Roland Emmerich’s Best Movie: Independence Day After 29 Years

by

Beginning with Independence Day, Roland Emmerich, the creator behind Stargate, ushered in a wave of catastrophe films. This cinematic maestro discovered his winning formula in movies featuring cities being destroyed spectacularly, and he was determined to capitalize on it. Following Independence Day, Emmerich directed The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, and Independence Day: Resurgence. As recently as 2022, Emmerich continued to expand his disaster movie repertoire with Moonfall, a film about the moon crashing into Earth and ensuing chaos.

The success of Independence Day was an extraordinary achievement, and its creators were eager to replicate this magic with movies like Tomorrow and 2012, as long as viewers continued buying tickets. However, aside from White House Down in 2013, Emmerich has not managed to recapture the enjoyment of Independence Day. To this day, that film remains his finest work in cinema.

Why Is Independence Day a Superior Roland Emmerich Movie?

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can’t help but notice that ever since Roland Emmerich ventured into disaster movies post-1996, particularly with “Independence Day,” there seems to be an unsuccessful attempt at replicating its magic. The missing elements that made “Independence Day” a hit were the infectious fun and heartfelt sentimentality it exuded. For instance, “The Day After Tomorrow” was overly melancholic, focusing on a strained father-son relationship, while “2012” spent an excessive 160+ minutes on a tired trope of a divorced man fighting for his estranged wife amidst catastrophic events. The lack of enjoyment in these films is palpable, and the emotional moments feel forced and empty.

As a devoted fan, I’d say that “Independence Day” was a heartfelt and passionate hymn to human unity in the face of extinction. Every subsequent film by Emmerich yearns for even a hint of the emotional depth found in Randy Quaid’s Russell Casse character, who selflessly gave up his life to save our world. Other films, unfortunately, tarnished poignant moments like Boomer the dog narrowly escaping an explosion with a cringe-worthy, self-referential joke. The climactic scene of Bill Pullman’s presidential character delivering an unforgettable speech still stands tall among cinematic orations.

The Independence Day team didn’t replicate another blockbuster hit’s elements intentionally; instead, Emmerich and his colleagues were guided by their creative intuition in expanding the scope of traditional disaster movies. However, contemporary disaster films from Emmerich fell short in capturing the heartfelt spontaneity that Independence Day possessed, not to mention its authenticity. For example, the overly sarcastic Moonfall failed to resonate with audiences due to its heavy reliance on witty dialogue.

Simplicity, Thy Name Is Independence Day

Despite its extended runtime, Independence Day stood out from other disaster films by Emmerich due to its relatively straightforward plot compared to the intricate lore found in Moonfall and Independence Day: Resurgence. While those films were bogged down with excessive details about cosmic events, Independence Day focused more on human-centric narratives and didn’t get lost in complex alien motivations, a choice that director Emmerich made back in 1996.

The abundance of practical effects in the film “Independence Day” greatly enhances its quality compared to Richard Emmerich’s later disaster movies like “Godzilla” (1998) and “Moonfall.” While “Godzilla” marked a shift towards excessive and clumsy computer-generated imagery, “Independence Day” relied more on miniatures and traditional visual effects methods (with a touch of CGI). This gave the movie’s action sequences a sense of tangible realism that was lacking in Emmerich’s later works.

The actors in “Independence Day” are notably better than those in other films directed by Roland Emmerich. Will Smith, particularly, steals the show, while Jeff Goldblum offers a charming contrast to the film’s grand spectacle, much like his performance in “Jurassic Park.” Even minor characters like Brett Spiner and Harvey Fierstein make a more lasting impact than the leads in films like “Moonfall” or “The Day After Tomorrow.” Throughout “Independence Day,” it’s clear that Emmerich’s mastery of blockbuster filmmaking reached its peak with this first major disaster movie. After three decades of additional big-budget movies, Emmerich has yet to surpass the impressive blend of a talented cast, convincing practical effects, and an iconic movie speech found in “Independence Day.

Independence Day is now streaming on Hulu.

Read More

2025-04-27 16:11