This movie was downright EPIC, man! I saw it with 2 of my friends and we all loved it! Non-stop action and mayhem and never got boring! The special effects were awesome and very well-put-together. Although there is some normal PG-13 cussing, there is only 1 F-Bomb I heard. Not much blood, surprisingly, except for a dead man on the ground, an Asian soldier dismembered of his lower leg from heavy gears, and the crunching sound of a man being crushed by the same gears (no blood/gore). This movie might be too intense/ depressing for kids under 12, but that's based on the kid's sensitivity or maturity. Overall, PWNAGELY EPIC!!!!!
2012
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Massive global destruction -- not for worriers.
Themes in this movie include: family relationships
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13–15
The good stuff
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Role models:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of 2012 was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
Parents need to know that director Roland Emmerich's 2012 is an intense, violent disaster movie, with billions of anonymous characters getting killed during massive scenes of destruction (earthquakes, tsunamis, and more). Although the tone is mainly exciting, the relentless devastation could terrify or depress many viewers (both kids and grown-ups), especially those who've been through natural disasters themselves. In other words, this is no movie for kids anxious about the state of the world. Fans of the genre will find some of the effects truly impressive, but there's not much in the way of character or plot depth. Expect a little bit of kissing, drinking, and swearing (including "s--t"). All that and it's almost three hours long. ...
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about the movie's destruction and violence. Much of it is of a sci-fi/fantasy nature, but if you stop to think about it, the enormity and frequency of it can be overwhelming. Is this kind of violence more or less upsetting than gory horror movies?
- One of the movie's major themes is the importance of family. Does that come through amid the chaos and destruction? Did the movie make you feel closer to your own family?
- Why do you think the wealthiest and most important people were chosen for seats on the arks? Should other people have gotten a chance? What would have been a better way to go about the process?
- Do you think a disaster like this could occur? If so, is it better to try and prepare or better not to worry about something we can't control?
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More on 2012
What’s the Story?
When the sun suddenly begins bombarding Earth with a higher neutrino count, heating up the planet's core, it all-too-quickly leads to massive natural disasters -- from earthquakes to tsunamis -- and even shifting of the north and south poles. A secret project is underway in Tibet to build "arks" to rescue a certain number of people, but most of the seats have been reserved for the world's richest and most important people. While scientist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) collects data and fights against greed and corruption, small-time Los Angeles author Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) tries to rescue his ex-wife (Amanda Peet) and their two kids, get them to Tibet, and secure them seats on one of the arks. But can he do this impossible task in time?
Is It Any Good?
Disaster movies are usually very popular and have long managed to thrill plenty of people with their huge scale and awesome special effects. Since 2012 (which is tied to a much-debated Mayan prophecy that supposedly names that year as the one in which the world will end) is one of the biggest and most spectacular to date, it will no doubt follow suit -- and, in terms of visual effects and clear, exciting filmmaking, it is well done. And the impressive, appealing cast does its level best to read through the third-rate dialogue without too much eye-rolling.
But anyone looking for character depth, powerful emotional content, intelligence, poetic images, or personal expression of any kind is advised to look elsewhere. At best, it's a nearly three-hour film packed with several tons of clichés whose best features are explosions and general destruction. At worst, it's a gruesome, depressing subject as viewed from the seat of a passing roller coaster.
Movie Details
Studio: Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Director: Roland Emmerich
Run time: 158 minutes
Theatrical release: 11/13/2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense disaster sequences and some language
Run time: 158 minutes
Theatrical release: 11/13/2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense disaster sequences and some language
Our Members Say
See all 63 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My highlights are:
EPIC!!!
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I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Ok there's language that us kids shouldn't use, but why would we. I think that there are some sexual scenes, but not bad just minor scenes. Some of the role models are bad, but most are great by ridking everything, saving, helping strangers, e.t.c. The message is very good to me, but that message you need to figure out yourself. Ok yeah sure the mayan prophecy is a piece of c**p, but the movie is good.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
No questionable behavior but, unrealistic scenes
I didn't have any concerns about this movie. I was actually disappointed in a different sense. I went to the movie thinking that it would be more realistic and would grasp you from the moment u watched but, I was wrong. The main characters just so happen to miss an explosion, crash, any type of destruction just by a centimeter. I felt that it was a stupid plot and had nothing that I admired in it except the effects and a few of the actors did the best they could with their parts. For overall the movie was boring, pointless, unrealistic, but did have nice special effects and a few good acting moments. Not the best work stacked all together. The facts don't lie.
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I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
Fantastic, but upsetting
This movie is fantastic is really good but I was upsetted by all the deaths and destruction in this movie.
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
AWSOME!
This movie has the best graphics I have seen in a long time. The plot is excellent and is so cool!
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I rate this title off for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Um, it's okayyyy...
My friends and I saw this a while back... and I have to say this movie dragged on WAY too long, which was kind of unnecessary. Second of all, this movie kind of stirred up suspicion about this upcoming year, 2012, and it's fate. I mean, come on, like THIS would happen. I didn't really like the guy whom Kate was with in the beginning, but rather the guy whom she was divorced with. The villain of the movie was evil and self-centered because the only person he wished to save was himself. The good part was that he got what he very well deserved in the end. Oh and I forgot to mention!!!! The MOST DISGUSTING part was when this dude's leg was torn off and stuck in the motor or something. I think there was a quick glimpse of it, and some of us looked away. However, I enjoyed watching the action and disaster happening around the people; yet they took it too far with the hours.
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I rate this title off for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- My highlights are:
That's not real
12/21/12 is not going to die in real life!
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I rate this title off for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- My highlights are:
That's not real
12/21/12 is not going to die in real life!
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I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
eww
really bad movie, good special effects and stuff but really horribly violent and sad. i dont reccomend it at all. not for kids, maybe bored teenagers but the messages arent good. its all about one familys survival when what matters is the entire world. too sad and not even a good movie. please dont watch this, its boring and awful.
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I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Okay, for tweens awsome for older kids
Good effects some language includs one f%&# in one scene Jacson drinks beer looots of damege. One person dies by being crushed, one guy falls off a clif just lots of violents
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I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
It's okay I didn't like it much.
This movie to me is basically showcasing explosions, stuff breaking, and well how the earth's destruction. I would recommend it to 11+ if they're not gullible and mature. It's kinda selfish because they only try to benefit themselves if you think about it. Like commonsense media said up there ^ it's very cliche. I don't believe in the Mayan calender thing. I got bored most of the time thinking this is so unrealistic. I always felt like the world is going to end because us, the human race did some thing to destroy earth. But of course, let's bring in explosions, stuff falling down on millions (billions?) of people who die, and a government that makes machines secretly so that way the more important people can live. It was strange to see the kids kinda unaffected by the pilot dead or the adventure they were having. Yea they were scared but to my opinion not too scared. If I was a little girl (the main character's daughter) I would be freaking right now, traumatized, shaking. All that stuff. If you really believe that Mayan junk or 2012, and are scared of it, forget it.(unless your immortal but I really doubt that) Someday you're going to die so live your life to the fullest. So on 12/22/12 I'm going to laugh at those people who thought the world was going to end. To wrap it all up, if you like fireworks, action then watch this. (even though unrealistic) It's not the greatest thriller, but it will past the time for some people.
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I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
The movie overall is great. I wouldn't recommend people younger than 11watching it though because of bad language. It also is a tiny bit long and a bit scary at times. I think this review is right and seeing as it's a 12a (in the UK. it means you can watch it if you are 12 on your own, but any younger, watch with and adult) and hope that many others agree!!!
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I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
2012 review
this movie was so awsome. I was never the same after this movie. I can't reccomend it enough. You have to see it on the big screen. There are a few problems with this movie. I'll get to those later. It would be a crime if you do not watch this movie. If you don't understand the title 2012 let me tell you why thats the title. There was an ancient civilization called the mayans. The mayans made a calender called the long count. And the calender suudenly stops on the date December 21, 2012. Problems: 1. the movie is 2hrs and 30mins 2.not much disaster on last hour 3.bad comedy 4.must wait a while for the end of the world to happen 4.5 out of 5
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
a christian perspective on the positives an age appropriatness
it was very action packedand you were on the edge of your seat the whole time ! i can truly say that i didnt get bored at all ! the reason i put it had a positive message is because the parents i thought showed a friendly relationship together the entire time even though the were divorced. for anyone younger than an 11 year old id have to say it was a little too violent ! if i was a ten year old i would still be having night mares about it ! but in all it was a very well written movie !
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I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Excessive consumerism
a bit over the top (unrealistic) in many places but great thriller
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I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
best iv'e ever seen!
this mayan crap is fake but the movie did scare me really kool.
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Best. Movie. EVER
This movie is totally action packed. But... totally depressing. At the end, nearly 99% of the earth's population is drowned. There is good messages about teamwork and staying together though. Also, the special effects are great and the movie is so darn interesting!!!! I don't know how they make the earth look like a canyon has been carved into it.
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I rate this title off for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Scary
I cried my EYES out in this movie!!!! Millions of ppl died and alot of people got left behind. But other than that? It was a FREAKIN AWESOME MOVIE!!!!!
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I rate this title off for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
long story short your sensitive ones will cry scream you name it
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Ratings at a Glance
| 55% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 50% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 40% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 35% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 30% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
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