Director: Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, 10,000 B.C.)
Writers: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser
Producers: Roland Emmerich, Larry J. Franco, Harald Kloser
Starring: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Thomas McCarthy, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running time: 158 min.
(2/5)Chaos and destruction has once again raised its ugly head in the world of Roland Emmerich; as it does every couple of years or so. Except this time there is no saving grace. There is no rocket ship to destroy an asteroid. There’s no computer virus that will snuff out the impending doom and there’s no brilliant scientist to selflessly push a button that will both make a martyr out of said scientist while simultaneously saving the planet by properly aligning the earth’s core rotation. What there is is a whole lot of wonderful effects of destruction, death and mayhem; interspersed with poorly paced melodrama, nick of time airplane escapes, overly convenient problem solves, paycheck acting, famous landmarks destroyed in seconds and of course a dog rescue.
Due to a rare aligning of all the planets that only happens once every 640,000 years, unprecedented solar flares release neutrinos that heat the earth’s core to such a temperature that enormous volcanoes erupt across the globe and earthquakes so large that they can’t even be considered earthquakes. These ruptures rip apart continents and literally turn the world upside down as the magnetic poles spin around the planet before finally the south pole actually settles over what was previously Wisconsin.
Through all of this chaos are the obligatory characters we’ve come to expect of nearly every disaster film (by Emmerich or otherwise). Jackson Curtis is a divorced father of two trying to regenerate his writing career while he watches a new husband take over his family. On a camping trip with the kids, Jackson stumbles upon a secret gov’t operation in Yellowstone National Park and a crazy, conspiracy theorist (Woody Harrelson) who was able to predict this disaster with accuracy and give Jackson all of the information he needs to possibly save his family. In an effort to remain succinct, there is also a good hearted American president, a brilliant scientist, the slimy advisor, a few potential love interests and a couple of other random civilians given to us for more dramatic impact – which lands mostly on your ass as you sit for an extra 45 minutes in the theater due to these characters.
What I had really hoped for through the entire running time of this picture here never really came to fruition. We’ve seen these disaster films a million times and this one, that I had hoped would be one the film makers wouldn’t take too seriously, was indeed just another version of these types of movies we’ve seen in the past. Judging from the marketing, I was hoping Emmerich was going for a ridiculously over the top, near parody, of himself. But nope, this is as standard and formulaic as it gets. Elements from Independence Day, Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow are all here and while the effects are exquisitely detailed and impressive, the humor and ho-hum nature of these standard components will probably just have the audience continuously checking their watches.
One thing that needs addressing immediately is the acting criticisms. While there are certainly some “phone it in” performances throughout this picture, the characters aren’t quite as one-dimensional and shallow as I was previously led to believe they would be. The problem is that these normally talented actors are simply given Roland Emmerich dialogue to work with; some are able to handle it and make it somehow watchable while others give eye-rolling deliveries. Chiwetel Ejiofor clearly has the most talent in this group and despite the catchpenny script, actually delivers with believability. Cusack shoots for about par while most of the side characters (Thandie Newton, Beatrice Rosen, Amanda Peet) might make a few talent agents rethink their contracts.
The devastation of the planet is painstakingly meticulous in its detail and eye catching in its theatrics. George Lucas would be proud. Several religious, political and cultural landmarks are laid to waste with gusto and effectivity. Seeing entire cities slip into the ocean is not particularly thrilling, but it is certainly fascinating and engaging. One wishes he had a pause or slow motion button to control the projector as there is simply too much to take in on one (or probably 100) sitting. And unlike some other directors working today (take note Mr. Bay), the audience actually has time to take in what they’re looking at. We get long, lingering pullbacks of the destruction as it takes place. There are no specifics we’re forced to focus upon; hence, we get an appreciation for the destruction taking place across the city/globe. Admittedly this is partly due to the gargantuan size of the destruction; which due to the nature of such devastation, its almost a requisite that it appears to be in slow motion – as it would in real life. So while a requisite for such effects, kudos to the film makers for recognizing that aspect of physics and reality and showing it to us with patience and energy.
Despite the boring melodrama from a bunch of characters we don’t really care too much about, one aspect of melodrama (if you can call it that) that I was able to get on board with was the notions of what it means to be human. What is our social and cultural legacy? What makes us who we are? These are the kind of things that sort of get me involved with the picture. While my brain generally shuts down during many of the sequences here (not really caring if the plane’s engines get started before the lava hits), my mind’s eye is able to ponder what goes on in the world on a much grander scheme of things should something like this actually occur.
Much like 2008’s Blindness (a much, MUCH better film), inkling of ideas are planted in the viewers head in one way or another and while specific moments of boring plot are happening on screen, the mind can wander to ponder the consequences of disaster and the new social norms and questions of etiquette; which are much more interesting. For example, one facet of the film centers on the government’s attempt at saving “important” pieces of art and culture throughout the world. Some of these endeavors fail but as Chiwetel Ejiofor tries to comfortingly explain, everything we still have is now “important” culture. That glass dolphin on your bedside table you bought for $.99 at a flea market is now part of our legacy. This little sci-fi book that only sold 500 copies upon release is now what defines us as a people and is just as important as Hemmingway is/was. That, my friends, is something worth pondering. But unfortunately you’ll have to ponder it on your own as aside from this little mention, the plot immediately goes back to a small band of five characters who in the grand scheme of things mean nothing.
Lastly, I like the ideas of humanity and brotherhood. Much like Bill Pullman’s speech in Independence Day, President Danny Glover addresses the world to talk about bringing our nations and our cultures together. The difference here is that it is not an inspirational speech to rally the troops. Rather, this is a “concession of doom” speech in which he explains that now is the time for everyone to be neighbors. For this one day, everyone is in the same proverbial boat and everyone is your brother or sister. Sure it’s a little corny, but with the gravity of the situation it does ring true and does give humanity something to think about – even those of us sitting in a comfy theater. I quote a poem from Judy Chicago:
And then all that has divided us will merge
And then compassion will be wedded to power
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind
And then both men and women will be gentle
And then both women and men will be strong
And then no person will be subject to another’s will
And then all will be rich and free and varied
And then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many
And then all will share equally in the Earth’s abundance
And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old
And then all will nourish the young
And then will cherish life’s creatures
And then all will live in harmony with one another and the Earth
And then everywhere will be called Eden once again.
I like that. Unfortunately this poem encompasses the idea of the movie in a few words while it takes Emmerich nearly 3 hours to not quite say it the way he wants to.
So for the most part, this is one long (really long), boring, obligatory, standard, effects extravaganzza that has a nice concept at its heart but instead of thinking much about ideas and consequences spends most of its time running around trying to convince us to care about one particular family and a Russian mob boss as they try to outrun giant tidal waves. Yeah it looks good, but so what? Eye candy is called candy for a reason. It is tasty and sweet before fading into oblivion and leaving you in want of a giant glass of water. The film needed to go in one of two directions. Either it needed more! more! MORE!! chaos and destruction so that it completely hits us over the head with devastation all over the globe from every angle simultaneously. OR it needed to get deeper into concepts and ideas of humanity and our legacy. Unfortunately this is just The Day After Tomorrow on a global scale and we just don’t really give a shit.
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If you want to watch it onl1ne for free,...
Comment by Andrew James — November 15, 2009
Comment by rot — November 15, 2009
Comment by BootS On Sale — November 15, 2009
I never need to see it again. Wouldn’t even recommend it but still didn’t hate it as much as Transformers.
Comment by Marina Antunes — November 16, 2009
I didn’t notice the anti-democrat thing. I thought the old man was just referring to politicians and gov’t in general. I doubt it was a slight on democrats. That would never fly in Hollywood.
PS – forgot to mention in the review: loved the flying train OVER the airplane. nice!
Comment by Andrew James — November 16, 2009
Comment by kurt — November 16, 2009
But most action films do have something of a right wing perspective (especially the super hero genre) in that they are about re-inforcing rather than challenging the status quo. But it’s subtextual.
So I sort of agree, but I’m not quite clear on why you call ID4 “fascist”.
Comment by Rusty James — November 16, 2009
Comment by Rusty James — November 16, 2009
Comment by Goon — November 16, 2009
on 2012, the absurd running time was definitely a show-stopper for me on Sunday. a 10:30 show with that kind of runtime is too late considering I know I’m going to get pretty much junk filmmaking for the length of it.
Comment by kurt — November 16, 2009
Comment by Henrik — November 16, 2009
I guess not. At least not explicitly.
Gamble credits you with the accusation here:
http://www.rowthree.com/2008/07/04/today-we-celebrate-our-independence-day/
Comment by Rusty James — November 16, 2009
Comment by Kurt Halfyard — November 16, 2009
Comment by Jay C. — November 16, 2009
I want either Doomsday or Blindness. Not both.
Comment by Andrew James — November 16, 2009
Comment by Jay C. — November 17, 2009
I think you mean to say that the film can in no way be taken seriously, which I would agree with, which makes it all the more embarrasing to see John Cusack try and mend family relationships. None of the actors in the film save for Woody Harrelson have ANY comedic timing. Amanda Peet? For crying out loud…
It was a pretty big deal for me that I was so bored through most of the film. But if you find the set pieces satisfactory then all that stuff isn’t as big of a deal, I was pretty disappointed with the destruction we saw. The first destruction scene was awesome, and it’s of course another problem that the film doesn’t top it, but the fireballs from the sky scene was pretty lackluster, I mean it didn’t do anything interesting with it, just fireballs from the sky and running, and the plane thing I definitely didn’t find thrilling. Had it been more creative and interesting during the effects scenes, I might have been more lenient on the Ridley Scott/Steven Spielberg level seriousness.
Comment by Henrik — November 17, 2009
Jay – I personally didn’t take it seriously; I was just bored. But it’s clear Emmerich wants us to take a lot of it seriously. Yes, definitely. “In English!” isn’t Emmerich being whacky and cliche, it’s him being uncreative and unoriginal. There’s a difference.
In the FJ thread I mentioned about all the cool things around the world that we could’ve watched being destroyed rather than listening to Amanda Peet and Paris Hilton become buddies for ten minutes. A shot from space of the Great Wall being taken out would’ve been SWEET! Also plenty of other worldly landmarks – especially since the entire movie’s underlying theme is all about the human culture and our legacy.
The frustrating thing isn’t the length or the melodrama. It’s the wasted opportunities and lack of creativity.
Comment by Andrew James — November 17, 2009
To quote Withnail: Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Comment by rot — November 17, 2009
Feels good to be on the right side for once, eh?
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rot, kiss my a-hole.
Comment by Henrik — November 17, 2009
I agree with Jay that its not serious even when it is going through the motions of melodrama (I tend not to take melodrama ’serious’ either). Its pantomime, and really playing everything big (Woody Harrelson’s Timothy Treadwell meets every stereotype of a conspiracy nut, for example). Yes there are scenes where people are crying but I didn’t feel like the film was expecting me to take it seriously, it is self-aware of how preposterous the whole thing is, and those ‘dramatic’ scenes are about as deep as a kid playing with his toys, making up grand pronouncements with his action figures.
At times it was a bit too disaster porn for me, repetitive of the same money shots, but it does at times hit a gleeful momentum. I was entertained.
3/5
Comment by rot — November 20, 2009