2012 Startling New Secrets
2012 Startling New Secrets

Movie spotlight

2012 Startling New Secrets

2009
Movie
120 min
English

Massive earthquakes. Giant tidal waves. Super volcanoes exploding. Raging firestorms. These are just a few visions of a global apocalypse that some say will happen on December 21, 2012. That's when the eerily accurate Mayan calendar will come to a sudden end. That ancient calendar is causing a modern day panic. People around the world fear that our planet faces a catastrophe never seen before in human history.

Insights

IMDb5.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes39%
Metacritic49/100
Google Users63%
Director: Roland EmmerichGenres: Disaster film, Science fiction, Action

Plot Summary

As the world faces an apocalyptic cataclysm driven by solar flares and shifting tectonic plates, a struggling writer races against time to save his family. They embark on a perilous journey to escape the impending destruction, encountering natural disasters and government conspiracies along the way. The film culminates in a desperate attempt to reach the safety of massive arks built to preserve humanity.

Critical Reception

2012 was a commercial success but received generally negative reviews from critics. While praised for its spectacular visual effects and large-scale disaster sequences, it was widely criticized for its predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, and reliance on CGI over substance. Audience reception was mixed, with many enjoying the spectacle but others finding the story implausible and overly long.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its groundbreaking visual effects and ambitious disaster set pieces.

  • Criticized for its nonsensical plot and lack of character development.

  • Seen as a typical Roland Emmerich spectacle film, prioritizing destruction over story.

Google audience: Google users found the film to be an exciting visual spectacle with impressive disaster scenes. However, many felt the plot was unbelievable and too predictable, with some complaining about the lengthy runtime.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for Saturn Awards for Best Special Effects and Best Production Design.

Fun Fact

The film's production budget was estimated to be around $200 million, making it one of the most expensive films ever made at the time.

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