2012

Devastating tidal wave

So, we all expect the world to end. The apocalypse has long since bewildered, frightened and intrigued mankind ever since he gained self awareness of his fragile state. The end of the world has always made fairly interesting movies, regardless of how the world loses its most prominent species. But leave it up to ‘Day After Tomorrow’ maestro Roland Emmerich and a long-gone Mezo-American civilization to scare movie goers stiff. ‘2012’ bases its scare factor on the probability that the world will end on precisely December 21^st, 2012...but just way worse then even they expected. (Lucky them!). Super-volcanoes, tectonic quakes that scar the globe, waves miles high. Yeah...but, mankind proves that again, it’s better to be smart than lucky, although Lady Luck just became his favorite deity. 

So, we all expect the world to end. The apocalypse has long since bewildered, frightened and intrigued mankind ever since he gained self awareness of his fragile state. The end of the world has always made fairly interesting movies, regardless of how the world loses its most prominent species. But leave it up to ‘Day After Tomorrow’ maestro Roland Emmerich and a long-gone Mezo-American civilization to scare movie goers stiff. ‘2012’ bases its scare factor on the probability that the world will end on precisely December 21^st, 2012...but just way worse then even they expected. (Lucky them!). Super-volcanoes, tectonic quakes that scar the globe, waves miles high. Yeah...but, mankind proves that again, it’s better to be smart than lucky, although Lady Luck just became his favorite deity.

 When a global cataclysm thrusts the world into chaos, divorced writer and father Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) joins the race to ensure that humankind is not completely wiped out. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet, Thandie Newton, and Oliver Platt round out the cast of this end-of-the-world thriller co-scripted by the director and his 10,000 B.C. writer/composer, Harald Kloser. 

 

Day After Tomorrow

Picture of New York city being consumed by a tidal wave

This movie featured stars such as Dennis Quaid, Ian Holm, Sela Ward and Emmy Rossum.  The movie highlights the potency of a growing phenomenon that is Global Warming.  The movie starts with workers collecting ice core samples in the Arctic region when the ice shelf begins to break away, eventually the ocean temperatures began dropping drastically, extreme weather conditions word wide for example, snow in New Delhi.  Amidst all that the signs, at an international Climate Convention the signs were ignored.

From space astronauts observe three extreme storm systems over the United States.  Devastating tornadoes obliterate Los Angeles and the cause due to the increase in the ocean temperatures due to the large amount of cold water entering the oceans and as a result not getting a chance to heat up therefore affecting the North Atlantic current.  With the drastic increase in the ocean levels and the drastic decrease in temperature in some instance in excess of 25 feet saw the development of tidal waves one of which destroyed New York city.  Scientists in the movie noted that all things in nature only when an equilibrium is achieved, then the climate will return to normal, however these temperatures threaten a new Ice Age.

Given the devastation that is apparent, the United States is forced into reverse migration into Mexico.  A lesson is learned and now more consideration is being placed on the effects of foot prints being left by man on the earth.         

The Impossible

Natural disasters come in different forms.  The latest disaster in recent times was the typhoon that ravaged the Philippines. These disasters can happen at any time and cause serious damage not only to a country but cause families their loved ones.

However, The Impossible, is centered around the experience of a family of five in the 2004 tsunami while on vacation in Khao Lak, Thailand. The movie stars Naomi Watts (Maria), Ewan McGregor (Henry), Tom Holland (Lucas), Samuel Joslin (Thomas) and Oaklee Pendergast (Simon). The movie follows their survival after the tsunami and the search for each other.

After the tsunami hits the family becomes separated with Maria together with Lucas and Henry with Simon and Thomas. Maria is gravely injured by debris caused by the wave as she and Lucas are being swept away by the wave.

Maria and Lucas are helped by some locals who then transport them to a hospital. Because of her injuries Maria is admitted to the hospital and has to undergo surgery. Because of a mix up Lucas believes that his mother is dead but is later reunited with her in another part of the hospital.

Henry sends Simon and Thomas ahead with the other tourists and stays behind to look for Maria and Lucas. However, he later learns that his sons have been sent elsewhere.

Lucas recognizes his father’s pants and shouts after him he is too far and unable to hear him. At the same time Simon and Thomas arrive at the hospital and Simon jumps from the van because he has to pee as Thomas follows him.

The most amazing and tear-jerking moment comes when Simon and Thomas recognize Lucas’s voice and they all embrace followed by them reuniting with their father moments later.

The whole family is reunited when Lucas takes them to Maria’s bed side. The movie ends when they finally leave Thailand.

This movie was really captivating not only did it show the realities of a natural disaster but it showed the strength of family. It demonstrated how the ones we least expect to be brave and as well as show compassion are the ones who do as Lucas was able to be that strength for his mother until they finally reunite with the rest of their family.