Meanwhile, in the Los Angeles area, part-time author/full-time limo driver Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) just wants to take his children Noah (Liam James) and Lilly (Morgan Lilly) on a vacation to show them Yellowstone Park. What he discovers is not the Yellowstone he once knew. It has been cordoned off by the feds and he and the kids get picked up for trespassing. Once he is released, by Dr. Helmsley no less, who also happens to be a fan of Curtis' novel, Farewell Atlantis, the trio run into what appears to be an insane mountain man named Charlie (Woody Harrelson). What Charlie really turns out to be is an indie radio broadcaster who Jackson listens to and he has been spouting info about the end of the world. Let's just say that when they poop hits the fan, Charlie has a map for escape and Jackson must take on the mantle of hero and get his family to safety, and that includes ex-wife Kate (Amanda Peet) and her new man, Gordon (Tom McCarthy). Not even the complete annihilation of Los Angeles can stop this ragtag group and they eventually meet up with others, all of whom are trying to get to what they have been told are "space" ships that hold the salvation of mankind. What they eventually discover is something far different.
There is far too much that goes on in this film with all of the interwoven characters and their stories to hash it out here, and I am being intentionally vague so you can discover the story for yourself. However, the action is intense and the acting is quite good and believable, plus the CG is not over the top and it looks good. There's nothing like watching Vegas dropping out from under a plane trying to escape the Earth's wrath. If you have a high-def setup, then Blu-ray is definitely the way to go. Not only is the picture crisp and beautiful, but 2012 will make the most of your surround sound system as explosions go off all around you. We actually had to turn the volume down because the subwoofer was visibly shaking the sofa. Awesome.
As for special features, there's not a whole lot here but you do have an alternate ending, typical commentary and a picture-in-picture through the entire movie if you want the inside scoop of all aspects of the film. This is definitely something to watch after you've seen the movie once first because it is informative, but distracting from the film itself.
All in all, I thought this was a great popcorn flick. It has edge-of-your-seat action, really good acting and it's just a good story all the way around. Oliver Platt is the guy you love to hate and John Cusack is just the guy you love. If you like disaster movies, 2012 is a sure-fire winner.
