According to a Mayan prophecy, the world will end on December 21, 2012.

The film explores how this occurs as the result of worldwide natural disasters and how America (as always) attempts to form an escape plan.

With a reported budget of more than $250million, 2012 looks like a semi-remake of its director Roland Emmerich's last film, The Day After Tomorrow.

So it's no surprise that we get a superficial glimpse of the destruction of civilisation, for there isn't even a scene of someone eating breakfast without jaw-dropping special effects intervening.

Strangely for an apocalyptic movie, 2012 often feels like a badly written comedy.

While millions perish in crumpling cities, even background Arnie jokes take priority.

Ever since the Aussie classic Mad Max, Hollywood has tried to find as many ways to destroy the world as possible.

And as one might expect there isn't really anything new in 2012 with its endless list of boring cliches.

There's the divorced couple, the trainee pilot who saves the day, the blonde bimbo with a dog, Indian scientists and Chinese peasants, just to name a few.

Despite the potentially impressive cast, each actor plays second fiddle to a tidal wave.

In the end, there are few characters we care about.

In our view the film's biggest failure is that Australia does not receive a mention.

Either we don't matter or we're doing a bloody good job of staving off the impending apocalypse and have nothing to fear.

The ``cool'' factor of 2012 makes for entertaining viewing, but after the millionth nick-of time moment at the 150-minute mark, you'll wish you just watched the trailer instead.