Director Roland Emmerich’s oeuvre has become “I Hate Earth” and it is a genre that is almost entirely unique to him; Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, Independence Day: Resurgence and now Moonfall are all a part of the director’s long work in spectacle-filled blockbusters. With the exception of Independence Day, his films have become hollow imitations of his past work all while managing to borrow from superior science fiction properties.
One aspect of Emmerich’s filmmaking that is worthy of praise is his use of dazzling visual effects however, at this point in his career, it would be a welcome change for him to make a film that takes place on the ground utilizing practical effects and sets. While the bevy of computer effects are now expected from his films, the spectacle of them has officially worn off. His recent criticisms of other blockbusters utilizing a large number of visual effects lack credibility as this is a technique that he has specifically propagated.
It is also remarkable that high-caliber actors are forced to salvage Emmerich’s cliché and laughable dialogue. It is completely unnecessary to have the backstory of each main character fleshed out in addition to every ancillary character filling the screen. We’re hit across the face at every opportunity with the fact that Halle Berry is divorced, Patrick Wilson is a deadbeat dad and John Bradley is a conspiracy nut. Emmerich clearly has taken screenwriting lessons from George Lucas.
Moonfall offers little in the way of actual story; the Moon is coming to destroy the world but the Moon is actually a hollow alien mega-structure that’s being commandeered by a highly advanced artificial intelligence that hates organic life. The climax of the film is accelerated thanks to the intervention of a deus ex machina and just becomes ridiculous as it borrows heavily from Halo and another Emmerich film, ID: Resurgence. Honestly, it has become easier to believe that Emmerich has run out of fresh ideas to bring to the screen rather than try and believe in his abilities as a director. Save the money you would have spent on a ticket for Moonfall and rent Independence Day.
VERDICT: 1 space EMP out of 5
