King of the apocalyptic Hollywood blockbuster, even though his film aren't all that majestic. Big budgets and fun premises usually end up as dire and sentimental shlock, but his films are so popular they prove very hard to ignore.
Movies
A film that starts as vintage Emmerich, then gets even more stupid. I say that with a certain level of respect, as Hollywood often takes itself too serious, Emmerich's films in particular tend to have disappointing second halves. That's not quite as bad here, but you have to be willing to accept the nonsense that is dished out. The film begin like a regular Emmerich disaster film. Suddenly the moon's orbit starts to shift, some random amateur scientist figures it out but can't get anyone to believe him. Once the rest of the world realizes what is about to happen, it's already too late. But then there's an extra twist I really didn't see coming. There's nothing particularly new or exciting about the disaster setup, not even the special effects are all that dazzling. It also takes quite a while for the film to get up to speed, but once the true nature of the disaster is revealed, Moonfall takes some crazy twists and turns. It's not a great film, not even close, but it could've been so much worse if Emmerich had gone for his usual, more dramatic approach.Read all
Emmerich tackles Pearl Harbor. It's a simple enough premise that pretty much gives away the entire film. Midway is pretty close to Bay's blockbuster attempt, only without the extra swagger. Emmerich has never been the boldest of directors, without an interesting setup there isn't a whole lot that kept me engaged, apart from some expensive set pieces. The Japanese take the Americans by surprise when they attack Pearl Harbor. The US won't yield though, and they move the battle to Midway. They are greatly outnumbered, but some bold tactical moves and lots of outrageous bravery flip the advantage. A crucial battle in the victory of the US over Japan in other words. An overdose of sentiment and extreme patriotism make this a typical Hollywood/Emmerich blockbuster. The budget was there, but the CG isn't entirely convincing, the performances are pretty cheesy and there isn't much in the way of tension, as the outcome won't surprise anyone. Not great.Read all
Very mediocre action flick. Lundgren is a terrible actor that completely fails his part, Van Damme isn't much better and Walker is completely forgettable. The action is pretty dull, the comic interludes are misplaced and Emmerich has no added value. It spawned plenty of sequels though, but it's just not for me.
