The Southern

Issue date: 11/20/09 Section: Opinion

"2012"

Roland Emmerich, the man who brought us "Independence Day" and "The Day After Tomorrow," now brings us his final disaster film, "2012," and it is probably a good thing that this is his last.

"Independence Day" was a really fun and enjoyable popcorn film; "The Day After Tomorrow" started to show Emmerich's shifting focus from a story with good action to decent action set pieces with a minor story thrown in for coherency. Unfortunately, "2012" only continues Emmerich's storytelling decline to just a few steps above made for television cinema.

"2012" requires its viewers to have a strong willing suspension of disbelief; even if you accept the premises of the film, there are many scenes that defy conventional logic as well as the basic laws of physics.

The script is terrible and tried to incorporate every disaster scenario as well as absurd pop culture cliches as possible. The acting is forgetful. John Cusack is fine as a divorced father trying to save his family and Amanda Peet's talent is complete as Cusack's ex wife. Chiwetel Ejiofor gives the only good performance of the film, but that is sadly not saying much. The special effects are above average, but above average does not seem adequate when the film cost close to 200 million dollars.

Although the problems with the film are abundant, "2012" does serve the basic requirement of going to the movies, and this is to entertain. As entertaining as the film may be, it is hard to ignore that you are watching 6 billion people die, and even harder to forget that those who are supposed to repopulate the world are not the people who we want to do so.



"The Men Who Stare at Goats"

Over the last few years, a Cohen brothers esque film has been released in the fall, and this years entry into the category is "The Men Who Stare at Goats."

It even stars a Cohen brothers regular collaborator, George Clooney. The story follows Ewan McGregor's down on his luck journalist who crosses path with George Clooney's supposedly psychic soldier while covering the Second Gulf War. The movie is essentially a road film about men searching for new identity.

Clooney's and McGregor's characters have lost their direction in life, leading them to search for a new path, but the story only moderatly follows through on this and the last 20 minutes of the film feel like the script was rushed to be completed.

The trip through Iraq with McGregor and Clooney is interesting at first, but quickly becomes boring, and the audience ultimately looses interest.

The only high points past the half way mark come from the flashbacks to the New Earth Army and Jeff Bridges character which actually brings attention back to the screen. With such a great cast, the acting is good, but it doesn't save the film. "The Men Who Stare at Goats" is enjoyable at times, but only qualifies as rental material.

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