Moonfall doesn't set out to break any barriers in terms of plot and structure, but the stunning visuals and fun sci-fi adventure keeps you invested in the story.
“In Roland Emmerich’s Moonfall, a mysterious force knocks the Moon from its orbit around Earth and sends it hurtling on a collision course with life as we know it. With mere weeks before impact and the world on the brink of annihilation, NASA executive and former astronaut Jo Fowler (Halle Berry) is convinced she has the key to saving us all – but only one astronaut from her past, Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson), and conspiracy theorist, KC Houseman (John Bradley), believe her. The unlikely heroes will mount an impossible last-ditch mission into space, only to find out that our Moon is not what we think it is.”
Roland Emmerich is synonymous with disaster. One could argue the fact that it’s both the content and reception, but for the most part, he delivers consistent blockbuster material that often lends itself to being out of this world. Like him or not, he has given us gems like Independence Day, guilty pleasures like Universal Soldier and The Patriot. In all fairness, his entire filmography can really be summed up by the word “guilty pleasure”, when you simply want to enjoy an over-the-top experience with no surprises added, or multiple layers to make you think. I certainly don’t think there is anything wrong with these types of films, because I find most of his highly enjoyable, but why is it fans feel the need to defend themselves when discussing them? Maybe it’s because as bad as the reviews were for Moonfall, I found myself enjoying the hell out of it, and audiences seem to agree, as at the time of writing this it has a 38% critic rating, but a 70% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
As with his other films, there isn’t much to dive into in terms of plot. Something strange happens to Patrick Wilson and Halle Berry a decade earlier while on a routine mission in orbit of the Earth, something that Patrick Wilson can’t quite explain, which resulted in the death of a fellow crew-member and being publicly disgraced by NASA. Now, something has knocked the Moon from its orbit and with each day it gets closer to a collision with Earth. Patrick Wilson and comic relief John Bradley who plays the overweight wanna-be-astronaut conspiracy theorist who believes the Moon is actually a mega-structure created by Aliens, are the would-be heroes that have to convince those in charge to believe enough in them to give them a chance to save the planet. What the film lacks in meaningful character development or simple paint-by-numbers relationships and story, it more than makes up for it in the fantastic special effects and stunning visuals of the effects on the Earth of an ever-approaching Moon. As a Sci-Fi fan, these elements were such an interesting addition to the film when it could have been a simple disaster film like 2012. These visuals combined with sci-fi elements will be a welcome surprise for those fans of the genre that might get more than you expected from Moonfall.
Patrick Wilson and Halle Berry have some great moments in the film, with both of their characters struggling in their personal lives to some degree. John Bradley is unfortunately relegated to being a very typical comic-relief, the sky is falling type character. It doesn’t give him a lot of material to explore anything creatively, but again, it’s a sci-fi disaster film, but the fact is you could substitute any of the same Josh Gad type person and you wouldn’t know the difference. Interestingly enough, Josh Gad was one of the first choices of the character, so take that how you will.
The low expectations of the film could have been one of the factors of my enjoyment of Moonfall, but still, there were some moments that definitely detracted from said enjoyment. At two hours and ten minutes, it’s long for a sci-fi film. There are perhaps storylines that could have been trimmed, like the robber junkies that show up several times to make life rough on the B-story. One thing that left me very conflicted, however, was the use of this conspiracy theory of mega-structures. This is a real theory, and giving any kind of validation, even in a fictional film, seems just plain wrong, especially in this climate of a science-denial culture that will take to social media to find validation for their outrageous, insane, and downright dangerous beliefs. I fear a slippery slope to the next Roland Emmerich film in which the public finds out the Earth is flat and it’s going to tip over, or some kind of asinine conspiracy theory such as that. Weird conspiracy theories really aren’t science fiction, but if you try and keep it simple and enjoy the film for what it is, a straightforward adventure in space, the visuals alone will make it worth the watch.
Video
Moonfall is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High-Definition Widescreen 2.39:1, and includes Dolby Vision and HDR10. It’s Roland Emmerich, visuals are the main portion of his films. My mind was blown watching 2012 during the big eruption part of the film, as it was every time the Moon became a giant in the sky, changing everything about the atmosphere and landscape down below. The Dolby Vision ensures that each sequence is perfectly calibrated to look the best it can, with stunning and vibrant displays of color contrasted on the deep blacks that UHD offers. Given the choice between 4k and Blu-ray, it is a confident decision for the UHD to see some of the most impressive visuals and special effects in one of Emmerich’s films.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos, and like the video specifications, this delivers a solid performance that will totally immerse you in the action and disaster events happening on screen. Levels are excellent, with the surrounds and Atmos speakers making full use to feature explosions, flying debris, rushing tidal waves, or high intensity space chases. A great track to show off your setup to your friends.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary by writer/producer/director Roland Emmerich and writer/producer/composer Harald Kloser
- Against Impossible Odds: Making Moonfall – Filmmakers and actors offer an insider’s view of the genesis of the film, a look at the epic action scenes, and a deep dive into the most groundbreaking moments of the film.
- Exploring the Moon: Past, Present, and Future – What have we learned about the Moon through the ages and where is human exploration of our nearest celestial neighbor going next? Scientists, historians and astronauts reveal all!
- KC Houseman Speaks the Truth! – Unearth recent viral videos from Megastructurist KC Houseman.
- Sounds of the Moon – Discover how the filmmakers utilized a palette of unique sound effects to bring the world inside of the Moon to life.
Moonfall may be a little more than what you expected for Roland Emmerich’s next feature film in which he wants to blow up the Earth. It’s straightforward, but provides a lot of stunning visuals and enough sci-fi adventure for many to enjoy. I honestly didn’t think I would enjoy this, but had an absolute blast watching it. You can grab this on 4/26 on 4k UHD, Blu-ray and Digital.
