2012 (2009)

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, Thandie Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor

5 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Cusack	...	Jackson Curtis
Amanda Peet	...	Kate Curtis
Chiwetel Ejiofor	...	Adrian Helmsley
Thandie Newton	...	Laura Wilson
Oliver Platt	...	Carl Anheuser
Tom McCarthy	...	Gordon Silberman
Woody Harrelson	...	Charlie Frost
Danny Glover	...	President Thomas Wilson
Liam James	...	Noah Curtis
Morgan Lily	...	Lilly Curtis
Zlatko Buric	...	Yuri Karpov
Beatrice Rosen	...	Tamara
Alexandre Haussmann	...	Alec
Philippe Haussmann	...	Oleg
Johann Urb	...	Sasha

Storyline

Dr. Adrian Helmsley, part of a worldwide geophysical team investigating the effect on the earth of radiation from unprecedented solar storms, learns that the earth's core is heating up. He warns U.S. President Thomas Wilson that the crust of the earth is becoming unstable and that without proper preparations for saving a fraction of the world's population, the entire race is doomed. Meanwhile, writer Jackson Curtis stumbles on the same information. While the world's leaders race to build "arks" to escape the impending cataclysm, Curtis struggles to find a way to save his family. Meanwhile, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes of unprecedented strength wreak havoc around the world.

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Plot Keywords:

apocalypse | elizabeth i character | juvenile bedwetting | flying bat | caesar's palace las vegas | 

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Taglines:

How would the governments of our planet prepare 6 billion people for the end of the world...? They wouldn't.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense disaster sequences and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Tibetan Mandarin Russian Hindi Portuguese Latin Italian Spanish

Release Date:

13 November 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Farewell Atlantis

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$65,237,614, 15 November 2009

Gross USA:

$166,112,167

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$791,217,826

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Centropolis Entertainment, Farewell Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

158 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the second movie that features John Cusack as a limousine driver. The first was Identity (2003). Amanda Peet was in both movies.

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Goofs

At the G8 summit, the U.S. President enters the conference room and asks to be left alone with the other heads of state. The Russian President whispers to his interpreter to stay put ("Ti ostajes") in Serbo-Croatian, not Russian. When the U.S. President asks again, the Russian interpreter can be heard in the background, translating in Russian. The Russian President tells his interpreter he is free to go ("Mozes ici") in Serbo-Croatian, not Russian.

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Quotes

Yuri Karpov: [while flying over Hawaii] What is that?
Sasha: The State of Hawaii.
Yuri Karpov: Not good. That is not good.

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Crazy Credits

The opening scene of the movie shows the years and events leading up to 2012 (2009...2010...2011). The title card not only states the movie's title, but also seems to indicate, "And in the year 2012..."

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Alternate Versions

There were some deleted scenes that were featured on the DVD:

• Jackson drives Alec and Oleg to the airport while trying to get through some doomsdayers.
• President Wilson and his secretary Sally talk about plans to make arrangements to address the nation one last time.
• After the discovery that the impact drill is stuck and before the mega-tsunami hits, Anheuser blames Adrian for what his decision cost them and makes a comment about having sex with Laura. Dr. Helmsley punches him before taking Laura and some crew members down to the Hydraulics Chamber.
• Jackson finds Gordon's cell phone under the water after Gordon was crushed by the gears.
• In a follow-up to the alternate ending, Anheuser (after hearing that Dr. Helmsley's dad is still alive) apologizes to Dr. Helmsley for what he said.

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Connections

Referenced in Half in the Bag: Battle: Los Angeles and The Galaxy Invader (2011)

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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 Reviews

Classic Emmerich, You will get what you pay for.

If you've seen Independence Day, Titanic, or any recent vintage of the well-worn disaster film genre, you will not be disappointed at all with any of 2012. Its 2.5 hour+ running time moves at a great clip, and there's enough science and pseudoscience running around to give the film a certain of-the-moment wonder and clarity. The many destruction sequences throughout the film are absolutely breathtaking to behold, and one wonders if Roland Emmerich starts every film imagining how he will destroy the White House. Like all of his other films (except for The Patriot) it has big names but no huge names and really is a blast to watch. It has just the right balance of action and melodrama, often, as with all good films of this genre, in the same scene. The audience I watched it with was laughing and cheering throughout, and I'm sure it will be the definitive event movie of the holiday season, critics be damned.