a pretty decent disaster flick.

Rating: 8/10 (14 June 2004)

not that i was expecting much. while watching the movie, i couldn't help but think that this is emmerich's homage to the 70's disaster flicks that we all know and love :D anyway, here's the breakdown:
story: yes, it's a bit politically charged but i don't really care about that. the story is pretty derivative, like you probably already know, but i like how the basis of a parent taking a quest to save their son or daughter is renewed for the new millennium. as for the science behind the disaster, well, it's just a movie. it's just a movie.
acting: the acting is decent, even though you don't see much of it because of the visuals. i would've hope to have seen sela ward act more instead of pushing her aside for the more father-son-centered plot. other than that, it has the kind of cheesy dialogue and delivery that you'd expect from a 70's disaster flick.
direction: eh. it's roland emmerich. of course it's visuals over substance. but i've always liked his humor in times of peril. my one major complaint on the film is how the majority is centered around new york, ten minutes of los angeles, and 30-second clips of new delhi and japan. for a worldwide disaster, it doesn't show anywhere else like independence day did.
visuals: read the second and third sentences above. the science might be far-fetched, but the visuals are amazing. the tornadoes in los angeles and the flooding, then freezing, of new york look absolutely stunning. there's nothing more to say. just look at emmerich's other movies.
overall: it's a movie for those who like well-done special effects and not much else. but the 70's homage is a nice touch, intentional or not.
(8 out of 10)