The Stream: A completely ridiculous story that follows an otherwise predictable formula

The Big Screen: Visual effects are pretty good

The Final Bill: A dumb disaster movie that delivers on the spectacle and the promise of a moon falling.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Roland Emmerich
Writers: Roland Emmerich, Harald Kloser, and Spenser Cohen
Stars: Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rating: PG-13 for violence, disaster action, strong language, and some drug use
Runtime: 2 hours 1 minute
Production Companies: Lionsgate, AGC Studios, Centropolis Entertainment, Huayi Brothers Media, Street Entertainment
Platform: In Theaters
Trailers: The Batman, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Lightyear, Ambulance, The Devil’s Light, The Northman 

Have you ever wondered how the moon hangs where it does, Streamers?

No? Not even a little?

No? Not ever?

Really? Okay…

Well, Moonfall provides an answer to the question you have not been asking.

Y’all really messed up my intro for this one…

Anway, Moonfall is a disaster movie directed by disaster movie savant, Roland Emmerich. Yep, Emmerich has directed such greats as The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, Independence Day and Independence Day: Resurgence. In this movie, the title tells you everything to need to know. Here’s whether it lives up to its disastrous premise.

Moonfall is about the Moon falling out of orbit towards the Earth. Cue the shock and awe. Destruction is imminent unless some strong-willed scientists figure out how to return the Moon to orbit and save the world. There are former astronauts (Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson) willing to put everything on the line in order to stop this disaster. There’s a conspiracy theorist (John Bradley) who believes there are other more mysterious forces at play. They all ban together to figure out why the Moon has fallen and attempt to restore it to its place in the heavens. Apocalyptic nonsense ensues.

Let’s be real – you know why you’re willing to see Moonfall. It’s the spectacle of the Moon falling and the immense destruction of the Earth. Moonfall delivers on both fronts. The real questions are whether it looks good and what’s the story behind it. For the most part, the visual effects look good even if everything is completely implausible. The effects in space are better than the destruction on Earth, but generally, it’s as expected for this type of movie. As for the story, of course, it is going to be ridiculous and dumb – the Moon is falling to Earth; but, the explanation for why and how is beyond belief. More than that, the plot points involving the characters are very bland and it feels a lot like a knockoff of Independence Day, which is a little disappointing. It would have been good to have a little more originality in the story involving the characters to go along with the outrageous spectacle.

Whatever! The Moon falls! Are you kidding me?!?!

Ultimately, Moonfall is a disaster movie that delivers exactly what it advertises. There’s a moon falling to the Earth. Everything else about the movie is ridiculous. If you are coming to this movie for realism, then you’re in the wrong place. I wouldn’t spend a lot seeing this in the theater, but the spectacle is worth the big screen, so it’s a handful of popcorn. It might be better served for mindless entertainment at home – a bowl of popcorn for streaming.