In 2012, cataclysmic earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tidal waves send John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson and Thandie Newton racing across the globe toward a modern-day Noah’s ark. Director Roland Emmerich says he was inspired by the ancient Mayan doomsday prophecy and other jittery theories as he prepared to go back to the future. “I’m glad every two years visual effects take a leap forward,” says the disaster master. “But it all starts with a concept, not effects.” And that concept is? “The characters have to get aboard a ship or they’re dead. The government people all know what’s happening and have moral discussions about whether they’re doing the right thing. John Cusack plays one of the people who don’t know, and he views the disasters as a way to reconcile his life. Then there’s Woody Harrelson, the crazy guy in the middle who thinks it’s all about spaceships. There’s a balance between intimate scenes, action and laughs, and people who’ve seen it told me they cried. That balance doesn’t work every time; this time it really does.” Download NOW
