User reviews

Released in 1996, "Independence Day" (or "ID4") chronicles events as the earth is threatened by malevolent aliens who wipe out entire cities. Bill Pullman plays the US President, Margaret Colin his aid and Mary McDonnell his wife. Will Smith plays a hotshot pilot and Vivica A. Fox his babe. Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, James Duval and Brent Spiner are also on hand.

I saw this movie when it was released while on vacation during the height of its hype (incidentally, at the very theater in Aurora, CO, where The Dark Knight Rises Massacre would occur 16 years later). While fun and entertaining as most blockbusters are, it didn't match the hoopla, so I've had mixed feelings about it ever since.

On the positive side, the main characters are likable and there's a warmth to their relationships. I also like the feel-good quality of the movie in that it brings the whole world together to face a common enemy, despite our differences. In other words, it's not just Independence Day for America, but for Planet Earth. I also like the tie-in with Area 51, which shows that some thought was put into the script beyond just blowing up iconic buildings and whole cities. The scene where the captured alien utilizes Dr. Brakish Okun's vocal chords to speak is well done. Also, Margaret Colin looks great throughout.

What I don't like is the mixture of serious sci-fi with overdone comedy and the numerous "Yeah, right" moments. Comedy works with serious sci-fi/adventure/drama/thriller/horror as long as it's not overdone. The Terminator flicks are good examples, even Star Trek. In "ID4" too much of the comedy and inanities take you OUT of the story rather than take you IN. The comedic asides seem disjointed from the plot rather than enhancing it.

Despite the likable characters and warmth thereof, they too often come off empty and adolescent. The story focuses on the alien threat and human response so there's little character development of value. I enjoy a sci-fi flick even when its fantasy extends into the absurd and far-fetched, so long as there is some payoff -- some message of significance, some portrayal of what might or could possibly be, some character development that draws the viewer into the story and provides some basis for caring about what's happening. There's not enough of this in "ID4."

That said, there's a lot to enjoy as a shallow sci-fi blockbuster with a likable cast and some thrilling sequences. The key is not taking it too seriously since it doesn't take itself seriously.

The film is overlong at 145 minutes and was shot all over the USA with establishing shots from around the world.

GRADE: Borderline C+ or B- (5.5/10 Stars)

This movie to me was not entertaining it had nothing gripping to it.**Independence Day (1996) Review**

This movie to me was not entertaining; it had nothing gripping to it. Despite its widespread success and status as a quintessential summer blockbuster, *Independence Day* failed to impress me in several key areas. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film promised an epic alien invasion, packed with dazzling special effects, high-stakes action, and a charismatic ensemble cast. However, upon watching, I found myself disappointed by its lack of depth, emotional connection, and predictability.

At its core, *Independence Day* is a spectacle-driven film. It revolves around the premise of an alien species attacking Earth with advanced weaponry, throwing the world into chaos. What makes the film stand out for many is its impressive special effects-particularly the iconic scenes of massive alien ships destroying landmarks like the White House and the Empire State Building. For the mid-90s, these effects were cutting-edge and certainly had their wow factor. The destruction and chaos conveyed through these visual spectacles are what most people remember about the movie, and in that respect, it delivers on a purely aesthetic level.

However, the spectacle alone isn't enough to hold up a film, especially one of this length. One of the main issues I had with *Independence Day* was its lack of emotional depth. The characters felt like mere caricatures of the typical action-movie archetypes. We have the heroic fighter pilot (Will Smith), the determined scientist (Jeff Goldblum), and the president of the United States (Bill Pullman) all playing their expected roles. The performances themselves weren't the problem, but the script didn't give these characters much to work with beyond their basic roles. There were no real moments of growth or development, and their interactions often felt hollow or forced.

Take Will Smith's character, Captain Steven Hiller, for example. While Smith's natural charisma is undeniable and provides some much-needed energy, his character feels too one-dimensional. He's the classic action hero, cracking jokes while saving the day. Similarly, Jeff Goldblum's David Levinson, the computer genius who plays a crucial role in defeating the aliens, is essentially the brainy hero who figures out the technological solution. Both characters serve their purpose within the narrative but lack the emotional depth and complexity that could have made their journey more compelling.

Even the central theme of human unity in the face of a global crisis, which could have been powerful, felt overly simplistic. While it's undoubtedly an uplifting message to see nations come together to fight a common enemy, the execution in *Independence Day* is shallow. The scenes where world leaders gather and formulate a counterattack feel more like obligatory moments to check off the "global unity" box than genuine emotional beats. There's no real exploration of how people cope with such an unprecedented event on a personal level. Instead, we get an over-reliance on clichés and action set pieces to carry the narrative forward.

Another significant flaw I noticed was the film's pacing. While the movie opens with an explosive bang, it then settles into a slow, often tedious middle act that drags on with little character development or tension. The buildup to the final confrontation with the aliens feels drawn-out and repetitive, with too many moments dedicated to action for action's sake, without much regard for how those moments contribute to the story or character arcs. By the time the climactic battle rolls around, it felt like a foregone conclusion rather than a thrilling culmination of the narrative.

The film's dialogue also didn't help in creating an engaging experience. While some of the one-liners are fun in the moment, they often feel forced or overly dramatic, distracting from the stakes of the situation. For instance, the iconic line "Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!" feels more like a cheesy catchphrase than a heartfelt declaration of victory. It's these moments that prevented me from getting fully immersed in the film and made it harder for me to take the characters seriously in their heroic efforts.

It's clear that *Independence Day* achieved massive commercial success, and for good reason-it's a visually stunning film for its time with plenty of bombastic action sequences that appeal to fans of the genre. It delivers what many expect from a summer blockbuster: explosions, aliens, and a little bit of humor. But for me, the film falls short in the areas that truly make a movie memorable. It lacks the emotional weight, character depth, and narrative intricacy that I look for in a truly gripping film.

In the end, while *Independence Day* is entertaining in a superficial way, it doesn't have the lasting impact that some of its peers from the same era do. It's a popcorn movie that provides fleeting excitement but doesn't offer anything substantial beyond that. For these reasons, I give *Independence Day* a 5/10. It's not terrible, but it's not a film I'd recommend revisiting anytime soon.

Aside from the usual heavy, sleepy jingoisms "Independence Day" is the usual popcorn movie! Cheap in dialogue, script, characterization and absolutely overrated in special effects, it's simply the theme of "Earthquake" or "Airport 75" recycled in a "90s" version!

I was 14 when I first saw this movie and I liked it very much. Still I don´t think it´s a bad film. I have always liked science fiction and war movies, and this was both. The special effects were awesome, especially the huge spaceships above the cities. But why did I give ID4 only 6 points? The characters were quite shallow, that´s the biggest problem. And I can´t help but I find the american patriotism somewhat comical in the movie. Last time, for example, when I watched it, I ended up laughing my head off during the president´s speech. It was fun, yes, but I don´t think it was meant to be that way. But, if you like sf-movies with nice special effects, this movie is absolutely worth watching.

Director Roland Emmerich blends the essential ingredients of the patriotic blockbuster cocktail – loads of action, family values, national identity, religious faith, cool heroes, very recognizable evil, and a happy end.

Any alien invasion movie has the right to be completely stupid and maybe even the duty to be completely illogical. In this matter, Independence Day really delivers. Miraculous last second escapes by an airplane, a spaceship and even a dog, explosions in space, the earth rotating with monster speed, extremely bad aiming aliens who can travel light years and use a doomsday machine only to get tricked and beaten by Jeff Goldblum. Yes, the celebrating-stupidity-list for this one is impressive and at one point we can clearly see the Fresh Prince of Bel Air smacking a guy in a rubber octopus outfit in the desert.

Unfortunately, Independence Day has not much more than that. The destructions of Empire State Building, Capitol and White House do look good on a big screen, but so does a giant marshmallow man. Paul Verhoeven showed a little later in "Starship Troopers" what irony and sarcasm can do in movies with alien enemies. Here we only see fast food simplicity. A big bag of Popcorn.

Besides, a key role in the final victory belongs to a lunatic, saving the world through personal sacrifice in a suicide mission to beat the technically far superior enemy invaders. It's all a matter of perspective.

Hmmm.... Saw this quite a while ago. Loved the special effects!

Great for the time it was out!!!

However, the characters are a bit cliched, especially the President of the United States Of America - I cant see Clinton jumping in a fighter jet and taking off to shoot a giant muthar of an alien ship! The bit that really made me wince was the Presidents Presidential Speech - I mean - the whole world accepting an American holiday as their national holiday? Yeah, right!

There were bits that could've been edited out - they mostly involved Ye President of the Mighty U.S.of A. ie when he figures out the aliens plans for us poor Simians, his jumping in a fighter jet to take on the Bad Guys, when Mommy dies and he says "Mommy's sleeping now", that sorta thing. It was all one largish Cliche

I liked Jeff Goldblum, he's a cool actor, I found his acting better than ole Will Smith, but I did like Will's one-liners.

My favourite line in this movie is jeffs dad saying "Look at me, I'm not even wearing a tie. I look like a Schlimeal" or something to that effect. I get a laugh out of that every time I watch this flick. Dont know why, maybe its just my sense of humour!

Aside from that, I do think it could've been better handled, maybe a bit less of the patritism, not that i have anything against the good ole US of A of course!!

If watching this film in the 90's, it's a spectacular blockbuster. By today's standards though, it's on the cheesy side with outdated effects. It doesn't mean the film is bad. Independence Day has a strong beginning and the arrival of the aliens and the mystery about them creates a strong tension. Do these aliens come in peace? Of course, once it becomes clear that the aliens do not come in peace, the film ramps up the action and starts to go into the silly zone. It is still a decent movie saved by good actor chemistry. Jeff Goldblum gives an enjoyable performance and the movie helped launch Will Smith as a bonafide star. So if you are craving explosions, aliens, cringe lines, and unrealistic aerial combat, this is a good July 4th movie.

Independence day should've been a much better film, but it really begins to suffer after the devastation on Earth. Seeing everything blow up and watching all the people fear for their lives is very fun to watch, but there should've been a lot more build up to this scene by showing the aliens approaching earth, the people figuring out how to prepare, and trying to fight them off. To me, everything after the explosions really isn't that interesting considering everyone spends a lot of time talking to each other and every character, except Will Smith and maybe Jeff Goldblum, really isn't that interesting to begin with and there are way too many of them to follow in this. If the runtime was cut much shorter and the big alien invasion happened as the climax to the film with some scenes rearranged, this would've worked out a lot better.

This movie was cheesy when I saw it as a kid and it remains so. I'm ignoring the political implications though and just judging it as a movie.

Problems

Bad Dialogue, 2 dimensional characters, and a mediocre plot

Others have already covered it...however if you make a movie and have the dog as the most interesting character you have problems.

I think Summer Blockbusters today like X-2 show you can tell interesting stories with great SFX. This movie despite the speeches and cliches has nobody interesting. It lacks characterization, heart, and genuine menace. I felt more menace in the first 10 minutes of Aliens than in this entire film.

Hopefully a sequel isn't made. I feel blockbusters have evolved for the better the past seven years. To make a movie of this caliber would just drag things down again.

Yes I admit that the movie has some stunning visual effects and made a really impressive viewing on the silver screen. But honestly - that speech the American President does at the end of the film! The entire film was, in my opinion, spoiled by the 4th of July bull***t. I guess one or two U.S.Americans fall for it, but the rest of the world is just embarrassed.

This film may be great in its visual effects, but it is very weak in its story & screenplay. I hate this repeated combination of a white man, a black man and a Jewish man (represented by Bill Pullman, Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum respectively) who are the heroes of the film. It is such a silly way to try to satisfy the whole American community. And due to Roland Emmerich origins, he showed us the Hebrew as the genius who saved the world (as usual) !!

Released in 1996, Independence Day is directed by Roland Emmerich and stars Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum. The film tells the story of an alien invasion that threatens to wipe out all of mankind. Having never seen Independence Day but being familiar with some of Emmerich's other work in the late 2000s and 2010s, I was looking forward to checking this film out after hearing so much about it for years. Sadly I didn't connect with Independence Day the way I wanted to, however, there are certainly aspects to the film I can appreciate. It's easy to tell there was a lot of love poured into the craftsmanship of the movie; the various models used and the combination of practical and special fx really makes this film pop. Although some of the cgi is a little dated given that it's been over two decades since the film was originally released, much of it still looks fantastic and I must praise the filmmakers as they weren't overly reliant on it to tell the story. There were moments during the two-and-a-half-hour runtime where I thought I was watching a film that released maybe a ten years ago and not in 1996. I'm sure the fx was even more mind-blowing back in the day but it's truly commendable that this film has stood the test of time in that department and is most comparable to an early Spielberg film or an original Star Wars movie.

Herein lies one of my biggest complaints about the film, even though the special effects work behind the movie definitely gave me a Star Wars vibe, so did its story. There were times where I felt I was watching some long, lost Star Wars film that took place on earth and that always didn't sit right with me. I love Star Wars as much as the next person and I'm sure Emmerich took inspiration from those big, dumb, space movies but I wanted so badly for this film to separate itself and be its own thing rather than relying on what's come before. I knew what I was getting into and wasn't expecting much in terms of substance, was just anticipating a fun alien invasion film where I could just turn my brain off. The movie certainly has fun moments, but it wasn't enough to hook me for its entirety. I didn't hate Independence Day, nor did I love it, I found it to be a very middling film that I don't know if I see myself watching again outside of a couple of highlights. Although I appreciate the work put into the film, there wasn't a whole lot else that had me hooked. The acting was fine, the script was alright and the dialogue serviceable given this type of film (I wasn't expecting Sorkin-esque dialogue). Everything about this movie was totally fine and I can see why it has maintained a steady amount of popularity through the years, it was just a film that I couldn't connect with, even though I desperately wanted to and for that reason, I am giving Independence Day a 5/10

If you watched this movie in 1997 there are many flaws in the movie you would inadvertently ignore. But today's evolved viewer would poke a lot of holes in the plot. Flying an alien ship which is light years ahead, like riding a bicycle and out maneuvering pursuing aliens. Not to forget installing a virus capable of corrupting alien technology. Ludicrous !! The irritating cocky acting by Will Smith and his ill timed wise cracks while surrounded by the deaths of millions of innocent civilians. When the shields are down on the alien ship, why couldn't they have deployed larger nuke carrying aircrafts for a bigger impact instead of hundreds of fighter jets and small civilian aircrafts making small dents to the 15 mile long ship.

Aliens camp on the outer hemisphere, the US government play the waiting game, they do not collaborate with heads of other countries or the UN to come up with a plan to counter attack. Extremely arrogant and conceited attitude.

Amongst these obvious flaws, we get to hear one of the most inspirational speech made by the President, that any head of state would be proud to make, if the occasion arises.

In closing I would say that Logic is a casualty along with the millions of victims in the movie. So watch it solely for its visual grandeur.

Finally I had the opportunity to watch this film in a serious Home Theater System with some good friends and I realize that technically speaking the film is just excellent is what you should bring to the stores before buying a home theater system, but the rest has been seen and said already. Aliens against Americans and at the end is the way around.

Rating: 5/10

This movie has a lot of good and not so good things. The crew is incredible. A lot of great actors are in, such as Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Vivica A Fox, Bill Pulman, Mary McDonnel, Judd Hirsch and Randy Quaid. This Director likes destruction and effects, which are amazing and really makes you feel like you are in there, like you are living it. Storys which are about destruction and pandemonium unite people. Everybody got one concerning and try to focus on it and help each other. But this movie has something that makes you feel like they were treating us like stupids: the way the aliens are doom. Who can believe it????. I mean, I know is a movie and has to provide entertaining, but do it well. I cant believe that with one little airplane the enormous and giant Alien Ship is destroyed. That is so unreal that could never ever happen. So thats way, this movie deserves a 3 or even less.

I actually liked the first part of this movie ! The scenes in which large parts of US cities are destroyed are great to watch. Unfortunately, that's the only good thing about this movie. The rest is VERY bad.

Let's make a list: first of all, it's got Will Smith in it, which is by itself almost enough reason to give it a rating of 1/10. Secondly, this movie has every tired cliche ever found in any action movie: little cute kids, guy that sacrifices himself, best friend that dies, romances that rekindle, creepy CIA agent. I mean, come on, can't they think of anything more original.

Also, this movie has more plot holes then a piece of swiss cheese. For example: since when can you knock out a huge spacecraft with a computer virus written on a totally different computer. 90% of Earth's computers aren't even compatible, the probability of an Earth program running on an alien computer is ZERO. Secondly, all the alien spacecraft are apparently destroyed because someone flies into their main weapon beam at EXACTLY the right time.

I could go on like this, but the basic idea is that it's TOTALLY LUDICROUS that a bunch of nit-wits use a couple of fighter jets and one UFO to take out a vast army of highly superior aliens.

Finally, to top it all off, it's again the Americans and only the Americans that save the entire earth. Yet another movie filled with over-the-top patriotism and false emotions.

* out of **** stars

** out of ****

It's been a while now since Independence Day had been a reigning box office champ. I remember all the hype and media coverage over it. The film broke box office records and had people clamoring over it. Well, it's pretty much a forgotten film now, as nobody seems to really mention it anymore. Either the ones that receive awful reviews (Battlefield Earth) or good to great reviews (Star Wars, The Matrix) are the big-budget sci-fi films that stay remembered. Independence is just relentlessly mediocre.

Taking place over the course of 3 days (basically the first 3 of July), the film begins with a gigantic spacecraft hovering over the moon. Separate pieces disentangle itself from the mothership, 36 in all, and position themselves over the world's most powerful cities. At this point, President Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) is undecided as to what course of action to take. Should they wait, or fire upon the alien ships.

A brilliant cable repairman (Jeff Goldblum)-no kidding-figures out that the aliens are using a code through Earth's own satellites, and is actually a countdown, and when the clock ticks to zero, all of Earth will be decimated in a hailstorm of lasers. He manages to warn the president in time (he's the ex-husband of one of the president's advisors, no less), and they evacuate just before the ships fire down on the cities, and soon 36 of the world's largest and most powerful cities have been reduced to rubble.

The humans aim for a counterattack, with fighter jets to take down the ships, but as Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith) and his squad figure out, these ships have some sort of force field that prevent penetration from any object. With the exception of himself, Hiller's squad is completely destroyed, and he ends up in the deserts of Nevada, dragging an unconscious alien. Eventually, all the characters meet in Area 51, buried secrets of the past are unearthed, and discussions and plans of ways of fighting back are brought into light.

There's really nothing to get excited about concerning this film. It has a few exciting action scenes, some humorous bits, and a barrage of outstanding special effects, but it's rather dissatisfying. There's not nearly as much action as you would hope for, and I would like to have seen some hand-to-hand combat, not just some aerial dogfights. The movie is basically hollow entertainment, and even then, it tries the patience with the slow buildup in the first hour. If you want entertaining and non-stop sci-fi action, go with Starship Troopers, and if you want a better film a similar storyline, then just stick with Star Wars.

Roland Emmerich isn't exactly a director that's well known for helming compelling scripts and Independence Day is no different. The screenplay features a bevy of plot holes and blatant stupidity, most of which appear in the final half hour, as the ridiculous plan to fight back the aliens strikes me as lame-brained. Emmerich is adept at handling special effects and action, but a good bit of it feels like it's for naught with some of the outright idiocy of the story behind it.

The performances are merely average. Will Smith is a lot of fun to watch as the hero, and he does turn in the most likeable and charismatic performance. Jeff Goldblum plays a genius as usual, and he's good at it, too. It's just that everyone else is not so good. Bill Pullman is pretty stiff, and while others do manage to put life into their roles, there's not nearly enough screentime given to them to put any signifigance into it.

I suppose now that all the sound and fury is over, Independency Day really doesn't add up to too much, it's a major disappointment. It's nowhere near being awful, but it has too many flaws to make this a film worth watching over and over again.

A throwback to those stupid disaster films from the 1970s that spend the first hour of the movie introducing a bunch of famous celebrities and the next hour putting them in peril to our delight.

This disaster film is especially dumb, however, and its aggressively patriotic attitude borders on the offensive in retrospect. No wonder other countries think Americans are a bunch of loud-mouthed boors.

The all-star cast features Bill Pullman as our nation's president (God help us all), Mary McDonnell as his first lady, Will Smith (who grows old fast), Judd Hirsch, Jeff Goldblum, Margaret Colin, etc., etc.

The film achieves what it sets out do to, but just know that it set its own bar extremely low.

Grade: C