No, it was after that. That was only the second “plane vs earthquake” runway race. That’s the one where the plane went from standing still to airborne within about 50 feet.
Yes! That was a stroke of genius!
Exactly! I went into this expecting a big, stupid, ‘splodey, dumb, unscientific, moronic, fun, cliche’-ridden, cgi-laden disaster-porn flick. I was not disappointed.
I am told that back in the days of 70% and 90% tax brackets, people went looking for money-losing investments as a form of tax shelter. Many bad movies were supposedly funded in this way.
Yeah, it was a stupid movie that made little sense, but did I have fun watching it in the theater and consider it money-well-spent? Oh yes! Such over-the-top awesomeness. Probably won’t translate as well to the small screen.
To answer the OP question regarding the validity of capitalism, 2012 is just a reinforcement of it. It was made by non other than the absolute worst, most incompetent, sell-out-est, no concept of science-logic-character-or-storytelling-est, hack director ever. The great Roland Emmerich, maker of some of the worst films of all time:
[ul]
[li]Independence Day[/li][li]Godzilla[/li][li]Stargate[/li][li]Day After Tomorrow[/li][/ul]
But because ID4 and DAT were big hits he can get a green light for any piece of shit he wants to! The antidote to such unbridled crapness? Anything by director James Cameron…
I’m just now getting around to watching this. I DVR’d it and I’ve been watching it a little at a time as it is so awful, yet so compelling, that I can’t erase it, but I can’t sit through much at one time.
I have to say Woody Harrelson is PERFECTLY cast.
I loved how at the airport right before the second plane ride (there’s a THIRD? Oh my :eek: ), the firemen are trying to keep our guys for running to the plane, “Everyone inside! Hey! You can’t go out there! It’s not SAFE!!” No fucking joke.
And then the tower has the gall to radio, “You’re not cleared for take-off!” just before a fireball obliterates the whole airport.
I knew better - I really did. I saw the trailer and said “Self, there’s no way in hell we’re going to get suckered to see that movie” to which my brain replied “Damn straight Skippy”. I’m in my 30’s and like to think I’ve learned my hard lessons about what makes quality entertainment.
I watched as my younger friends who are too naive to know better trotted out to see the it. I laughed as they shelled out hard earned bucks to watch a stupid Roland Emmerich movie. Every time they came back less than satisfied my brain gave a smug little “see? toldja” as I mentally patted myself on the back and congratulated myself on yet another wise decision.
Then, God damnit, I learned that it shows the Yellowstone Super Volcano erupt. My inner 12 year old (who gets far more attention than he should but what can I say, I like the way he thinks and he is the source of my favorite inner dialog) took notice. You see, despite being older I’m still a sucker for disaster porn. I pretend I’m not, I pretend I’m above it, and I know not to watch disaster porn for the sake of porn. But it’s Yellowstone! My inner 12 year old argued that surely the movie can’t be sooo bad that I can’t watch Yellowstone erupt! My inner 12 year old is also eternally grateful for Roland Emmerich introducing us to Megan Fox - and what can I say, when my 12 year old self has a point I have to satisfy him.
So, into my Netflix queue it went. I was giddy as the first earthquake ripped apart some town (don’t remember) and our hero (don’t remember) was able to escape those big cracks just in the nick of time! But then, they showed that same effect again! And again! And again! My God my 12 year old said, this movie sucks! But then, finally, we get to Yellowstone - surely he’ll get this right! I can finally see what this thing will look like when it explodes with modern day special effects! My 12 year old will be satisfied and we can finally end the pain of watching this stupid vapid movie (vapid only looks good on Megan Fox). But then it blew, and it was the most idiotic stupid CGI crapfest of any movie I’ve seen in the last 20 years! I swear Roland Emmerich himself jumped out after they escaped yet again and said “Dude - I pwned you!”.
So yes, I share your pain OP and I swear I’ll never watch another Roland Emmerich movie ever again until the next one comes out. Damn 12 year old.
I put 2012 in the same category as that horrible disaster movie of a couple of years ago, The Core. They’re both so epic, so over the top, so *satisfying *in that “you know exactly what’s going to happen to whom and in what order” type of way.
Culturally redeeming, these ain’t. But damned if they aren’t fun in the best popcorn-movie tradition.
Meh, I liked ID4 a lot better than Titanic. ID4 at least had some memorable parts (and usually in a good way!), whereas Titanic was “see once, be not unentertained, then promptly forget”.