Another doomsday greets '2012'
Caitlin Fenno
Issue date: 11/25/09 Last update: 11/25/09 at 6:28 AM PST
Section: Arts
Fear mongers everywhere are teeming with excitement as 2012 approaches. Although it's still three years away, the doomsday scenario is always fresh to the American media. Released last weekend, the movie "2012" is a belligerent Hollywood depiction of the world crumbling.
This movie should be disregarded entirely for its acting and storyline, but the special effects are amazing. The film itself is laden with irony, inconsistencies, and biblical themes. It very well may become a cult classic because of its genuine absurdity. If you decide to go see this movie, do it for the special effects.
The initial destruction that takes place is of Southern California; Hollywood inadvertently kills itself right before the audience's eyes. With all the destructive emphasis on our southerly neighbors, the Bay Area was almost completely omitted from the movie, only briefly mentioned as having been annihilated after the extensive coverage of Southern California toppling into the Pacific.
The highlight of "2012" was Woody Harrelson's role as a zealous radio show host. It seemed like the writers of this movie, Harold Kloser and Roland Emmerich, were mocking Alex Jones with the character, a radio host from Austin, Texas, who focuses on government conspiracies. Woody Harrelson's character ends up being spot on with all his predictions, which was particularly hilarious for the skeptics in the audience.
The movie uses some ridiculous explanations to lead up to the Earth's core unleashing incredible fury. First, giant earthquakes, then decimation of the magnetic field, followed by a string of tsunamis. Watch the movie and count how many times someone is talking on a cell phone after they say all global communications have ceased, this proved to be a fun exercise.
Please do not read this paragraph if you would like to be surprised by the ending of this movie. It was disappointing that the writers didn't send surviving humans to some space station or another planet. Instead, the characters who survived made it on to an arc, and even worse, the kid who ends up saving the day is named Noah. Is allegory dead or was this conveniently borrowed from the bible?
Like most lengthy and over-the-top, vastly expensive American blockbusters, the ending of the film promises new beginnings, make way for 2013! If you are curious on the subject and prefer a more educational experience than the movie "2012" has to offer, the Chabot Space and Science Center is holding an exhibition on Mayan astronomy and calendar systems, which opens Nov 21.
This movie should be disregarded entirely for its acting and storyline, but the special effects are amazing. The film itself is laden with irony, inconsistencies, and biblical themes. It very well may become a cult classic because of its genuine absurdity. If you decide to go see this movie, do it for the special effects.
The initial destruction that takes place is of Southern California; Hollywood inadvertently kills itself right before the audience's eyes. With all the destructive emphasis on our southerly neighbors, the Bay Area was almost completely omitted from the movie, only briefly mentioned as having been annihilated after the extensive coverage of Southern California toppling into the Pacific.
The highlight of "2012" was Woody Harrelson's role as a zealous radio show host. It seemed like the writers of this movie, Harold Kloser and Roland Emmerich, were mocking Alex Jones with the character, a radio host from Austin, Texas, who focuses on government conspiracies. Woody Harrelson's character ends up being spot on with all his predictions, which was particularly hilarious for the skeptics in the audience.
The movie uses some ridiculous explanations to lead up to the Earth's core unleashing incredible fury. First, giant earthquakes, then decimation of the magnetic field, followed by a string of tsunamis. Watch the movie and count how many times someone is talking on a cell phone after they say all global communications have ceased, this proved to be a fun exercise.
Please do not read this paragraph if you would like to be surprised by the ending of this movie. It was disappointing that the writers didn't send surviving humans to some space station or another planet. Instead, the characters who survived made it on to an arc, and even worse, the kid who ends up saving the day is named Noah. Is allegory dead or was this conveniently borrowed from the bible?
Like most lengthy and over-the-top, vastly expensive American blockbusters, the ending of the film promises new beginnings, make way for 2013! If you are curious on the subject and prefer a more educational experience than the movie "2012" has to offer, the Chabot Space and Science Center is holding an exhibition on Mayan astronomy and calendar systems, which opens Nov 21.
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