Provide a brief description of the film/program's story plot for our readers
In 2009 scientists in India discover that the Sun is heating up the Earth's core, by emitting particles called neutrinos that create a microwave effect. When the core becomes too hot, the rising heat will cause Earth's crust (tectonic plates) to destablize and shift resulting in massive earthquakers, super volcanoes and mega tsunami's that will destroy virutally all life on the surface. The world's leaders secretly begin to plan for survival by constructing giant arks in China, but only to save the most intelligent and richest people. Conspiracy grows and eventually the truth is leaked but all too late. 2012 arrives and the Sun begins erupting in giant solar flares, apparently caused by the gravitational pull of an aligment of the planets in our solar system. The event coincides with an ancient Mayan prophecy the world, as we know it, will end on 21st December 2012. Cue epic natural disasters and an American family who must escape and get to China to save themselves before tsunami's cover the land masses.
What is your personal opinion of this film/program, as entertainment?
As entertainment, I admit I was somewhat entertained but then I have always enjoyed disaster movies.It was certainly over the top but I only expected this from Roland Emmerich and the trailers. I thought the LA earthquake sequence was particularly shocking. Personally I struggled to enjoy the film as a whole because it was lazy leading to predictability, full of cliche's and a bit too long. Basically I was waiting to see the next thrilling catastrophe and some of the scenes in between were boring and slowed the pace. I felt it betrayed the real message of the Mayan calendar and what the Shift of Ages is really about, ie, not the end of the world because of doomsday but the end of the world, as we know it because of the evolution of our spiritual selves.
What is your personal opinion of this film/program as a social and/or cultural message? Does it succeed or fail in this regard?
I think it fails because it doesn't try to portray any kind of important message. It touches on human greed, materialism and selfishness but this is not resolved because the world's elite are still largely the ones who are saved. Those who are shown praying or having a belief in Spirit are killed. I thought this was the wrong message to portray. As with all disaster movies, humanity comes together in the end and presumably leaves behind its differences and divisions to unite for a better world. But this isn't strongly implied in the film, I think it could've expanded much more on this ideal and why it's important.
What impact do you feel the movie will likely have on the way people worldwide will perceive the Mayan Calendar?
Not much sadly. The Mayan calendar is only mentioned fleetingly in a few scenes to back up the predictions of disaster. The real message is of course about the end of an Age and the beginning of a new one that hopefully will be more centred on peace and unity. It might make people more interested in finding out more, which I think is a good thing because at least then they may stumble upon the truth. Ironically this is another message the movie attempts to give, the truth being hidden from us and that we all have a right to know.
If you had the chance to remake this film/program, what would you do differently?
I would change the focus to humanities growing unrest with how the world is at present, the real message left by the Maya and not have the central characters be a cliched American family. I would also move away from showing the usual American cities being destroyed and include other countries and cultures. The script would also need a major overhaul! I'd probably keep Woody Harrelson's character though, he was one of the highlights and I liked his line about reeling people in with humour and then getting them to think and how he respected the glory and power of our Mother Earth.
Would you recommend this film/program to your family, friends and colleagues? Why or why not?
I would leave it up to them to decide, each to their own! I think if it helps to spark an interest in researching 2012 and the real Mayan message then that's good. There are still people who have no awareness of it at all.
What would you like to say to the film's director, and/or the production studio?
I didn't expect anything more than what I got but next time maybe avoid cliche's and try to be a bit more inventive and loyal to the story that should've been told.
("2012" only) Roland Emmerich is allegedly planning a television series "post 2012". What do you think of this idea?
I might watch the first episode out of interest but I don't have much hope for it, unless they adopt the idea of humanity moving towards enlightenment.
