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2012

  • 2009
  • PG-13
  • 2h 38m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
386K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,451
546
Osric Chau in 2012 (2009)
An academic researcher leads a group of people in a fight to counteract the apocalyptic events that were predicted by the ancient Mayan calendar.
Play trailer2:53
10 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionAdventureSci-Fi

A frustrated writer struggles to keep his family alive when a series of global catastrophes threatens to annihilate mankind.A frustrated writer struggles to keep his family alive when a series of global catastrophes threatens to annihilate mankind.A frustrated writer struggles to keep his family alive when a series of global catastrophes threatens to annihilate mankind.

  • Director
    • Roland Emmerich
  • Writers
    • Roland Emmerich
    • Harald Kloser
  • Stars
    • John Cusack
    • Thandiwe Newton
    • Chiwetel Ejiofor
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    386K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,451
    546
    • Director
      • Roland Emmerich
    • Writers
      • Roland Emmerich
      • Harald Kloser
    • Stars
      • John Cusack
      • Thandiwe Newton
      • Chiwetel Ejiofor
    • 1.3KUser reviews
    • 251Critic reviews
    • 49Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 21 nominations

    Videos10

    2012: Final Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 2:53
    Watch 2012: Final Theatrical Trailer
    2012: 2nd Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 2:21
    Watch 2012: 2nd Teaser Trailer
    2012: Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:19
    Watch 2012: Teaser Trailer
    2012: Deleted Scene - "Jackson Underwater"
    Clip 1:07
    Watch 2012: Deleted Scene - "Jackson Underwater"
    2012: Theorist Newswrap
    Clip 3:20
    Watch 2012: Theorist Newswrap
    2012: L.A. Escape
    Clip 5:06
    Watch 2012: L.A. Escape
    2012: Apocalypse
    Clip 1:14
    Watch 2012: Apocalypse
    2012: L.A. Earthquake Featurette
    Featurette 2:55
    Watch 2012: L.A. Earthquake Featurette
    2012 -- Roland Emmerich Soundbites from Comic-Con
    Interview 0:32
    Watch 2012 -- Roland Emmerich Soundbites from Comic-Con
    2012 Comic-Con Panel
    Interview 0:55
    Watch 2012 Comic-Con Panel

    Photos203

    Chiwetel Ejiofor in 2012 (2009)
    Woody Harrelson in 2012 (2009)
    Chiwetel Ejiofor in 2012 (2009)
    Roland Emmerich in 2012 (2009)
    Roland Emmerich in 2012 (2009)
    Danny Glover and Thandiwe Newton in 2012 (2009)
    Amanda Peet and Lisa Lu in 2012 (2009)
    Danny Glover in 2012 (2009)
    Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandiwe Newton in 2012 (2009)
    Oliver Platt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Stephen McHattie in 2012 (2009)
    John Cusack in 2012 (2009)
    John Cusack and Woody Harrelson in 2012 (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Cusack
    John Cusack
    • Jackson Curtis
    Thandiwe Newton
    Thandiwe Newton
    • Laura Wilson
    • (as Thandie Newton)
    Chiwetel Ejiofor
    Chiwetel Ejiofor
    • Adrian Helmsley
    Amanda Peet
    Amanda Peet
    • Kate Curtis
    Oliver Platt
    Oliver Platt
    • Carl Anheuser
    Tom McCarthy
    Tom McCarthy
    • Gordon Silberman
    Woody Harrelson
    Woody Harrelson
    • Charlie Frost
    Danny Glover
    Danny Glover
    • President Thomas Wilson
    Liam James
    Liam James
    • Noah Curtis
    Morgan Lily
    Morgan Lily
    • Lilly Curtis
    Zlatko Buric
    Zlatko Buric
    • Yuri Karpov
    Beatrice Rosen
    Beatrice Rosen
    • Tamara
    Alexandre Haussmann
    • Alec
    Philippe Haussmann
    • Oleg
    Johann Urb
    Johann Urb
    • Sasha
    John Billingsley
    John Billingsley
    • Professor West
    Chin Han
    Chin Han
    • Tenzin
    Osric Chau
    Osric Chau
    • Nima
    • Director
      • Roland Emmerich
    • Writers
      • Roland Emmerich
      • Harald Kloser
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The great disasters of the "galactic alignment" in 2012 were supposed to have occurred on December 21st, the day of the solstice. The filmmakers decided to move those events up a few months, to midsummer. This relieved them of having to decorate the sets for the winter holidays.
    • Goofs
      The film is about the apocalypse predicted on the Mayan calendar. In one of the first trailers/previews, the calendar moving and forming into position at the beginning is Aztec, not Mayan.
    • Quotes

      Adrian Helmsley: The moment we stop fighting for each other, that's the moment we lose our humanity.

    • Crazy credits
      There are no opening credits at all, except the Columbia Pictures logo and the movie title "2012".
    • Alternate versions
      There was an alternate ending that was featured on the DVD. After Captain Michaels announces that they are heading to the Cape of Good Hope, he tells Dr. Helmsley that he has a phone call waiting for him. Dr. Helmsley discovers that his dad Harry is still alive. Harry tells his son that he, Tony (whose arm is in a sling) and some of the passengers and crew survived the mega-tsunami that struck the Genesis. Captain Michaels states that they should have a visual on the ocean-liner shortly. After Kate thanks Laura for taking care of Lily, Laura tells Jackson that she liked his book. Lily then announces that she sees an island. The Arks arrive at the shipwrecked Genesis and the survivors on the beach.
    • Connections
      Edited into Live Free or Die Hard (Project 12, 8/12) (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Afreen Afreen
      Written by Javed Akhtar and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

      Performed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

      Courtesy of Saregama India Ltd.

      By Arrangement with The Royalty Network, Inc.

    User reviews1.3K

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    5/10
    What happened to the Mayan prophecy?
    I went to an advance screening of 2012 a few nights ago and I have to admit that this movie was entertaining at best and that's it. The whole movie is almost entirely comprised of special effects. Of course you'll see all of the lead characters survive scenarios that a regular human being would not. Some of the scenes are so ridiculously unbelievable that you want to laugh at the fodder that's being expected of you to believe. Emmerich certainly pushes "suspension of disbelief" to its limit.

    John Cusack and Woody Harrelson are the only actors that attempt to hold the film together, while Danny Glover and Thandie Newton were an utter and complete let-down considering their previous work history. You won't see any remotely Oscar-worthy performances here. The casting of this film seemed off and poorly executed. You could tell the bulk of the financial budget went to the special effects and not the actors.

    The thing that I found thoroughly disappointing about 2012 is that it's almost entirely lacking of any interesting backstory or intellectual substance whatsoever. There's very little mention of the Mayan calendar, Mayan history, or any of the prophetic wisdom that has foreseen the supposed end of days. The fear, analysis, curiosity, and everything else you've ever wondered about this new mysterious year that is quickly approaching is almost entirely removed from this film. That would have and could have made this film closer to a 10 if I didn't feel like my brain was utterly wasted on this CGI and special effects bonanza. They try to cram so many explosions, eruptions, earthquakes, and natural disasters into two hours that I might be a little desensitized to the real thing if it ever happens. After awhile nothing felt realistic or interesting about it at all.

    It's novelty entertainment at best and that's it. You won't wince at how painfully awful this movie is, and you won't walk away knowing anything meaningful about 2012, but hopefully you'll help repay Sony pictures for the exorbitant amount of money that they and Roland Emmerich spent on their special effects budget. Don't say you weren't warned.
    helpful•603
    271
    • ridley_coppola
    • Nov 11, 2009

    Top picks

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    FAQ9

    • What is the significance of the year 2012?
    • Is this movie a serious take or a campy film?
    • If the end of the world takes place on December 21st, 2012, then where's the snow?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 13, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Tibetan
      • Mandarin
      • Russian
      • Hindi
      • Portuguese
      • Latin
      • Italian
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Farewell Atlantis
    • Filming locations
      • Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Centropolis Entertainment
      • Farewell Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $200,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $166,112,167
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $65,237,614
      • Nov 15, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $791,217,826
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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