Roland Emmerich has developed a reputation as a believer in the end of the world. The director and producer has experimented with the idea of what a global calamity or apocalypse may look like for the majority of his work. In keeping with this school of thought, Emmerich’s movies frequently include massive action sequences while, on occasion, ignoring the story. Nonetheless, it would be silly to watch a Roland Emmerich film just for the story. Instead, the action and scale serve as the movies’ overarching themes in Emmerich’s productions. Emmerich’s films have dealt with a wide range of disaster scenarios, from a sequence of end-of-the-world earthquakes to a storm that ushers in an unavoidable ice age.
2012 (2009)
2012 from Sony Pictures Releasing was eagerly anticipated when it came out since the Mayan calendar predicted that the world would end in that year. This, of course, woke up all the doomsday enthusiasts from their slumber and created an intense hype for Emmerich’s picture. The premise of the movie is based on a reimagining of what a natural catastrophe might entail and what the perfect human reaction would be.
Anonymous (2011)
Shakespeare’s authenticity is the foundation upon which Anonymous dispels the urban legend that Edward de Vere, Lord of Oxford, was the true author of Shakespeare. Contrary to common assumption, Emmerich occasionally dabbles in historical drama, and in the case of Anonymous, it paid off handsomely. The movie has an outstanding cast, led by actors David Thewlis and Rhys Ifans, who give performances of a lifetime.
Godzilla (1998)
Godzilla is a well-known and established franchise. Several directors have presided over the legendary series throughout the course of the seven decades of Godzilla movies, but only a select few have come close to upholding its worth. In Emmerich’s version, Matthew Broderick played the nerdy hero entrusted with restraining the powerful, dismembered lizard before it annihilates humanity. Although Broderick is the main attraction, Jean Reno really steals the stage.
Independence Day (1996)
Independence Day from 20th Century Fox is among Emmerich’s most popular films from the 1990s. This underappreciated cult masterpiece from Emmerich frequently goes unnoticed while Jurassic Park and Titanic receive the most accolades. Independence Day gives the whole Emmerich package in keeping with his loud and outrageous action movie approach.
Midway (2019)
Midway immediately gives off the impression of being a self-funded endeavour and lacking the visual flair typically found in Emmerich’s films. Despite this, it is regarded as one of the most costly indie films ever produced. The infamous Battle of Midway, fought between the USA and Japan during World War Two, is recounted in the movie. Emmerich’s visual brilliance occasionally shines through in the movie, but it rapidly fades away due to the shoddy narrative and unfinished performances.
Moonfall (2022)
In his most recent movie, Moonfall, director Roland Emmerich blends two of his most beloved themes: alien invasion and massive CGI explosions. The story of the movie centres on a group of astronauts who are sent into space on a mission to look into a strange force that has thrown the moon out of its orbit and put it on a collision course with Earth.
Stargate (1994)
Emmerich’s first excursion into science fiction came with Stargate. Emmerich, who was previously best known for intense action films, combined his talent for action sequences with a science fiction setting with Stargate. The movie creates an intensely visual mixture by fusing Egyptian history with extraterrestrial planets. The movie’s plot centres around a teleportation gadget that takes viewers to a planet where people look like people from ancient Egypt and worship the god Ra.
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
In Emmerich’s The Day After Tomorrow, which is frequently recognised as one of the best disaster films ever made, a father travels through a snowstorm that has devastated New York in an effort to save his son from probable death. The Day After Tomorrow, in contrast to earlier Emmerich films, succeeds on a wider range of levels because it justifies its scope with resulting human emotions.
Universal Soldier (1992)
The 1990s, when big, foreign studs were employed as military boy-toys having a moral problem, are eloquently described in the film Universal Soldier. That being said, the storyline of Universal Soldier is actually quite intriguing, but the gimmicky execution, which is emphasised by the overt exuberance of the 1990s, lessens the impact of the movie. The narrative of the movie centres on the antagonists Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, who kill each other and are later replaced by mindless puppet soldiers. A fast-paced, action-packed thriller, Universal Soldier showcases the cutting edge military technology while simultaneously examining the more humanistic aspects of the situation.
White House Down (2013)
One policeman steps up to defend the president as terrorists attack the White House while simultaneously keeping an eye on his daughter, who had gone to work with him. Channing Tatum as police officer John Cale and Jamie Foxx as the President of the United States serve as the movie’s two main actors. White House Down is a high-octane action movie that is exciting to watch, despite the action occasionally being a little ridiculous and far-fetched.
