"2012" - A Review With A Twist

Because 2012 The Movie wasn’t released in South Africa until 3 Dec, three weeks following the first public viewing of the film elsewhere, this review comes a little late. Fortunately, the real message of the film isn’t dated – yet – so a good look is still relevant.

The movie was good in many ways and a bit over the top in some. The suspense started at the beginning and didn’t stop till the end. I guess the breath holding and nervous jumps fit the tenor of the film but 2 hours and 37 minutes is a long time to hold ones breath.

The close calls were unrealistic, very predictable, but I guess that was necessary to keep the plot going. It would get boring quickly if the leading man expired too long before the end. John Cusack, by the way, did a great job, as usual, in the leading role and he was joined by a list of credible actors too long to include here. The movie doesn’t lack for good acting.

What this film does do very well is typify the tendency for SciFi’s to become more SCI and less fi.

The microwave affect of solar flares causing the earth’s core to expand enough to force massive movements in the earth’s crust was the plotted reason for all the problems and the sense that this could really happen was well oiled by present day theories. Not being a scientist I can’t speak technically on the topic but there are plenty of scientists who do and the discussions lend creditability to what would otherwise be considered unthinkable and there are other ideas in the film which give it a sense of realism.

Solar flares are a reality. Geomagnetic (polar) reversals have happened in the past and will happen in the future. These events do have basis in science. The only questions revolve around the timing and the extent to which these events can affect the balance of life on planet earth.

The graphics in the film were phenomenal and not that far from truth should tectonic events of that magnitude occur.

Why 2012? Well, one reason is the Mayan calendar ends in that particular year and that fact accompanied by the endless other predictions that life as we know it will be demolished then, made “2012” a very useful title for marketing purposes. That is also the year scientists predict the next solar maxima. The director, Roland Emmerich, even admitted that this over abundance of interest in this particular year made it the logical choice for the title. 2014 just wouldn’t work as well.

The movie was filled with volcanic activity and flooding, not too mention earthquakes that redefine the Richter scale. In fact, they were more convulsions or upheavals than quakes. The devastation was complete and only a small fraction of the human race survived (approximately 500,000) along with a representation of other life forms and a few artifacts of human accomplishment but the means of survival was not all that original. You will have to see the film to know what it is.

Can we say these things will definitely happen the way the movie suggests at the time stated. No, but what we do know for sure is that cataclysmic events have occurred in the past and the affect was devastating. Some animals are believed to be extinct because of it.

The destructive affects weren’t as far fetched as one might think. Smaller tectonic events in recent times have proven to be immensely destructive and, as I said, there is a lot of evidence they have happened on a much larger scale in the past.

Noah’s flood in Genesis chapters 6 through 8 (after which the film was patterned) describes in many ways what the film depicted visually: world wide flooding, volcanic activity, shifting of the planets crust and huge devastation of life. Noah’s family and a representation of the animal kingdom were the only survivors.

The exact details of the film are not exactly believable but the possibility of such things happening, naturally or by Divine intervention, are not beyond reason.

Philosophically the film was strong:

Life and the universe are not eternal.
Things may not end how or when the movie suggested but the balance of nature is flagging and people die anyway all the time. The message? Live life now being the best person you can be and the “end” will devastate your surroundings but not your purposes or the positive difference you’ve made in the lives of others.

Be honest with yourself and your relationships.
John Cusack (Jackson Curtis) was estranged from wife and kids at the beginning of the film due primarily to his self-seeking, self consumed life style. His attitude changed radically once he realized the end was near. His affection for both his wife and his children resurfaced in spite of the new boy friend’s presence. Generally, when the end is in view it is too late for radical life change. But this was a movie. Events are scripted and the directed leaves you wondering how this love triangle will be sorted in the end. The point for us? Escalate your efforts to love and connect with significant others before you’re sorry you didn’t. Allow relationships to change you before you change the relationship.

For those interested in the Bible please know that God’s timing is a secret. We are told that the world will end but never told when. Don’t worry about 2012. Don’t sweat the big stuff. Tragedy occurs every day on a much smaller scale. Jesus put it like this: