IR Film Review: MOONFALL [Lionsgate]
Sometimes movies are just made for fun but it is understanding the tonality and the idea of who makes it without attaching any sort of expectation. "Moonfall" is a bad movie but in a wonderful elative way because it is so bonkers in so many respects (yet both derivative and original) that the approach and resolution is sort of besides the point. Director Roland Emmerich actually shuns too much message giving (although there is an underlying one) putting earnest actors Patrick Wilson and Halle Berry (and especially John Bradley) in the middle of a disaster pic that interestingly enough has parallels with Brian De Palma's "Mission To Mars". While Emmerich doesn't have De Palma's eye for Dramatic Tension or even Michael's Bay comedic and overblown flair in "Armageddon", he still has the ability to create a beautiful spectacle without taking it overly serious beyond its basic context. One launch in the film in its sheer ludicrousness but beauty is a standout.
Emmerich has always also keyed into the formula of story jumping from small stories on Earth to intensity in the war or action zone. That is no different here and while it take a while to get going, he does know what he is doing. Wilson knows the game he is playing but like Berry has to play it like a straight shooter which works (because you know that is what he is doing). This doesn't feel as pandering as "The Day After Tomorrow" or even "Godzilla". This feels akin more to "2012" but with some better acting and perhaps less studio notes. What is interesting is that John Bradley (known from "Game Of Thrones) playing a regular joe who sees what is going down with the moon anchors the film the most. This is not unlike Jeff Goldblum in ID4 but the cool thig is that Bradley brings much more empathy and a little but of wonder (while still bring a Ricky Gervais snark, both visually and in self deprecation).
Emmerich throws a tad of world building into the process too and even that sequence gets marks for its scale (and again originality and derivativeness at the same time). Emmerich got this movie (budgeted around 146 million) independently financed on his own out of Cannes with the Huayi Brothers out of China so it is truly his for the most part. This is not a bad thing. The dialogue and some story structure is what it is but it is what he made a career doing. Emmerich knows how this kind of picture works and it does for what it is but also knows what it needs. "Moonfall" is stupid fun, the dialogue is not great but it is both original and yet derivative of what is before it. That is the perfect balance for people just wanting to escape, not needing an anti-hero or a big message. It is about a trip with things blowing up with some unique images and adrenaline for a fun Saturday night. That's it. C+
By Tim Wassberg
