Page 56 - ENGLISH 10

Starting with the long-held misapprehension that the Mayan calendar picks
“2012” as the date of humanity’s doom, Emmerich Àeshes out that bit of pseudo

history with some pseudo science. “2012” takes the disaster movie once content
simply to threaten the Earth with a comet, or blow up the White House to its
natural conclusion, the literal end of the world. Other movies have explosions;
“2012” has an atom bomb size detonation that wipes Yellowstone off the map.
Other movies have earthquakes; “2012” sends California sinking, in À ames into
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the sea. Other movies kill thousands; “2012” kills zillions without breaking a
sweat.

So what makes “2012” a four-star movie? It gets everything right. The actors are
right: John Cusack as a protagonist, Amanda Peet as his wife, Chiwetel Ejiofor
as a scientist. The story telling is right. You will never be bored. And the dialogue
is right: a rich blend of wise crack and cheese, with a few moist-eyed goodbyes
sprinkled here and there for good measure. Most important, the special effects
are so right. In fact, they are incredible. Emmerich is an expert of a panoramic
disaster. Power lines snapping in an earthquake, sparks À ashing like distant

¿reworks; Honolulu on ¿re; mournful giraffes in slings, air lifted by helicopters
through the snowy Himalayas.
Is “2012” art? Absolutely not! It reminds us that cinema exists not only to mark
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art but also to expertly create sensation like no other medium. It is certainly the
best movie of its kind ever made. This is the way the world ends: with a bang.
(Adapted from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2009/11 AR2009111207930.html)
1. Vocabulary in use
Rewrite the following sentences choosing the correct phrases/words from
the list below for the underlined word/s.
boom, unbelievable, misinterpretation, extremely large number of people, a
protagonist, the people who speak American Indian language in Central
America and Mexico, movie reviewer, broadens, appealing

a. The ¿lm critic awards four stars to the ¿ lm ‘2012”.
b. Emmerich À eshes out a bit of pseudo-history and some pseudo-science in
“2012”.
c. John Cusack is in a leading role.
d. “2012” kills zillions without breaking a sweat.

e. According to the critic “2012” is enormously satisfactory, amazingly
accomplished and irresistible.

f. The calendar of the Mayans had a misapprehension of “2012” as the date
of humanity’s doom.
ENGLISH, Class 10 51