2012
Rated PG-13
(intense disaster sequences and some language)
2 hours 38 minutes
Storyline:
An epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors.
Starring:
John Cusask
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Amanda Peet
Thandie Newton
Oliver Platt
Danny Glover
Critics Grade:
F
My Grade:
D
Rated PG-13
(intense disaster sequences and some language)
2 hours 38 minutes
Storyline:
An epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors.
Starring:
John Cusask
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Amanda Peet
Thandie Newton
Oliver Platt
Danny Glover
Critics Grade:
F
My Grade:
D
Ok so I'm a liar. I may have said or at least implied to some people, that I would never see this film. Based off the previews, the movie looked just stupid to me. It looked like just yet another giant special effects (and bad special effects at that) movie about the end of the world. A movie we've seen so many times before, but now we have one with the 12/21/12 end of the world storyline those pesky Mayan's predicted many a moon ago. But yes, I did see this film. Listen, I enjoy hanging out with my friends. A good buddy and I go and see movies a lot...we were going to see Pirate Radio...but I guess we both felt like a good laugh...so we decided to see John Cusask in "2012".
Well, this wasn't the worst movie of the year, it has that going for it at least. This wasn't a truly AWFUL film. Hell it even had some borderline redeeming qualities (mainly the great Woody Harrelson in a brief role). But overall, yes, this was a fairly bad film in most aspects. Clearly this film is not going to have a profound storyline, I get that, and I accept that. Clearly it's not going to have an Oscar worthy performance from anyone. This movie, and all movies like this, rely on the entertaining and "bad ass" factor. This movie wasn't all that entertaining and certainly not "bad ass" in anyway. I actually thought it was a bit boring and ran just a tad to long (It's 2 hour and 40 minutes for petes sakes!!).
I think we got MOST of the "cool" special effects shots in the previews for the film. There's a lot of gap between t
he action in the film. When the action happens, it's all so...blah. The same crap we have seen time and time again. A bunch of cities and famous landmarks get demolished by various weather disasters or what have you. Volcanoes destroying national parks, major earthquakes sucking in major cities into the vast abyss. Blah blah blah. Been there, done that. The other half of the movie is the main characters trying to escape such chaos...and in such over the top, insane ways. For God's sake, if you have a plane, fly UP...not down and towards the destruction. But again...those scenes are there for our "entertainment". The scenes of these people just barely escaping death from horrific events became almost irritating and had no tension. Then it had all the cliched moments such as: the lives of thousands of human's rest in the hands of a mere book author who has to go on a suicide mission to save everyone. But before that, as the clock is ticking down, he of course must say his "I love yous" and make out with his estranged ex-wife for a minute or two. These types of moments just become so frustrating after a while. Not because they are unrealistic...because they are tiring and cliched.
The visual effects, for the most part looked pretty bad. There were times where I thought I was watching some kind of XBOX 360 game or something. They looked realistic enough for a video game...but not a major film if you catch my drift. A lot of them had this "cartoony" look to them too, almost to a point where they were just silly! It had some cool shots, mainly the rushing waves of water pouring over mountain tops...that was pretty cool looking. But the fire effects, and things going "boom"...all looked so corny. I've seen much better special effects in many other movies. The camera work also drove me nuts. Hell if people can complain about the hand held camera work in movies like "Cloverfield" and "Blair Witch" you can't tell me this movie didn't make you feel slightly sick. The camera was just all over the place and it was driving me bonkers!
Here's my main issue with the film. The whole 2012 thing is a big deal right now...it's the new vampire thing (in the past year or two vampires have taken over TV and film). They are now making a TV show based on the after effects of the 2012 disaster. Please stop! But anyway, the 2012 thing is a big deal and this movie was advertised like it was ALL about our impending doom the Mayan's predicted would happen. Here's the thing...I think I counted 1 very minor scene and maybe one kinda sorta big scene where they even bothered to mention the whole Mayan prediction. It was basically an afterthought!! It was barely mentioned! Then they threw all this science mumbo jumbo in our faces and boom...we were completely distracted away from the Mayan storyline...that never really existed in this film. Talk about a deceiving marketing ploy! All this movie turned out to be was a big hoax...just like the 2012 thing in real life. All it was, was an excuse to make another big budget end of the world disaster flick...and how do you get people to see it...eh, say it's all about the 2012 business...that will fill seats right? Well...it did, and everyone was duped! Sad!
I'm not proud I suffered through this film...but like I said...I enjoy hanging out with my friends and seeing crap movies sometimes! Sue me! I can't stop you from wasting your money on this film, who knows, maybe you will find it entertaining. I certainly did not. My friend also did not and he's less of a movie snob than I am. We both found the whole movie to be laughable...and yes, we laughed a few times in the film at parts that weren't meant to be funny. Whatever though, I'm just stupid movie snob right? Ha! Whatever, I like a good, ridiculous action flick just as much as everyone else...this one just fails in so many categories. Boo "2012", Boo! Hell I think last year's "Disaster Movie" was a better disaster movie than this...ooooooooh!
Well, this wasn't the worst movie of the year, it has that going for it at least. This wasn't a truly AWFUL film. Hell it even had some borderline redeeming qualities (mainly the great Woody Harrelson in a brief role). But overall, yes, this was a fairly bad film in most aspects. Clearly this film is not going to have a profound storyline, I get that, and I accept that. Clearly it's not going to have an Oscar worthy performance from anyone. This movie, and all movies like this, rely on the entertaining and "bad ass" factor. This movie wasn't all that entertaining and certainly not "bad ass" in anyway. I actually thought it was a bit boring and ran just a tad to long (It's 2 hour and 40 minutes for petes sakes!!).
I think we got MOST of the "cool" special effects shots in the previews for the film. There's a lot of gap between t
he action in the film. When the action happens, it's all so...blah. The same crap we have seen time and time again. A bunch of cities and famous landmarks get demolished by various weather disasters or what have you. Volcanoes destroying national parks, major earthquakes sucking in major cities into the vast abyss. Blah blah blah. Been there, done that. The other half of the movie is the main characters trying to escape such chaos...and in such over the top, insane ways. For God's sake, if you have a plane, fly UP...not down and towards the destruction. But again...those scenes are there for our "entertainment". The scenes of these people just barely escaping death from horrific events became almost irritating and had no tension. Then it had all the cliched moments such as: the lives of thousands of human's rest in the hands of a mere book author who has to go on a suicide mission to save everyone. But before that, as the clock is ticking down, he of course must say his "I love yous" and make out with his estranged ex-wife for a minute or two. These types of moments just become so frustrating after a while. Not because they are unrealistic...because they are tiring and cliched.The visual effects, for the most part looked pretty bad. There were times where I thought I was watching some kind of XBOX 360 game or something. They looked realistic enough for a video game...but not a major film if you catch my drift. A lot of them had this "cartoony" look to them too, almost to a point where they were just silly! It had some cool shots, mainly the rushing waves of water pouring over mountain tops...that was pretty cool looking. But the fire effects, and things going "boom"...all looked so corny. I've seen much better special effects in many other movies. The camera work also drove me nuts. Hell if people can complain about the hand held camera work in movies like "Cloverfield" and "Blair Witch" you can't tell me this movie didn't make you feel slightly sick. The camera was just all over the place and it was driving me bonkers!
Here's my main issue with the film. The whole 2012 thing is a big deal right now...it's the new vampire thing (in the past year or two vampires have taken over TV and film). They are now making a TV show based on the after effects of the 2012 disaster. Please stop! But anyway, the 2012 thing is a big deal and this movie was advertised like it was ALL about our impending doom the Mayan's predicted would happen. Here's the thing...I think I counted 1 very minor scene and maybe one kinda sorta big scene where they even bothered to mention the whole Mayan prediction. It was basically an afterthought!! It was barely mentioned! Then they threw all this science mumbo jumbo in our faces and boom...we were completely distracted away from the Mayan storyline...that never really existed in this film. Talk about a deceiving marketing ploy! All this movie turned out to be was a big hoax...just like the 2012 thing in real life. All it was, was an excuse to make another big budget end of the world disaster flick...and how do you get people to see it...eh, say it's all about the 2012 business...that will fill seats right? Well...it did, and everyone was duped! Sad!
I'm not proud I suffered through this film...but like I said...I enjoy hanging out with my friends and seeing crap movies sometimes! Sue me! I can't stop you from wasting your money on this film, who knows, maybe you will find it entertaining. I certainly did not. My friend also did not and he's less of a movie snob than I am. We both found the whole movie to be laughable...and yes, we laughed a few times in the film at parts that weren't meant to be funny. Whatever though, I'm just stupid movie snob right? Ha! Whatever, I like a good, ridiculous action flick just as much as everyone else...this one just fails in so many categories. Boo "2012", Boo! Hell I think last year's "Disaster Movie" was a better disaster movie than this...ooooooooh!
You went to see this movie after telling me that you would not, hummmmmm! I haven't heard any good reviews on this movie. They say it is all the disaster movies thrown in a big mess of a movie. I won't waste my money. I would like to know if "Pirate Radio" is any good.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Mike. All the previews had me thinking, "bad special effects must = crap movie." I won't be seeing it. (Wasn't going to anyway. Too ridiculous for me.) Thanks for the honest review! And I'm with Julie...Pirate Radio looks promising, but I wonder how it is?
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