I guess the saying, "the third time's the charm" really is a true statement.
Producer Roland Emmerich eagerly set out on his third attempt at making an epic disaster film.
After producing the funny, but ridiculous, "Independence Day" and the total bust, "The Day After Tomorrow," Emmerich finally did what he set out to do all along. He made a complete disaster of a movie.
After assembling a solid cast consisting of John Cusack, Danny Glover, the talented Chiwetel Ejiofor and several other big names, Emmerich took this potentially stellar cast and made them jump through hoops right off the old cliche cliff.
Imagine, literally, every Hollywood cliche smashed into one movie.
A divorced father forced to deal with a new stepdad taking his son's attention.
Another father estranged from his son because of alcoholism, but trying to make his way back to him and oh, wait, here comes a 1,500-meter wave.
A guy who has two flight lessons suddenly is able fly a plane through a collapsing earth crust complete with a falling building, trains shooting out of the side of the earth.
(Note to self, start taking flying lessons now, or at least get back in shape to be able to run.)
Before seeing the movie, I really dedicated some time to researching the whole idea the Mayans had about the 2012 disaster. It was some believable stuff. This movie turned my fears into anger as I realized if I do have only two years to live, I just wasted three hours of them here.
The audience was not given any sense of when it was appropriate to laugh and when it was not.
That is not their fault, but the fault of the writers.
Yes, there were a few funny lines, but when the audience erupts in laughter when Cusack's son screams out crying that he is scared of having to bail out of a plane heading straight at the Himalayas, I feel like this train that had been wobbling on the tracks, for the past hour, had suddenly derailed.
Now you're probably wondering why everything I review, I hate. I don't set out to be negative, honestly. I wanted to like this movie.
I refused to believe the reviews I read and stuck with my guns that I would like this movie.
Some parts I did like.
I still think Cusack is a great actor. He was great in the flop of a movie "1408," so I stand behind him.
The special effects were what roped a lot of people into the theaters.
The effects did not disappoint.
Personally, I am a sucker for excellent effects, and this movie delivered--just not $9 worth.
The final verdict on the 'Sims Scale' would be that the special effects could not serve as a big enough life preserver to save this drowning movie.
The lack of anything original in terms of character development and the strictly cliche plot development were the iceberg that sunk this Titanic of a CGI voyage.
When the actual end of the world finally comes, I will be ready and waiting with open arms.
If this is all the world has to offer, then the end will actually be a blessing, with good special effects and Danny Glover.
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