Review: Now in 4K, Blockbuster '2012' Has Never Looked Better

The end is near...

...at least that's what the last four years have felt like, and in Roland Emmerich's masterful disaster epic "2012," available now for the first time on 4K Ultra HD, the full focus of what another four years might have looked like has never been more evident!

But seriously, no, "2012" doesn't realize the horrors of the former occupant of the White House and his administration as they raped the environment and pushed us closer to a climate catastrophe. The 2009 blockbuster references the Mayan calendar's signaling of the end of the planet as we know it.

Now we all know 2012 came and went, but "2012" explores the possibility of a full-blown climate phenomenon in which, as the Mayans prophesied, the planet just gave up. It begins with a series of solar flares and the aligning of all of the planets in our solar system, and before long the Earth's core begins to ramp up and melt in on itself, causing the continents to shift dramatically. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as the scientist who first brings this to the attention of the world's leaders and sets in motion an ambitious plan to rescue what they can of human civilization, but even the best laid plans...

John Cusack plays a fiction writer and father who is just doing his best, and haphazardly stumbles upon a series of conspiracies and coincidences that open his eyes – just as the West Coast begins to crumble apart! In true Roland Emmerich fashion, once the wave hits, there's no going back. Cusack soon finds himself racing through Los Angeles with his family as the entire California coast falls apart and sinks into the ocean. Just as he catches his breath, a huge volcano erupts in Yellowstone Park, sending a cloud of volcanic ash into the air. Thanks to the help of a conspiracy theorist (one who is actually spot on), he learns that they must trek to China.

No one can make a disaster film feel as epic as Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day"), and the filmmaker doesn't drop a beat on spectacle. The CGI effects are astounding, and have never looked better in 4K Ultra HD – not to mention the cinematic sound of Dolby Atmos which puts you in your living room in the middle of the "end of days." But there is also a set of characters that you want to cheer for! Also starring Danny Glover, Amanda Peet, and Thandie Newton, "2012" is wildly engaging and the cast make it worth the investment. The film is undoubtedly a rollercoaster ride, but it makes the best of every ingredient!

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray package includes special features, including the Discovery Channel's featurette documentary that dives deep into the mysteries of the "2012 Apocalypse" and also provides more insight from the filmmakers with exclusive commentary, special effects breakdowns of the destruction of the planet in "2012," and Deleted Scenes and an Alternate Ending not seen in theaters. With "2012" in our rear view window, and the future now looking brighter by the day, it's still a fun trip back in time and be grateful that at least "2012" was just a movie blockbuster available now for home viewing.

"2012" is available now for the first time 4K Ultra HD on Digital for $19.99.