A committed creator of spectacle who has become known as the “master of disaster,“Roland Emmerichis a director who is always dedicated to going for big swings. His most recent film, simply titledMoonfall, is perhaps his biggest swing yet in a career that is full of them. As the title ever so subtly hints, it is about the moon falling towards Earth and the attempt by a ragtag group to stop it only to bite off more than they were prepared for. A return to his science fiction roots alaThe Day After TomorrowandGodzilla, this new movie is Emmerich at his most unrestrained and absurd. It is all part of a career that is a testament to how he is the king of schlock, unafraid to dive headfirst into making over-the-top film after over-the-top film seemingly on repeat.
With his most recent work now being unleashed on the world in all of its expansive glory, it is a perfect time to look back on his filmography. Even as he dabbled in genres from science fiction to what can loosely be called historical fiction, Emmerich is defined as being a director who doesn’t ever hold back from his ambitions of always going bigger and bigger at every chance he gets. Many of his aspirations are often a bit out there, though when he finds his target it is always a unique experience. Most are imperfect, though they are all distinctly him with all that entails.
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17.Making Contact(1985)
1985’sMaking Contact,originally known asJoey, is one of Emmerich’s earliest films and is by no means without its charm though still is where we must begin. It centers on a young boy named Joey (Joshua Morrell) who attempts to reconnect with his deceased father through supernatural forces. Imagine a strange mashup ofPoltergeistandE.T.to get some idea of what this film was trying to do. However, it hasn’t held up nearly as well as those superior films that it ultimately feels derivative of. If you are looking to be a completionist of the director, it is not an entirely unredeemable place to start even as it doesn’t quite connect.
16.Ghost Chase(1987)
Shortly after our first entry came 1987’sGhost Case,which also was originally known by the different name ofHollywood-Monster, that is a slight step up though is still forgettable. Making use of more supernatural elements, it is all built around a group of friends who try to shoot a movie in a mansion before strange things begin happening. The biggest detriment is the character of Warren (Jason Lively) who just takes what could be more fun and drags it down with how deeply unlikeable of a character he is. It may provide some humor in its absurdity though it is still an entirely skippable flick.
15.Moon 44(1990)
For a film that takes place on the moon, it is amazing in its own right that 1990’sMoon 44is as boring as it is. In his first big foray into science fiction, you may see glimpses of how Emmerich was beginning to explore elements that would be better developed in his later work. The story here is about a mining station on a remote moon and is, absent a few moments where things pick up, almost entirely a slog. Its primary value is in seeing Emmerich finding his footing and trying out new things especially from an action perspective. You can see what will end up working in his larger-scale projects all throughout, but it is probably best to avoid this one in lieu of some of his more polished later films.
14.Universal Soldier(1992)
You would think having Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren in this 1992 action science-fiction film about superhuman warriors would make it exciting, right? Compared to what came before it on this list? Sure, I guess. Overall? No. While it is fun to see the action icons' first on-screen collaboration, the overall experience inUniversal Soldieris a forgettable one. This is primarily due to how thisTerminator-style ripoff just never makes the most of its premise. It may get the occasional chuckle here and there for its silliness, though it still is far too repetitive to make its place amongst the director’s more memorable work.
13.Godzilla(1998)
Now is where we get into some of Emmerich’s more recognizable films. Keep in mind that recognizable does not always mean good. Such is the case with the 1998 adaptation ofGodzilla, a misguided study in how not to portray the iconic creature on screen. Following a series of nuclear tests that irradiate an iguana into a giant monster, a team must try to stop it from reproducing in New York City. The story is ludicrous (and not in a good way) with effects that are perpetually clunky. All the cast gives it their all and gets you to care about them despite the mess of a movie going on around them. It just isn’t enough to redeem the overall misfire of whatever was being attempted here.
12.Stonewall(2015)
OhStonewall. There may never be a movie that has more misrepresented history and the people that lived through it so thoroughly to the point of disrespect. It marks the first of many attempts Emmerich would take at portraying history on this list, though this is the most tasteless. The Stonewall Riots were a historic moment where brave people likeMarsha P. Johnsontook action to start a movement. You wouldn’t know that watchingStonewallwhich ignores all of those people to focus on a fictional guy who is so distant from the actual events that it leaves the moment feeling like a backdrop. Aswas said at the time of its release, it “reduces everyone to clichés and footnotes.” When a short Drunk History episodeis a better portait of the time than your feature length film, you know you’ve made a mistake.
11.10,000 B.C.(2008)
A film that goes back to the prehistoric age,10,000 B.C.throws historical accuracy out the window to tell a middling and meandering action story that still has its moments. Don’t expect any deeper scenes that build themes as it is all about getting bigger and bigger spectacles on screen even if the characters get lost along the way. The basic story is that a young mammoth hunter must rescue the love of his life and discovers a dangerous world beyond where he grew up. None of it leaves a lasting impression as Emmerich mostly uses the story as an excuse to create big, sprawling scenes of action. The conclusion in particular is just all over the place, making for a nonsensical and over-the-top finale that makes you realize how it was all about style over substance.
10.Stargate(1994)
A film that marked one of Emmerich’s biggest forays into science fiction at the time,Stargateis a work that is more interesting than it is entirely successful. Built around an interstellar gateway that transports a group of characters to an ancient world, it is a premise that is more entertaining in theory than it is in execution. As it follows professor Daniel Jackson (James Spader) and retired Army Col. Jack O’Neil (Kurt Russell) you get drawn in despite yourself as the two men have to overthrow a cruel leader to find their way home. That is about all it is as the film is surprisingly small in scope with a far too cheesy of an ending. It pushes the limits of how long you’ll actually want to sit with the story by running at two hours and leaving you wishing it could have been handled with a bit more nuance.
9.Anonymous(2011)
One of the stranger entries in his filmmmography, Emmerich’sAnonymousis all about questioning whetherWilliam Shakespearereally was a person who wrote all the works that are credited to him. The film comes down pretty definitively that he didn’t, so that may itself already lose those who don’t buy into its theory. However, it is still Emmerich trying to take on a different type of period flick that eschews destruction in favor of political intrigue. It does beat you over the head with it all, though some strong performances manage to carry it through some of its weaker moments.
8.Independence Day: Resurgence(2016)
A movie that Emmerichhimself has said he likely shouldn’t have madefollowingWill Smithdropping out,Independence Day: Resurgenceisa film that struggles to justify its existencewith far too many subplots. However, even with its superior predecessor casting a long shadow over it, it is an absurd blockbuster that works if you don’t take it seriously. The story is stitched together by so many writers that it barely holds together, though there is a morbid fascination that becomes entertaining in seeing it all play out.
