Yesterday in my Freeze Frame answers post I briefly mentioned the 2012 trailer, but then later realized that while we talked about the first teaser preview that was released back in January, we haven't yet discussed the latest theatrical trailer. And boy, is it a doozy. So much so that it inspired a "without special effects" spoof trailer that had me laughing out loud... especially at the end.
But I'll leave you to explore that silliness on your own -- we've got the serious business of THE ENTIRE WORLD BEING DESTROYED to deal with. Oh, Mr. Emmerich -- obliterator/near-annihilator of cities and our dear Mother Earth so many times over in films like Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow and Godzilla - what do you have in store for our poor planet now?
Wow. Roland didn't hold back... surprise, surprise!
But here's the thing: though a lot of people like to make fun of Emmerich's overuse of special effects (and underuse of not--incredibly-cheesy dialogue), I can't sit here and say that this trailer didn't get me excited for 2012 (the movie, not the year, which I'm still dreading), even though I know that an extended clip from the film drew a less than enthusiastic response from the crowd at Comic-Con. So, I'm going to try to go into this one with as few expectations and pre-judgments as I can, and just see what I think of it.
In the meantime, have you spied any of the billboards for the film? There's one in my neighborhood and all it says is "They tried to warn us" and then a big "2012" above a "Google: 2012 for more information." Sure enough, when you Google "2012," the first entry returned is the Sony-run web site WhoWillSurvive2012.com. There you can "vote for the leader of the post-2012 world." As if one site weren't enough, Sony's actually launched three other sites as part of a viral marketing campaign: 1) The Institute for Human Continuity, an organization supposedly dedicated to preparing us all for the coming disaster, 2) ThisIsTheEnd.com, run by Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson), a character from 2012 who claims the IHC is not looking out for our best interests, and 3) Corruption Theory, a site run by an unidentified character from the film who purports inside knowledge on the IHC's dastardly deeds.
I don't really care about any of these conspiracies -- I just want to make sure my man John Cusack survives the destruction. My hope is that once the dust has settled and his character has pulled through the mayhem, he'll hold up a boom box, blast "In Your Eyes" and all of the Apocalypse survivors will be inspired to rebuild the planet. The End.
LOL. Do you think a write-in campaign could make sure your ending at least makes it to the DVD?
Posted by: Spaz | October 13, 2009 at 02:17 PM
"I don't really care about any of these conspiracies -- I just want to make sure my man John Cusack survives the destruction. My hope is that once the dust has settled and his character has pulled through the mayhem, he'll hold up a boom box, blast "In Your Eyes" and all of the Apocalypse survivors will be inspired to rebuild the planet."
OMG, that is some funny stuff right there!!! Thanks for actually makeing me LAUGH out loud! I might actually go see the movie now!
Posted by: Michelle | October 13, 2009 at 02:49 PM
I'm really getting tired of disaster movies to be honest...Don't really have any desire to see this...
Posted by: Matthew S. | October 14, 2009 at 10:00 AM
A few weeks ago I saw a 2012 trailer on TV. I couldn't stop laughing. The clips of traveling through the destruction were so over the top unbelievable - even more so than Bruce's actions in Live Free or Die Hard. In between laughs, I tried to explain to my husband what I'd seen. His response - We'll have to see that movie.
I also have to laugh at your ending suggestion. Wouldn't that be a fun way to end the movie?
Posted by: nb | October 19, 2009 at 03:09 PM