One hell of a high-octane action-fest!

Rating: 8/10 (7 April 2005)

TNT packed entertainment, pure and simple. That is what this movie is. Nothing more nothing less. It was obviously made to show off fancy special effects (which won an Oscar) and give film-goers a fun time at the theaters when it was released in the Summer of 1996. And that's exactly what it did, and still does. The "wall of fire sequence" was absolutely stunning and frightening when I saw it in the theater and it still manages to impress.
The film is, of course, overly patriotic as the almighty USA saves the day, but seriously what did you expect? Deep thought-out political commentary on how the nations of the world deal with a crisis that could spell doom for the world? If so, that is probably why you were let down. From the very first ads to theatrical release the hype about this movie was kick-ass special effects and explosive action along with a feel good story. That is precisely what this film delivered which is why I don't understand the bashing of it. It was never meant to serious. Also seeing that it grossed over $300 million in the USA and over $500 million abroad making it one of the most successful films of all time, the bashers should just admit it: people like this stuff. It is simple and feel-good, but definitely not trash.
Granted that I can see people finding roaring explosive mayhem boring and not worth their time, so... DON'T WATCH THIS MOVIE! It was never made to look like anything else. Enjoy. 8/10
Rated PG-13: violence and intense action