2012

This over-the-top, pure Hollywood sci-fi thriller was a lot of fun. If you've ever watched one of those History or Discovery Channel shows where they computer simulate the end of the world, you'll definitely find it easy to stick with this 2 1/2 hour movie.

The outlandishness begins in the opening scenes, where U.S. scientists are alerted in 2009 by an Indian geologist working in a converted copper mine shaft 11,000 feet below ground that solar activity has stunningly taken effect on the earth's core. Exacting scientific study determines that in a few years the earth's crust will destabilize, ending the world as we know it. Notably, this timeline also coincides with ancient Mayan predictions and (for reasons Dena and I were at a loss to understand) the knowledge of a vagabond ham radio show host named Charlie (Woody Harrelson). Charlie also somehow obtained copies of the world governments' three year plan to secretly prepare a cluster of humans to survive the event.

On cue the destruction begins, and a small-time science fiction novelist (John Cusack), his ex-wife (Amanda Peet), her boyfriend and their kids find themselves just ahead of it. And I do mean just ahead of it. Leaping over chasms, flying through impossible debris and driving with miraculous fortune, the heroes will have you off your chair with "Oh, come ON!" laughter in disbelief. I imagine the production crew sat down on day 1 and said "Hey guys, we're talking about the Mayan end of the world here, so let's just pull out all the stops of reality, mmmkay?" If you're good with that then you'll stay gripped to the end, with the survivors in peril and Cusack the only man who can save them. It's still a relatively light-hearted film with playful humorous moments and doses of sentimentality and romance. Though I didn't pay close attention to the language, I might even go so far as to call it a family film - as long as your kids aren't scared by the ridiculous thought of, say, Hawaii turning into lava.