2012

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1:09

2012

PG-13

2009

2h 38m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

40%

Tomatometer

242 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Earth's billions of inhabitants are unaware that the planet has an expiration date. With the warnings of an American scientist (Chiwetel Ejiofor), world leaders begin secret preparations for the survival of select members of society. When the global cataclysm finally occurs, failed writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) tries to lead his family to safety as the world starts falling apart.

Critics Consensus

Roland Emmerich's 2012 provides plenty of visual thrills, but lacks a strong enough script to support its massive scope and inflated length.

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

09/07/2011

B

Cusack, with his one-of-the-guys face and his nice way with child actors, does creditable work as an Average American Dad trying to put things right.

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Laremy Legel

Film.com

05/06/2011

B-

2012 is the rare case of a bad film that I'm nevertheless obliged to recommend you see.

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Sara Vilkomerson

Observer

12/07/2009

2012 is reminiscent of yesteryear '80s shlock-tastic blockbusters -- total popcorn entertainment with ridiculous dialogue and impossible situations and special effects that will boggle the brain for a good two-plus hours.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/05/2023

3/4

Everything you’re expecting from 2012 is exactly what you’re going to get…Utterly impossible by any stretch of the imagination, the movie is a cheesy, one-dimensional, epic-sized spectacle that does exactly what it promises to—destroy the Earth.

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James Croot

The Post NZ

05/24/2023

3/5

If you put your brain in neutral, you can enjoy an unprecedented scale of beautifully rendered destruction and learn that science isn't an exact science.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

01/26/2022

A good disaster thriller must contain both thrills and massive destruction--2012 has both in great quantity.

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Romas M

@Romas 2d

Greetings from Lithuania. "2012" (2009) is a very solid entry into disaster movies genre. It has everything that one would like to have: great special effects, tons of action, larger than life main characters and destructions on a biblical scale. Hey, it's surely isn't the best picture of the year, but it does exactly what it promises, entertains us by showing end of the world and 2 dimensional characters trying to survive it. The master of these flicks Roland Emmerich have destroyed cities in the past pictures, but here he goes on total annihilation. Overall, if you have somehow skipped this flick on it's release, you can safely check this one out you like disaster flicks in general, because "2012" has it all. Performances are all universally good for the material, but it's Oliver Platt's character that kinda was best for me. CGI aren't the best but there is so many of theme here - no wonder that this blockbuster had 200 million dollar budget.

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Daniel L

@RT24087858 May 17

Generally not a fan of natural disaster movies but this is entertaining.

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Pedro Henrique C

@Pedro2005 May 13

2012 (2009) This film portrays the end of the world in a rather peculiar way; nobody knows what will happen to the world when it ends, but it won't be depicted in this way. The special effects are actually decent compared to when it was released.

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Ryan F

@RT74441166 Apr 15

Intense movie from start to finish! It's what you expect from a disaster movie. It was a little long but it was worth it

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Jovana M.

@J_loves_movies Apr 12

I am a huge fan of Ronald Emmerich movies, rewatched 2012 so many times, great special effects and great story- doomsday movie fans top 10 for sure

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Gordon M.

@gordumb Mar 14

The main characters miraculously survive everything at the cost of side characters. Also, the "where's our humanity" moment comes after they've already left all the non-billionaires behind. 🤦‍♂️

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Roland Emmerich

Director

John Cusack

Jackson Curtis

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Adrian Helmsley

Amanda Peet

Kate

Oliver Platt

Carl Anheuser

Thandiwe Newton

Laura Wilson

2012: Official Clip - Something Pulling Us Apart

2:25

2012: Official Clip - Cruise Ship Tsunami

2:41

2012: Official Clip - The Ark Launch

3:14

2012: Official Clip - The Arks

2:58

2012: Official Clip - Get to the Plane

2:54

2012: Official Clip - Rough Landing in Tibet

3:40

2012: Official Clip - Do Not Panic

2:58

2012: Official Clip - Trust in Prayer

2:59

2012: Official Clip - The Sinking of Los Angeles

2:09

2012: Official Clip - Yellowstone Erupts

3:38

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2012: Trailer 1

1:09

2012: Trailer 1

2:47

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Synopsis

Earth's billions of inhabitants are unaware that the planet has an expiration date. With the warnings of an American scientist (Chiwetel Ejiofor), world leaders begin secret preparations for the survival of select members of society. When the global cataclysm finally occurs, failed writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) tries to lead his family to safety as the world starts falling apart.

Director: Roland Emmerich
Producer: Harald Kloser, Mark Gordon, Larry J. Franco
Screenwriter: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Centropolis Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Some Language|Disaster Sequences)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 13, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $166.1M
Runtime: 2h 38m