Top 10: Best Movies by Roland Emmerich

When I first saw this in the cinema, in 1996, I thought it was the best movie ever. Now, thirteen years and a few hundred movies later, I'm not sure I would say the same thing. It's still a near-perfect action/sci-fi flick though, with a wonderful cast, superb music, awesome special effects and a kick-ass story. In fact, it's still one of the twenty best movies I've ever seen, and that's coming from a guy who has seen plenty mind you. It's the kind of movie that'll probably never win the hearts of the critics, but which will keep you highly entertained from beginning to end, leaving you with a big smile on your face as the end credits roll. Yes, this is indeed a true gem of the 90's and a movie I'll never get tired of watching. I simply love it!

Dramatic, heart-rending and action-filled story, set during the time of the American Revolution. Great acting by Gibson as always and solid efforts by the rest of the cast. Maybe not the best I've seen by Roland Emmerich, but probably the most beautifully and skillfully directed of all his film-making accomplishments. The first time I saw this was when it came out on dvd almost a decade ago, and it was as good now on the second watch, as I recall it was back then. So if you haven't seen it yet, you might wanna take a look.

Cool and original concept-wise, but the script as a whole leaves much to desire. What still makes it into an above average sci-fi film though is its appealing sense of wonder and excitement (an attribute which also later came to permeate through the tie-in series, Stargate SG-1, which I've personally grown to become quite a big fan of).

Cool and entertaining popcorn movie, but also one that is flawed in every area except the CGI department, where it inspires awe with its outstanding special effects. If I didn't have such a sweet tooth for disaster movies I would probably have given it a somewhat lower rating, but since I do I couldn't help but really enjoy this.

Update: Just bought and watched it on blu-ray now, and man did this movie look great in said format! Certainly one of the best investments I've ever made. As far as movie purchases goes that is.

Precisely what I expected it to be: an entertaining, but crappily written disaster flick. Just like in Emmerich's previous films, the special effects are breath-takingly good. Definitely some of the best I've ever seen. The script, however, is so full of clichés that the film really had no identity at all. Many scenes will make you cringe, and there's such a multitude of silly, sappy and cheesy moments that it almost bordered on becoming a parody. I mean, I know it's hopeless to look for believability in this type of story, but when the main characters make a close-call plane escape for the third time in a row, it started to get on my nerves. And by the end, you just dont care anymore about who lives and who dies. Even so, I have to say I liked it for the most part. Because altough being founded upon a lousy screenplay, it sure delivered on the action. In other words, a pretty good popcorn flick, but nothing I'd wanna add to my own movie shelf.

Man, do I feel underwhelmed! I just can't believe that this movie was directed by the same guy who made the so much more qualitative Independence Day. It seems directors like Emmerich, who are quite soulless by nature, only manage to get one movie right per lifetime, and 10 000 B.C sure wasn't it.

Much like his previous films, the biggest flaw here was once again the absence of a good script. But to make matters worse, he also had the "brilliant" idea of throwing in some bad actors in the lead roles, which on one hand may have given the story a touch of believability, but on the other just wasn't a very smart move. I mean, I've seen better acting spring from that volleyball that Tom Hanks conversed with in Castaway, and that was just a piece of synthetic leather with a face painted on it.

Overall, the movie wasn't as bad as I had feared it would be though, as it did work as some mindless fun on a less-than-eventful Sunday afternoon. But if you're looking for a spectacular story, with sparkling actors and memorable dialogue...well, then you should probably look somewhere else. I must admit the mammoths looked incredibly realistic though, so at least they were able to get something right :-)