Emmerich has NO STYLE. NONE.

i gave you, for your consideration, exhibit A: An early scene of a nighttime infantry skirmish. The battle is literally on Benjamin's front lawn - the musket fire flashing sporadically on Gibson's grim expression. it's a rather beautiful, haunting image - groups of soldiers in semi-broken lines, facing each other in the dark - some among crops of trees; every shot's report amplified by the relative darkness. and all happening just a hundred yards away from the house's front porch.

but then.

IT GOES CLOSE IN AND YOU SEE THEM CLOSE UP AND WOW THE SOLDIERS ARE FALLING DOWN AND THEN ONE FALLS ONTO THE CAMERA, SMOTHERING IT AND CREATING THE SCENE BREAK WHERE IT CUTS TO THE NEXT DAY.

so, yeah - either Emmerich or the editor - probably both. a sterling, rather quiet moment (quiet because of the relative distance between our main characters and the fight) totally ruined, because modern audiences WANT TO SEE WHATS GOING ON, NOT SOME CRUMMY BATTLE HAPPENING A HALF MILE AWAY! WHAT IS THIS, FRANCE!?