The aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive.The aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive.The aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 35 wins & 35 nominations total
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to producer/co-writer Dean Devlin, the U.S. military had agreed to support the film by allowing the crew to film at military bases, consulting the actors who have military roles, etc. However, after learning of the Area 51 references in the script, they withdrew their support.
- Goofs(at around 2 mins) The opening scene in which the mothership passes the moon heading toward earth, the earth is shown with the southern hemisphere facing the sun - an indication of mid-winter in North America, not July.
- Quotes
[the President briefs the pilots before the final attack]
President Thomas Whitmore: Good morning.
[PA doesn't work. Turns it on]
President Thomas Whitmore: Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. "Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!
[crowd cheers]
- Crazy creditsFrank Bollinger, originally from the art department is credited as "Alien Supervisor" because he wasn't member of the union, so he wouldn't be allowed to work in that department.
- Alternate versionsAn extended version of the film contains ca. 8 minutes of extended/additional footage bringing it to 153 minutes total. The scenes include:
- The first dialogue between President Whitmore and Constance Spano was extended.
- A few sentences were added in the scene as Whitmore proposes to go to DefCon 3.
- The first added scene is a dialogue between David Levinson and a colleague at the TV station. He explains that an unknown signal is responsible for the bad TV broadcasting and that he may be able to block this signal.
- In the next extended scene Russell Casse meets his son after he was released from prison.
- Up next the dialogue between Jasmine and Tiffany in the strip club was extended.
- Then there is an extended dialogue between David and his father on the way to the White house. Right after this is an added scene in which David is searching for the number of Constance's handy.
- Another added scene features David and his father in the oval Office. The father is talking about the persons who visited this office. Actors, football players and now himself...
- Right after Jasmine found the truck, there is an added scene in which the illness of Russell's youngest son is described.
- The next added scene features Jasmine as she drives the truck and some survivors through the destroyed city.
- Later in Area 51 there is an added scene in which David Levinson and Dr. Brakkish Okun go into the alien spacecraft. Here the Doctor explains some of the alien technology.
- As Captain Steven Hiller arrives with the alien visitor, a scene was added in which Russell asks for a doctor for his ill son.
- The last extended scene shows Russell's daughter establishing a new friendship while the fight rages above Area 51.
- ConnectionsEdited into Armageddon in Effect (2008)
- SoundtracksIt's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Written by Bill Berry (as William Berry), Peter Buck, Mike Mills (as Michael Mills) & Michael Stipe
Performed by R.E.M.
Courtesy of I.R.S. Records
For a movie that's so thoroughly reliant on spectacle, that last point is pretty important. The power of watching the White House or Empire State Building burst into a billion bitty pieces is still there, irresistible, while the magnitude of the invading fleet remains immense, and I think both can be attributed to the production's choice to eschew then-new CG techniques in favor of a large, intricately detailed stable of miniatures. We get a few hiccups, like the obviously green-screened fighter jets or the absurd visual of a golden retriever leaping to slow-motion safety through a fiery inferno, but for the most part it all looks great and it's still easy to get sucked into the experience.
Of course, the whole thing is over-acted to death. Roland Emmerich has never been one to bring out nuance from his cast, and this is an awfully shallow effort, even by his standards. Bill Pullman nails the big motivational speech, set to a telegraphed swell of patriotic symphony, but otherwise lacks conviction as a limp, reactive PotUS. Randy Quaid is a cheap xerox of every alien abduction stereotype to ever enter pop culture. Jeff Goldblum is naturally quirky enough to make his role worthwhile, but it takes every bit of his innate charismatic magnetism to overcome the dumb plot developments. Will Smith is the only unequivocal success, barking and fist-pumping his way to bonafide action hero status in a simple but essential role as a beefy marine / pure force of will.
From a critical perspective, this is cinematic junk food. Big bangs and shiny lights to dazzle the box office crowd, with a few easy jokes to lighten the mood. But yet, there's something else to it, something essential and inexplicable. It's just raw, simple fun, I suppose, that makes no apologies for how it acts or what it aims to be. It won't make you think or weep, but you'll feel, and that's worth something.
- drqshadow-reviews
- Sep 20, 2020
- Permalink
Everything New on Hulu in September
Everything New on Hulu in September
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Día de la independencia
- Filming locations
- Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA(Alien Crash, RV Caravan)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $75,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $306,169,268
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $50,228,264
- Jul 7, 1996
- Gross worldwide
- $817,400,891
- Runtime2 hours 25 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1