2012 is set in the backdrop of Mayan philosophy/calendar that the world will come to an end in 2012. However it is left upon an Indian scientist (played by Jimmy Mistry of Guru fame) to exactly pin point the precursor of the same. And as the apocalypse finally strikes, it is as usual left upon the great America to rescue the world, or in this case save a few thousand human beings to ensure the continuity of our species. The movie revolves around the characters who manage to escape the unprecedented destruction.
The movie - just like the director’s (Roland Emmerich) one of the previous ventures (Independence Day) - maintains its Indian connection. In this case however, the first scene of the movie is based in India itself. Also this time around, even China is shown to be playing a pivotal part in the movie. As if to some how reflect (and en-cash) upon the growing significance of these two countries. In 2009, an Indian scientist discovers that the temperatures in the coal mines have been increasing quite rapidly and beyond the expected range. He apotheosizes that more than usual level of solar eruptions are causing the otherwise neutral neutrinos to react with earth’s crust. Which in turn experiences changes, and is shrinking. By 2012 the crust would shrink so much, that the landforms would alter drastically and even the magnetic field at poles might get interchanged.
Cut to 2012 and to America, the earth suddenly starts behaving strangely – there are cracks every where and any where, as if the Kotla pitch is cracking up on the fourth day of a test match, but in this case the cracks run deeper, almost valley like. There are volcanoes accompanied by their distant cousin, the tsunamis. This sends the already tumultuous lives of the characters into more of a tizzy. John Cusack plays Jackson Curtis, a not-so-successful-writer-turned-limo-driver (what?? whatever!) who is divorced to Kate Curtis (Amanda Pete, ‘A Lot Like Love’). Kate is now living with Tom McCarthy and her two children.
As the apocalypse, comes visiting they try (successfully) to escape America and reach China (yes, enter the dragon) where the nations have been building something like a modern day Noah’s Ark, which has the strength to survive the dance of apocalypse and in case of a tsunami hitting, it would float over the waters. The escape sequence is typically Hollywood and full of crash-bam-thud that you have seen before umpteen times. Amidst the cries of ‘HANG ON’, Tom discovers that his one hour of flying lesson that he had once taken was good enough to fly them all across the world to China. They also come across a tenor-baritone-bass-whatever Russian boxer-turned-business-tycoon, his twin sons (wearing Shakira’s wig) and his keep (who in turn keeps a dog smaller than a large squirrel). (Woof).
You also have much clichéd American president, giving his much clichéd speech. You have an American scientist (Chiwetel Ejiofor) delivering superlatively clichéd dialogues, like: ‘Humanity dies, when we stop fighting for each other’ or ‘Every one has the right to fight for his life’ etc. They some how manage to reach China and enter the ships and ride out the tsunami which almost crashes one of the ships into Mount Everest (what is the size of a tsunami by the way? SMS to win 2 grams of masala popcorn absolutely free). Ironically enough, the Indian scientist who first warned about the apocalypse doesn’t survive (so much for being a back office of the world). The high fives and ‘yes’es tell you that the movie is finally ending. Great. Give me five.
Don’t pin your expectations very high with this movie. The characters are pretty superficially built and lack any sort of intensity. The apocalypse plot is a much beaten one, and the makers of the movie failed to capitalize on the novelty and buzz around end of the world in 2012. The only saving grace of this movie is its graphics. It in-fact makes it a ‘decent watch’ overall, and saves it from becoming a forgettable one.
Watch this movie for the typical Hollywood adrenalin rush, if you haven’t had one in recent time.
Rating: 2.5/5
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