Yesterday I decided to give the Mayan end of the world a try. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon and after grabbing some allies, we headed into the theater armed with popcorn and the knowledge that somehow Emmerich planned on destroying the world, again. Read on, there may be light spoilers, so be forewarned.

Not expecting much more then some summer blockbuster fun and intense graphics, I wasn’t really let down. There was some serious damage to our world, that’s for sure. But, the head-turning, “what the hell?” moments started to come almost immediately.

First is the explanation of HOW the world is ending. Basically, the Sun created new magical particles that seem to only have an effect on the core of our planet by heating it up, yet nothing else is effected by these heat-inducing particles. Hmm… Interesting…

After some talking and attempts at plot, the action starts. Once the destruction begins, you will feel less bored and more satisfied. However, the amounts of narrow escapes that John Cusack and company have will leave you feeling that the movie is a lot less a human situation you can relate too and more attack of the killer green screen.

Every moment that something terrible happens, some ridiculously incredible coincidence will occur that will leave them unscathed and safe. The amount of cliche close-calls that roll out become so redundant that it seems like there could have been a laugh reel for the audience. These nonsense close-calls climax towards the end of the movie all circulating around a stereotypical blonde damsel and her pocket puppy. Trust me, if you check it out, watch for this part. I nearly had to stab myself with my trusty alert safety pin to keep me focused.

Over all, I can’t argue that the movie didn’t have entertaining moments. There certainly was some fun in seeing some of our favorite and most known world locations being destroyed by volcanoes, fire, earthquakes, floods, etc… But all in all, the plot was weak and the convenient escapes became almost unbearable at moments. The special effects will knock you on your ass, but with the lack of true empathy to any of the characters, it’s hard to forget the fact that it’s green screen killing all these people and nothing more.

On a final note, Woody Harrelson makes a surprise appearance, and he’s hilarious. He’s not killing zombies this time, but trust me, he’s as goofy and crazy as ever.

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