Official promotional poster. Rights belong to the respective rights holders.
Read the film reference Availability and pricing vary by region.2012A movie brief.
2009 / Disaster film / Directed by Roland Emmerich
The end of an era, the beginning of a new world.
What is 2012 about?
A global catastrophe is predicted to occur on December 21, 2012, based on the Mayan calendar. A divorced writer and his family must navigate a world on the brink of destruction.
Five things to know.
Global threat
The film depicts a massive solar flare and earthquakes that trigger massive tsunamis and volcanic eruptions around the world.
Family dynamics
The story follows a divorced writer who tries to reunite with his family and survive the impending disaster.
Scientific theories
The film is based on the 2012 phenomenon, a predicted apocalyptic event based on the Mayan calendar.
Action-packed
The film features intense action sequences, including a massive earthquake and a devastating tsunami.
Emotional resonance
The film explores themes of family, survival, and redemption in the face of catastrophic loss.
A thought to take with you.
Jackson's effort to move his family through a disaster makes survival a sequence of practical decisions rather than a distant prediction. The film uses global catastrophe as spectacle, but its viewpoint repeatedly returns to who can access safety and how people choose whom to help.
Is it your kind of movie?
Choose it for a large-scale disaster film built around escape and family survival. Its premise is fictional and its destruction sequences are intense.
Sources & scope
This AI-assisted brief is based on the linked secondary reference. Facts and interpretation are separated; it does not claim personal viewing or independent expert review.
Source details checked September 8, 2026. Suggest a correction · Our editorial approach