In anticipation of Moonfall hitting cinemas in just under 2 weeks, I thought I would do a bit of re-analysis on his work, in the hopes of Moonfall delivering the goods. What I’ve learned is that his focus on the human triumph whatever the circumstance is a colossal charm, that has become his USP. Lets take a look.
Roland Emmerich movies work best when he injects a sense of fun in his projects, whether how tragic they get. We will be exploring why and how 2012 missed the mark. For this article, I will be referencing films like Independence Day, Midway, White House Down and others.
Let’s first start off with Independence day as it showed us that with the right attitude, resources and umph, humanity will always have a chance against an undeniably huge threat. 2012 on the other hand gives us an insight into the failings to combat the terrifying nature of the world coming to an end.
Emmerich wants us to have fun whilst millions lose their lives against a threat so huge no one can save them. The end result is more of a whimper than it is a triumph. It’s a stale ride that just manages to give the audience some brilliant explosions here and there.
The sense of fun is underlined by a sense of tragedy and a lack of uplifting comradery, thanks to some stale performances by John Cusack and a forgettable cast. It’s not that the actors are bad, it’s just the writing isn’t colorful.
In Emmerich fashion, the film does take you on a blockbuster ride, if so, a clumsy one at best. It takes you to different places and for that, the film is enjoyable, once you accept its journey. There are plane crashes, witty one liners, buildings crashing, underwater facilities, and moments filled with plenty of disbelief. I guess it is entertaining to watch the world end on a pure visual basis, which is a phrase I never thought I’d say.
To add this, if you compare the way the two films were shot, there is a huge difference. Independence Day had a visual glow, the explosions were fun and not tragic. From the first frame, 2012 has a more tame and grey look to it, it’s like the film is going for realism but it also wants to blow as many things up as possible. The drama collides with this which results in a confusing viewing experience. It came across as disorientating at times. The two tones don’t work.
However, this serious approach worked for other films such as his recent Midway. The serious visual look works better because the subject material is more serious. 2012, on the other hand, confused me, it’s a serious subject but made to be fun entertainment. It didn’t come across as natural. Whereas Moonfall has a plot that doesn’t feel so close to home, if executed right, I hope it doesn’t come across too tragic.
To say it again, when I say the film is tragic, it’s very tragic. There are some tear-jerking, heart- ripping moments, but not in a fun way. For example, this scene below is actually hard to watch, considering Emmerich’s body of work and his love for human triumph. Check it out.
This reminds me, I hope Moonfall contains the feeling of human triumph, it’s so important that this theme is in his films as I believe it has been a core component to his successful films, showing us that humanity is in charge and you feel a real love for the characters. A positive stride against any threat entering our planet. What a feeling.
White House Down, is one of his more underrated films, it does to some degree blend drama with comedy and action. White House Down had the wit of Tatum and Fox carrying the film forward, that’s what worked about the film and kept it engaging. The chemistry was fun and helped ease the drama.
We can look at other films such as The Patriots and Godzilla. Like Midway, The Patriot is based of history which usually results in a less humorous experience as it should be and Godzilla which I’d rather enjoyed had a good sense of adventure and wasn’t weighted by a severe sense of tragedy that it took away from the characters and the fun ride.
Are you looking forward to Moonfall?
Author Bio
Sam is a content writer. He loves all elements connected with film and writes with passion, always. You can find him on Linkedin, where you will be able to read more articles. When he is not writing, you can find him practicing football
TheReviewAwakens 