Expensive effects, but a worthless script
Film Critic Jason Evans is on a mission to tell you everything you need to know about movies in less time than it takes to spot the moon in the night sky. His reviews are exactly 100 words (not 99, not 101). This is his 100 word review of Moonfall.
The Premise – The master of disaster, Roland Emmerich -- the writer/director
behind Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, Godzilla (1998), and
many other films where the world is in peril – raised $140 million from
independent investors to make this film. The story centers around astronaut
Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson from Watchmen and the Conjuring films), who
resigned from NASA in disgrace because he claimed aliens had sabotaged his space
shuttle mission. Even his partner on the mission, Jo Fowler (Halle Berry) doesn’t
believe his story. Many years later, Harper runs into conspiracy theorist KC
Houseman (John Bradley from Game of Thrones) who thinks the moon is actually a
giant alien space station. When the moon moves out of orbit and gets on a
collision course with Earth, Harper, Houseman, and Fowler have to blast off in
a last ditch effort to save the planet. Meanwhile, their families must to find
a way to survive as the Earth begins to be ripped apart by the huge
gravitational pull of the rapidly approaching moon.
The 100 Words – There
is so much going on here, Emmerich probably needed another hour or two for it
to make sense. We race from one disaster to the next without any time to care
about the characters or process what’s happening. It looks impressive,
especially the space action, but we never develop an emotional connection to any
of the characters. I think the actors knew they were making a film where the
effects are all that matters. Emmerich always tries to top what he did in previous
films. I’d rather he destroyed a little less and build a more cohesive story
instead.
Reach out to Jason Evans on Twitter @JasonDukeEvans
Comments
Post a Comment