We (the public) seem to have a thing for the apocalypse lately. First it was Y2K and now its 2012, the Mayan predicted end of days. Just in case this is the real deal (which I doubt it is) Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) has decided to cash in on the hype with his film 2012. Though there is no denying that Emmerich's CGI is incredible, effects alone don't make a good movie. In a valiant attempt, 2012 struggles to provide worthwhile content to back up its amazing visuals but falls a bit short.

In the year 2009, scientists discover that something is going horribly wrong with the earth. The core temperature is rising at an abnormal rate and the sun is showing violent activity. As the governing bodies of the world are informed of these changes, plans are set in motion in 2010 that are only known to a select group of people. What appears to be a preservation mission is actually something much bigger. Those who have been in a position to break the truth have turned up dead, and the secret remains. As the countdown to catastrophe advances faster than expected in 2012, the suits are rushing to make sure everything is in order before it is too late.

Jackson Curtis (Jon Cusack, Igor) is an aspiring author with one limited publishing under his belt. As is usually the case with aspiring authors, Jackson is divorced thanks to his inability to separate himself from his computer. Living alone in a small apartment, Jackson has taken up a job as a limo driver in order to pay the bills. While on a hike with his children, Jackson discovers that the "surface cracks" sprouting up across California are much more than a minor annoyance. When the grand finale begins, Jackson stumbles upon some information many people would like to get their hands on. Jackson and his family are now on a race against time to stay alive and discover what the world's governments have been hiding for the past 2 years.

Anyone who has seen the trailer for 2012 knows just how extravagant Emmerich has made the destruction of Earth. Massive earthquakes, towering tidal waves, and raining lava are just some of the methods used in this apocalypse. 2012's greatest feature, however, is also its greatest flaw. After a while, the destruction becomes (pardon the pun) overkill. There is a pattern in this film of calm and sometimes heartfelt drama in between complete devastation. When the film isn't trying to make you cry, it's trying to overload your senses, and it isn't a good idea. I quickly got tired of watching millions of people die at once as well as main characters calling their relatives to say goodbye. Believe it or not, there is a line for these types of films and 2012 crosses it.

This problem could easily have been fixed if the studio had stuck to a conventional runtime. 2012 comes in at a little over 2.5 hours which is well over my legal limit for a film that does not contain Hobbits. There were quite a few scenes I feel could have been shortened or removed to get this film down to a reasonable length. Many characters that appear to be important don't last as long as you would think, but a great deal of time is devoted to their stories. The plot emphasizes that this is a race against the clock, but the characters seem to forget that from time to time. One would think it possible to destroy the earth in less than 2 hours, but apparently Roland Emmerich doesn't see it that way.

To the film's credit, it does manage to establish emotional connections to the surviving characters. When stuff isn't blowing up, the dialog is actually pleasant and meaningful. 2012's main focus is on corrupt/selfish government which at times feels like it is being beaten into you. It makes you wonder how anything gets done since it seems like those in charge are only thinking about themselves. This film is mainly based around a message of selflessness and that comes across clearly. If only the studio had focused less on CGI, 2012 could have been a well rounded movie.

I'm going to be honest and admit that I had a tremendous bias going into this film. I had every intention of avoiding this film, but fate conspired against me. Much to my surprise, I found myself actually enjoying 2012 until it all came crumbling down (literally). If you want a visual thrill and can sit still for 2.5 hours, then 2012 is worth seeing. Otherwise, you might want to save your money for New Moon on Friday.