Haven
initiative. Built below these silos are
underground cities that are meant for continuing the
human race.
Probably the most important part
of the IHC website (for believers, anyway) is the
2012 Survival Lottery.
Viewers can register for their chance to secure a
spot, apparently in one of the underground cities.
Millions people
have registered (worldwide), with many coming from
China, where the movie became very popular. Registered citizens
will receive frequent emails regarding updated
events and news by the IHC.
The 2012 movie was also marketed by a fictional website called
ThisIsTheEnd.com.
This site is essentially a blog featuring Charlie
Frost (with Woody Harrelson), that pretty much just
builds hype about 2012.
Click here for a 2012 Movie
Wallpaper Image
Here is a review of the movie
posted on
BoxOffice.com by
writer Pete Hammond...
-----------------------------
Apparently determined to end
his career with a bang as the ‘disaster film’
director of record, Roland Emmerich has thrown
everything imaginable at the screen in this mother
(nature) of all destruction flicks. With the world
about to implode, a select group of people are
determined to survive and preserve the human race in
this impossibly ludicrous guilty pleasure. Silliness
aside, 2012 will undoubtedly be a worldwide box
office smash, luring any moviegoer willing (and
able) to turn off his brain and go along for the 158
minute thrill ride.
Emmerich, the force behind other
end-of-life-as-we-know-it epics like Independence
Day, The Day After Tomorrow and even good ‘ol
Godzilla (1998) has outdone himself with this global
disaster tale that blames the world’s impending end
on natural causes. A series of non-man made
calamities befall the planet starting with
earthquakes in California and worse as a growing
tsunami makes its way to China, taking out
everything and everyone in its path. Emmerich and
his co-writer Harald Kloser are smart enough to know
sheer chaos would not cut it without compelling
human characters to root for … and then watch die.
Central to the plot is loser author Jackson Curtis
(John Cusack) whose brilliant novel led to the
breakup of his marriage to his wife Kate (Amanda
Peet) who, consequently, has recently taken up with
another guy named Gordon (Tom McCarthy). Still the
ever-protective Dad, Cusack heeds warnings from
nutcase Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson) and gathers
up the family just as the apocalypse begins its
deadly march. Meanwhile U.S. President Wilson (Danny
Glover), aware for a few years that all this was
coming, presides over a plan to create a Nemo-like
Nautilus contraption that key government officials
from around the world will use to ride out the
storm. Harrelson is somehow privy to information of
the exact whereabouts of this race-saver and has
maps to help Cusack and company find it.
With over-the-top car chases, plane chases and every
other kind of chase, this CGI wetdream of a movie
keeps the special effects houses in business as
every significant monument from the White House (why
is Emmerich determined to gut this place in film
after film?) to Rio de Janiero, to the Vatican goes
down, down, down. With some witty touches (a takeoff
on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is a hoot) and
lots of unintentionally funny dialogue, 2012 (which
gets its inspiration from the Mayan calendar
predicting major “changes” in that year) somehow
manages to keep us riveted for over two and a half
mind-boggling hours.
Although the true stars here are the visual effects
wizards, Cusack cashes in whatever indie-cred he’s
had in the past to sock this dumb stuff home. Amanda
Peet is very good at looking worried/terrified while
McCarthy as her boyfriend comes in handy as an ace
pilot after just two short lessons. Glover is stoic
as the President while Chiwetel Ejiofor is just too
damn earnest as his all-knowing science advisor. For
that matter so is Thandie Newton, as the President’s
humorless daughter. Harrelson is a riot as a
low-rent radio host and would-be prophet who
foresees the world’s end and Oliver Platt steals
every scene he’s in as the highly manipulative Chief
Of Staff.
Theater owners need not worry as Sony’s holiday
destruction derby is anything but a disaster and
should fill their coffers all season long.
Distributor: Columbia
Cast: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Woody
Harrelson, Danny Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor and
Thandie Newton.
Director: Roland Emmerich
Screenwriters: Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser
Producers: Roland Emmerich, Larry J. Franco and
Harald Kloser
Genre: Action Adventure
Rating: PG-13 for intense disaster sequences and
some language.
Running time: 158 min.
Release date: November 13, 2009
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