Forget the right-wing blather, this is a fun summer blockbuster

Rating: 8/10 (28 May 2004)

I just saw an interview with the producers of the movie and former astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the Debrah Norville MSNBC show, and Mr. Aldrin was in such a huff over this movie. The right-wing backlash and gnashing of teeth is so preposterous and humorous - it's a fun movie and much, much better than my expectation. The final scene of showing this beautiful planet of ours from space was a beautiful ending touch to a good disaster movie.
It's as good as Independence Day (ID4), IMO, and the effects are just awesome - in one sense it is a very successful movie in that the bar for outrageous special effects has been raised so high. The tornadoes of LA and the water-wall through Manhattan were spectacular (but ouch, I'm from Long Island, and that's where wave came from).
Good to see the beautiful Sela Ward once again (and not to mention Tamlyn Tomita as Dr. Janet Tokada). Sure, there were a few hammy scenes and the kind of dialogue you'd expect from this kind of movie - it ain't Macbeth, nor is it meant to be. The reverse immigration to Mexico was cynically humorous, and the crowd burst out laughing when it was announced that the USA gave up third-world Latin America debt to allow it to occur. And the basic moral message of the movie is about taking responsibility for one's actions - only the right-wing can get upset about that. So forget about the blather, and see it for yourself. 7.5/10.