2012: Doomsday... again

2012 sees both St Peter's Basilica and Brazil's revered statue, Christ The Redeemer, toppled. Photo / Supplied

End of the world epic 2012 marks director Roland Emmerich's third attempt to destroy the earth. Following famed blockbuster hits, Independence Day, in which Will Smith saves the world from aliens, and The Day After Tomorrow, where we see the catastrophic effects of global warming, 2012 is based on the Mayan prophecy which predicts the ultimate Judgment Day as December 21, 2012.

It begs the question, is Emmerich determined to kill us, one way or another?

He laughs. Relaxing in his Beverly Hills hotel suite, he says, "Well, I don't only do disaster movies - and I hope this is the last one, at least for a long time. I don't want to keep repeating myself."

2012, an idea of Emmerich's writing partner Harald Kloser, comes at a time when the world is suffering from financial disaster. As far as escapism is concerned, what better way to relieve your own personal monetary woes than watching the entire world collapse in a US$200 million, two-hour-40-minute tragedy of biblical proportions?

"When we were shooting the movie, all of a sudden there was the global recession. Everybody asked us, 'How did you know?' But I've had this whole end of the world feeling for seven years, since The Day After Tomorrow, which is why I made that movie," says the German-born writer-director. "We're not as optimistic about the future anymore and we buy into this scenario. I felt the pessimism back then. I felt that we're doing something wrong. It's a little bit zeitgeist."

Doom and gloom aside, 2012 is a special effects-laden extravaganza complete with tsunamis, volcanoes, trains being hurled through the air, and earthquakes on a Richter scale upwards of 10.5. It also puts John Cusack in the unlikely hot-seat of "action hero". Says Cusack, "It's not like I've avoided these roles in the past, I've just never been offered them. Those roles usually go to the top box office stars in the world and I'm not an A-list actor for action roles, although I have been offered some not-so-good versions which I turned down." Emmerich, who generally makes interesting casting choices, says, "That's why I wanted him. I wanted to have someone who was believable and who was smart and intelligent. I think John Cusack brings a level of quality to what he does. I think he's known for certain parts which we were able to use in a clever way."

The ensemble cast of 2012 includes Amanda Peet, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Danny Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor (who is currently shooting Salt with Phillip Noyce), and Woody Harrelson, who appears for some much-needed comic relief. A rollercoaster ride of sorts, it would seem that Emmerich has fun targeting some of the world's most famous monuments and religious icons, including The Vatican's St Peter's Basilica, and Brazil's revered statue, Christ The Redeemer, as they come toppling down.

"I'm drawn to impossible pictures, impossible images. The first image which came to me was the water coming over the Himalayas. If you see that, you will know that this is the end. And that was the same thing with Independence Day with the shadows moving over the cities."

The heart of the movie is based on Cusack's estranged marriage and the developing relationship with his kids as a hapless single dad. And as a sign of the times, we see him dealing with his wife's new boyfriend and the dynamic of the so-called modern family and the typical (yet cliched) problems that arise within this extended unit. And being a family-in-peril due to global cataclysms, as one would imagine, the script lends itself to some inevitable cheesy dialogue.

A leap of faith is required on many levels in order to enjoy the movie.

Unlike most actors, Cusack is very low-key in person. In fact, his answers are almost inaudible. He's not rude, yet doesn't go out of his way to endear himself, either. He's not in the game to win popularity votes, which inadvertently makes him a lot more likeable than a lot of his brown-nosing counterparts.

Although Cusack has played many single fathers, in his own personal life he has not yet travelled that road. "It's funny, I know. When you're younger, in your 20s, you have to go to war, when you get into your late 30s and 40s you have to be a dad. I guess it's a rite of passage." He pauses. "And then somewhere in between you get to make a movie with Julia Roberts," he laughs. A physically gruelling role, Cusack says, "This wasn't the hardest film I've done. It was probably the most physical role, but difficult is when you're working with people who aren't nice, people you don't like. Physical is okay - you get hurt a little bit but that's not such a bad thing."

Emmerich says he was inspired to make this movie when he was in New Zealand shooting 10,000 BC. "They were the survivors of a big flood. I was interested in that kind of scenario. I read this book, The Fingerprints of Gods. There is one chapter about earth crust displacement and it just fascinated me. I felt this could be a great scenario for a global flood movie," he says.

The subject of earth displacement is nothing new and scientists are always endeavouring to separate fact from fiction . "Do I believe this could actually happen?" Emmerich says. "At first no, and then I read a couple of books and I got really scared. Then I read a couple of other books which debunked it. I hope it will not happen, honest to God. I think if the world comes to an end, it will be because we as humans will do it. I don't think a major cataclysm of that size will happen like that. It will be us screwing up the climate, the environment. I'm more afraid of that."

So, given the age old theory endures - that man is his own worst enemy, is Emmerich trying to give us a message? He laughs. "No. No message. It's just entertainment."

What: Doomsday epic 2012
Opens: In cinemas today