If you told me to guess where you were in life when you first watched Independence Day, I would probably not get it in the first thousand attempts. However, I can probably imagine the look on your face for every single frame of that movie. Whether it’s the presidential speech, or every scene with will smith or the explosions, that movie had some very iconic iconic moments. Fast forward to 2022, and the director of Independence Day, Rolland Emmerich is at it again, this time with a movie called moonfall.
If there is anything Emmerich is synonymous with, it's big apocalyptic movies. With a film reputation that includes a Godzilla movie, the day after tomorrow, a sequel to Independence Day and the mesmerizing film,2012, Emmerich has chosen the mantle to entertain us my showing mass destructions.
His latest film moonfall, is a pie in the same buffet. full of all the best tropes he has come to be known for. From a cinematography that perfectly captures destruction on the large scale, to different characters trying to stay alive around all the ensuing chaos and finally the eccentric hero who carries all the world's hopes of salvation. Almost beat by beat, moonfall is a love letter to his movies. However, where movies like Independence Day thrived with iconic moments, charming characters and striking visuals, moonfall simply does offer a better alternative.
Carried by the strong but dull performances by Patrick Wilson and hally berry, the movie tries to be as grounded as possible within a story that shift so fast outside the scope of the characters into continuously raising the stakes, it was difficult to form a strong enough connection with the characters. That being said, John Bradley, a familiar face from Game of Thrones, adds some nice moments to the film playing a quirky and enthusiastic conspiracy theorist who turns out to be right all along.
The plot, a large mass is about to destroy the earth has been done before numerous times. Whether it's the angsty melancholia by Lars von trier, the action-packed Armageddon by Michael bay or the just released don't look up by Adam McKay, it's not new ground nor will it be the last. Moonfall doesn’t offer anything new or groundbreaking to the apocalyptic or sci-fi genre, preferring instead to go to the silly and over the top explanation that might not induce the philosophies of an interstellar type sci-fi, but enough to stir some laughs for a good time.
To wrap it up, the movie is still fun to watch fully packed with little quips and fun atmosphere. If you put aside the moments you roll your eyes, what is left is quite entertaining. The physics takes the back seat for popcorn thrill and that's all you can ask for, especially for a movie with the premise as the title.
So, go watch it for what it is, not what it could be and maybe you will have an amazing time.
Till next watch, chao.