Undeniably entertaining

Rating: 7/10 (8 December 2007)

This film can't be claimed to possess much, if any, intellectual value. It won't change the way we view anything(well, it may have people looking up, and/or appreciating the unblocked view of the sky more than usual). It won't revolutionize film-making. It may not even stay in your mind for terribly long after watching it. But it is an entertaining piece while you do, and hey, it's a chance for Trekkers to see Brent Spiner outside of Star Trek. Also, it never actually claims to be more than what it is, a Summer blockbuster. The film wastes no time introducing the extra-terrestrial element. The pacing throughout the film isn't bad. The plot is decent. Emmerich makes both disaster and action aspects work well. The film apparently holds, and may very well continue to hold, the record for the most miniature model-work in any one movie... that says something about just how much action is packed into this. The acting is fine. The dialog is... not the smartest ever written. The characters aren't bad. The real draw here is definitely the explosions and action. I recommend this to fans of action- and/or disaster-flicks, as well as fans of the actors and/or the director, Roland Emmerich. 7/10