When scientists discover that a huge solar flare is causing the Earth's core to quickly spike in temperature, they fear that its consequences on the globe will be severe. One of the scientists, Adrian Helmsley, insists upon holding a meeting with the Chief of Staff of the White House, the egotistical and harsh Carl Anheuser, about what this may mean for the world... and if it may be coming to an end. Flash forward a couple of years to 2012: a one-hit-wonder novelist named Jackson Curtis is supposed to take his kids, Noah and Lily, on a camping trip to Yellowstone. They don't want to go; they want to stay with Jackson's ex-wife and their mother, Kate, and her new boyfriend Gordon, a successful plastic surgeon. On their trip, Jackson runs into a nutty conspiracy theory radio talk show host, Charlie Frost. Charlie tells him that the Mayans predicted that in 2012, the world would come to an end, and the recent string of earthquakes that they've been experiencing is just the beginning. Soon the world would open up, volcanoes will erupt, tsunamis would bury the land, and society as we know it would end. Jackson takes the kids home when an earthquake nearly kills Kate and Gordon, and he goes about his part-time job as a limo driver. When he learns his wealthy Russian client are leaving town because of the impending disaster, he races home to rescue Kate, Gordon, and the kids. A series of huge earthquakes destroy Los Angeles and eventually sink the entire county into the ocean, but not before Jackson is able to rent a plane and, with Gordon as the pilot, escape. They go to Yellowstone to ask Charlie what to do, and he tells them the government has made ships to survive the calamity. The ships can be found in China, so Jackson must find a way to get his family to China in the face of the planet's destruction.
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Best part of story, including ending:
The special effects are phenomenal, the characters are simple but nicely drawn, and the cast of actors is really great.
Best scene in story:
The destruction of Los Angeles is one of the most impressive action sequences of the past five years, with nail-biting suspense and awesome computer effects.
Opinion about the main character:
Jackson has clearly screwed up in his past, but by the time we meet him, he is struggling working hard to get his life together. John Cusack is also an immensely likable actor.
