2012 Supernova (2009)

SciFi

The Asylum

Peacock Films

R4 DVD

Two hundred years ago a star in a neighbouring part of the galaxy went supernova and the shock wave is now approaching Earth. Scientists are aware it is coming and an international group has been formed to handle the crisis. Their proposal is to use all the world’s nuclear warheads to set up a nuclear “shield” just in front of the wave. This should theoretically block the electromagnetic part of the wave that will otherwise strike the earth and leave it radioactive and uninhabitable.

The United States, Russia and the People’s Republic of China are all cooperating to achieve this. Or are they? Someone is leaking information out of the military base and terrorists have attacked Dr Kelvin, the American scientist, and his family. They may be active inside the base as well.

The wave is going to reach the Earth faster than their predictions showed and they may not be able to get enough warheads into space to do the job. Already the first effects are being felt on Earth – earthquakes, savage electrical storms and meteor showers of supernova debris. Kelvin’s wife and daughter are trapped somewhere in the desert and are trying to find their way to the military base. Kelvin must go up to the orbiting space station to control the launch of the warheads since the communications systems on Earth are collapsing.

The film has two main themes in it. There is the End Of Civilization As We Know It approach, which can only be resolved by American Science. More interesting is the Survival Against The Odds theme involving Kelvin’s family. The script is a little light but these two elements serve to keep the story rolling and the tension high.

The film has a slight budget look about it with recycled shots of rocket launches and even the Columbia space shuttle explosion. There are some shots that I am sure I have seen in other SF films. There is a lot of quite effective new CGI work added, though, and it makes up for the minor defects. The scenes of the weird weather events are particularly well done. Stunts are well executed and spectacular.

Don’t expect another Star Wars, but it’s a decent SF film with some high tension and good acting. It has its rough moments but overall it’s worth watching.

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