Roland Emmerich movies

Let’s talk about the filmography of Roland Emmerich.



In light of this new cinematic spectacle... Roland Emmerich under the title "2012Since he’s gearing up to hit theaters again next summer—and we can probably expect to see "Fantastic Voyage" popping up sometime in 2010, which is basically his take on a "microcosm" style remake—I decided to put together a little poll. I want to see which of his movies you guys actually dig and which ones you absolutely can't stand.

1. Universal Soldier (1992)



It’s that classic flick where you finally get to see Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren go head-to-head for the first time. They play these intense, almost unstoppable soldiers who are basically built for war, going at it as bitter rivals. It’s a total blast.

2. Stargate (1994)



Kurt Russell (as J. O'Neill) and James Spader (as D. Jackson) head through the Stargate and land on the planet Abydos, where they end up going toe-to-toe with the Goa'uld—who we eventually find out are actually called the Goa'uldi in Stargate SG-1. Personally, aside from Independence Day, this is my favorite Emmerich film. It’s also the one that paved the way for awesome shows like Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.

3. Independence Day (1996)



One of the absolute biggest hits from the 90s, and man, those visual effects are still seriously impressive. I’ve sat through this one a few times now, and honestly, I think I can confidently say it’s easily Roland Emmerich's best work to date. By the way, besides the heavy-hitting cast we all know, you really have to give props to Mary McDonnell—she's fantastic, and most people probably recognize her from her role as President Roslin over in Battlestar Galactica.

4. Godzilla (1998)



It’s a spectacular film about a giant lizard, but honestly, it feels a little bit dim-witted—kind of like the Japanese original.

5. The Patriot (2000)



Mel Gibson taking on the Red Coats. And then you've got Odo from DS9 playing a priest. 😁

6. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)



Honestly, this movie is absolutely spectacular. Sure, it’s riddled with logic holes just like 10,000 B.C., but that’s not really the point. You just have to turn your brain off, stop overthinking it, and just sit back and enjoy the high-octane thrills from Dennis Quaid and the rest of the crew.

7. 10,000 B.C. (2008)



Honestly, whoever penned this script clearly didn't give much thought to whether the plot actually made sense. And don't even get me started on how Emmerich basically ripped off his own work from Stargate. But hey, if you just turn your brain off for a bit, you can still get an hour or two of solid entertainment out of it.

I’m casting my vote for Independence Day. I remember seeing it in the theater, and I never miss it when it's on TV. It’s easily my favorite blockbuster of all time.

By the way, alongside the already famous cast, we should highlight that the leading lady is Mary McDonnell, who is also well known for her role as President Roslin in Battlestar Galactica.

So, I wasn't the only one who noticed. :-)

Perhaps you should just rename the poll to "Which is Emmerich's least terrible film?"...

I'm honestly torn between Independence Day and Stargate, but I’ve gotta put my vote down for Stargate. Without that movie, we wouldn't have my absolute favorite sci-fi franchise alongside Star Trek—the whole thing basically spawned three massive series (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and the Infinity animated show), plus two direct-to-video movies (The Ark of Truth and Continuum). On top of all that, we've got a third series (Stargate Universe) and a third direct-to-video flick coming out soon.

Richard Howard2 said:Perhaps you should just rename the poll to "Which is Emmerich's least terrible film?"...

Yeah, I agree. That's probably how you should judge his stuff.
And for me, the least bad is Independence Day.

I tend to be an optimist, so I’ll still go with that one as my top pick. My least favorite has to be The Patriot... honestly, there's just way too much patriotism in it, even for my taste.

Here’s my top three...

1. Universal Soldier
2. Independence Day
3. Stargate

Universal Soldier FTW 😁 It’s just solid, old-school action trash. Honestly, it beats most of the other stuff I've seen from this director. Plus, you get Van Damme going toe-to-toe with Lundgren.🙏

You honestly have no idea which one is worse.
Come on—the Universal Soldier action movie is actually the better pick...

If anyone happens to recall Cyborg, starring Van Damme, you'll probably notice that Universal Soldier was filmed almost identically, especially that final showdown. I don't remember the film particularly well, so I can't say for certain exactly how much was ripped off, but that similarity really stuck with me.

Man, Emmerich... always playing favorites with the folks over at the White House

No question about it—it's Independence Day.
Followed right after by Stargate.

And then, nothing.

I suppose my vote goes to Independence Day. I've always found the plot and the cast in that one to be quite enjoyable. Right after that, I'd have to say Stargate is my pick. I'm also a bit of a fan of the series itself.
His weakest work, in my opinion, would likely be Universal Soldier... just your typical action flick.

Out of all the movies mentioned here, I’d have to say The Day After Tomorrow is probably the best. 🙈

Brotherly advice: it’s all garbage.

10,000 BC? Good grief. Honestly, the plot feels like it was scribbled by a toddler. Cavemen, mammoths, pseudo-Egyptians... just give me a break.
Godzilla is laughably naive. The most intense part is when 🤣Godzilla hunts down that helicopter and the pilot is just panicking, unable to escape.
Independence Day—everything works, except for that heavy-handed American patriotism and the president's big speech, blah blah blah.
The Patriot—I'd just add "overkill." He really went overboard, and he isn't even American; if anything, he's more like a German.🤣
The Day After Tomorrow—personally, I found it boring and uninteresting. It has zero connection to actual physics or natural phenomena.
Stargate—saw it a long time ago, but I don't have any particularly good memories of it.
Universal Soldier—just a mindless action movie. Watched it a few times; it's an alright flick.

It’s a shame there isn't a multiple choice option here,
you just tossed five movies at me like it was nothing.
Well, whatever—I barely managed to pull myself together after watching The Day After Tomorrow before diving into Independence Day,
and now I'm stuck wondering if Universal Soldier or 2012 actually holds more weight.
Then you go and drop Midway on me too, recently released.
I have to admit, most of his films are exceptionally good—which is a rare feat for anyone, really.

For me:

1. Stargate

Stargate is honestly just a huge part of my childhood—and... that movie is more about the memories than just being a film to me. I absolutely loved it as a kid and I still love it just as much today. It actually steered me toward studying Archaeology and History haha—honestly, first there were the Indiana Jones films, but once Stargate really got under my skin in the 90s, that was it for me.

2. ID4

This one is my total guilty pleasure. I think I’ve watched it at least 50 times and it never gets old. Sure, it’s packed with clichés, but they all land exactly where they need to. It has that classic, old-school 90s approach to aliens and that specific vibe in the air regarding alien movies (and series) from that era—something you just don't see anymore.

Frank Moore4 said:Let’s talk about the filmography of Roland Emmerich.



In light of this new cinematic spectacle... Roland Emmerich under the title "2012Since he’s gearing up to hit theaters again next summer—and we can probably expect to see "Fantastic Voyage" popping up sometime in 2010, which is basically his take on a "microcosm" style remake—I decided to put together a little poll. I want to see which of his movies you guys actually dig and which ones you absolutely can't stand.

1. Universal Soldier (1992)



It’s that classic flick where you finally get to see Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren go head-to-head for the first time. They play these intense, almost unstoppable soldiers who are basically built for war, going at it as bitter rivals. It’s a total blast.

2. Stargate (1994)



Kurt Russell (as J. O'Neill) and James Spader (as D. Jackson) head through the Stargate and land on the planet Abydos, where they end up going toe-to-toe with the Goa'uld—who we eventually find out are actually called the Goa'uldi in Stargate SG-1. Personally, aside from Independence Day, this is my favorite Emmerich film. It’s also the one that paved the way for awesome shows like Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.

3. Independence Day (1996)



One of the absolute biggest hits from the 90s, and man, those visual effects are still seriously impressive. I’ve sat through this one a few times now, and honestly, I think I can confidently say it’s easily Roland Emmerich's best work to date. By the way, besides the heavy-hitting cast we all know, you really have to give props to Mary McDonnell—she's fantastic, and most people probably recognize her from her role as President Roslin over in Battlestar Galactica.

4. Godzilla (1998)



It’s a spectacular film about a giant lizard, but honestly, it feels a little bit dim-witted—kind of like the Japanese original.

5. The Patriot (2000)



Mel Gibson taking on the Red Coats. And then you've got Odo from DS9 playing a priest. 😁

6. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)



Honestly, this movie is absolutely spectacular. Sure, it’s riddled with logic holes just like 10,000 B.C., but that’s not really the point. You just have to turn your brain off, stop overthinking it, and just sit back and enjoy the high-octane thrills from Dennis Quaid and the rest of the crew.

7. 10,000 B.C. (2008)



Honestly, whoever penned this script clearly didn't give much thought to whether the plot actually made sense. And don't even get me started on how Emmerich basically ripped off his own work from Stargate. But hey, if you just turn your brain off for a bit, you can still get an hour or two of solid entertainment out of it.

Wait, you mean the Gate?! Are we seriously talking about the Gate right now? 😲 So, when you look at how they handle the translation, "door" basically means "gate," which makes sense because the whole movie is titled Stargate! It’s all about that central gateway, right?

Honestly, if you ask me, the 1994 Stargate is hands down the absolute best one out there! I mean, can we even debate that? It just hits different, right?

Man, I’m telling you, *The Patriot* is honestly just as solid! I’m seriously torn between those two, though—it’s a tough call, isn't it?

I haven't actually sat down to watch Midway (2019) yet!

cosmiclynx57 said:Wait, you mean the Gate?! Are we seriously talking about the Gate right now? 😲 So, when you look at how they handle the translation, "door" basically means "gate," which makes sense because the whole movie is titled Stargate! It’s all about that central gateway, right?

Honestly, if you ask me, the 1994 Stargate is hands down the absolute best one out there! I mean, can we even debate that? It just hits different, right?

Man, I’m telling you, *The Patriot* is honestly just as solid! I’m seriously torn between those two, though—it’s a tough call, isn't it?

I haven't actually sat down to watch Midway (2019) yet!

Look, we all understand the concept of a gate, but here in America, the title is just known as "Stargate."

Personally, I consider it his absolute best work. I remember when it first hit theaters back in the 90s; they were practically advertising it on TV as the biggest adventure since Star Wars. 😁
It’s quite simply a classic sci-fi adventure, the kind of thing I could easily sit down and watch again today without any hesitation. I guess you could say time hasn't managed to touch it.

Stargate
😁
actually a pretty great movie