Roland Emmerich is a name that's instantly recognizable, even to those who haven't yet watched any of his movies. Born in Germany in 1955, Emmerich became well-known thanks to his movies that combine action, sci-fi elements, natural or alien disasters, and his unique sense of humor.
In his upcoming movie, Moonfall, the moon is on a collision course set to crash into the Earth. In anticipation for this film, it's just the right time to delve deep into Emmerich's filmography and take a look at his best movies. These films cover more than just one genre, and offer a lot of fascinating stories worth watching.
7 White House Down (2013)
Roland Emmerich often includes the character of the American president in his movies. In this case, Jamie Foxx's President Sawyer plays one of the leading roles. The other went to Channing Tatum as bodyguard John Cale, who has to protect the President when a group of armed people invades the White House.
The movie manages to combine action and humor, so it keeps the audience entertained from start to finish. It also contains the right amount of destruction for the viewers who enjoy Emmerich's catastrophic movies in which everything is collapsing and falling apart.
6 The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
Global warming is a threat that many people discuss and scientists focus on. The Day After Tomorrow presents an opposite scenario, though, and shows what would happen if a new Ice Age erupted. The characters have to fight for their survival and the main hero, Dennis Quaid's Jack Hall is searching for his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal) in the frozen wasteland that New York has become.
The movie has impressive special effects, and it's fascinating to watch Earth's transformation. The actors give excellent performances, and in addition to spectacular action scenes, The Day After Tomorrow also has the power to make the audience think.
5 Midway (2019)
In his directorial work, Roland Emmerich likes to switch between sci-fi movies and historical ones. Stories taking place during World War II are still relevant, and Emmerich's latest movie Midway focuses on an important chapter of the WWII history that turned the tide and showed that the Allies could win. Once again, Emmerich works with a talented cast that includes Patrick Wilson, Woody Harrelson, and Luke Evans.
It's easy to cheer on the heroes and wish them success, especially since the viewers know that the movie is inspired by real events. Midway doesn't shy from the action, but it also takes the time to characterize the heroes. Even though the audience might know how the battle will end, they're still invested in the story.
4 Anonymous (2011)
William Shakespeare is one of the most legendary writers of all time. To this day, theories exist about who Shakespeare really was and speculate that someone else (including multiple people) might have written his plays. Anonymous works with one such theory that credits the authorship of Shakespeare's work to Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford.
Anonymous is visually beautiful, featuring its characters dressed in rich Elizabethan costumes. It stars well-known British actors, such as Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis, and Rhys Ifans in the leading roles. It's ideal for all viewers who enjoy the trip to Elizabethan England and enjor conspiracy theories or the stories of Dan Brown.
3 Independence Day (1996)
Some aliens who come to Earth are friendly, and just wish to help people or get to know the planet and its inhabitants. However, the more common scenario is that the aliens are hostile and organize an invasion. That's what happened in the now-iconic sci-fi movie Independence Day. The aliens are planning to destroy major cities and kill many people in the process.
Luckily, several brave people decide to fight them, including Will Smith's Captain Steven Hiller. The movie is fast-paced, full of action, and has a strong cast (including Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum, to name just two). It got a 2016 sequel titled Independence Day: Resurgence, but the second movie received less positive reviews.
2 Stargate (1994)
Not every director can say that they managed to start a successful franchise. This 1994 sci-fi movie focuses on Daniel Jackson and Colonel O'Neill who travel through a "stargate" into another world that seems to hide many dangers. The captivating story and fascinating characters led to the TV sequel Stargate SG-1, which started airing in 1997 and became a huge hit.
Several other sequels then followed and in the upcoming years, a new Stargate movie is due to come out, once again directed by Roland Emmerich. Viewers who enjoy sci-fi adventures that discover new places should give the original Stargate movie a chance.
1 The Patriot (2000)
Even though Roland Emmerich is best known for his catastrophic and sci-fi movies, his best-rated work doesn't work with any of these elements. Instead, The Patriot returns to the past, to the 18th century and the American Revolutionary War. Mel Gibson stars as Benjamin Martin, a man who decides to abandon his life and return to fighting when one of his sons is killed. The movie has a strong cast, other than Gibson, it also stars Heath Ledger, Jason Isaacs, and Joely Richardson.
It also has a strong story that will make the audience sympathize with Benjamin, since losing a child is never easy. The Patriot was nominated for three Academy Awards, and even though it didn't win any, it remains one of Emmerich's finest movies.