User reviews

Roland Emmerich is, without a doubt, the Master of the catastrophe films. On his resume, the director not only has Independence Day, his first dive into the sub-genre, but also Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012, all marked by mass destruction - global most of the time - and a complete absence script or quality performances, absences that open the way for the visual spectacle in computer graphics with several memorable sequences. Here, Independence Day literally encapsulates the spirit of all those similar films from the 70s such as the series Airport, Earthquake, Hell in the Tower, Poseidon's Destiny, copying almost entirely from the classic formula, which usually addresses family nuclei or friends before the tragedy in a slow narrative construction and the consequences after the apocalypse sets in. And there's nothing wrong with that, actually, as Emmerich lends his ability to create epics - Stargate was his immediately preceding film, which already demonstrated his ability to handle science fiction well - and creates a film that will be guaranteed fun. Just ignore the various poetic licenses in the script and embark on the guilt-free adventure.

With an estimated budget of 75 million, Independence Day stifled Spielberg's intentions to remake the classic 1953 War of the Worlds to present an alien invasion on an absurd scale. Since the first teaser trailers, with the shadows consuming tourist spots accompanied by the expression of astonishment from passers-by, the feature film has already come with the proposal to shape America's basic formula of self-destruction: if terrorists could not find access - until then - , a flurry of blockbusters began that featured the United States being threatened by natural phenomena and alien forces. As a masochistic pleasure intensified by the approach of the end of the millennium, the result could not be other than a lot of destruction, with sensational effects from impressive models, and the exaggerated patriotism, capable of putting the American president himself on a fighter to face the enemies. Interplanetary.

Don't ask how, but even though the United States government communicates with other nations through Morse code, television continues to quietly broadcast the news with naughty information to the viewer - commonly, us - and that's even after the attacks. It doesn't help the spectator to wonder how David managed, in less than six hours, to pick up his father, get out of downtown New York faster than the whole crowd, and still arrive in Washington, about 330 kilometers from distance; And why bother with the fact that aliens, coming from beyond the solar system, count time in the same measurements as we do? After all, who cares? Forget it, after all, we are back in 1996, a time when the characters use gigantic cell phones, while the aliens have a touchscreen.

Regarding the script of the film, it is fair to say that it is the factor most detonated by the specialized critic. The focus of the production really is to bring elaborate scenes of destruction, leaving the likelihood in the background. There is a lot of patriotism to the United States, to its July 4th holiday (which becomes a world holiday) and to the American army. The script also does not seek to deepen the personal dramas of the characters and some situations are quite fanciful. But the truth is that this was never the intention. Director Roland Emmerich sucks at character development - it would be prudent to say that he may not know what that actually means - but, on the other hand, he is efficient in his action sequences. And since they tend to put the protagonists and large crowds of people in danger, it is easy to gain public empathy, since we on this side of the screen prefer to think that, instead of those figures, we would also survive - right? Big explosion and collapse of a tunnel? No problem, you would go through this to drive a truck and save the First Lady of the United States. Drag the body of an extraterrestrial across the desert, even without supplies? Of course, if you, like Will Smith, can punch one of the damn aliens right in the face. Escape from a colossal explosion at the last second by just a few feet with Air Force One? Only if we can get rid of an even bigger explosion, in space and on board an alien spaceship. Emmerich may not take the human side of his characters very much into consideration, but he is great at instigating the superhuman in them, which hits our ego right in the middle - after all, if they succeed, why not me?

If, on the one hand, the narrative is poor, Independence Day stands out in the technical part. David Arnold's great soundtrack, simply contagious, manages to electrify in the intense scenes and manages to thrill in those more dramatic scenes, as in a moment when an important character dies. The composer manages to bring a track with melodies that help and a lot to give the mood of the film. The editing of sound effects and sound mixing mixes well the noise of explosions, the shouting of people, the shooting of ships and falling buildings. It is no coincidence that he competed for the Oscar for Best Sound.

The general shots taken by Karl Walter Lindenlaub, which Emmerich brought from Stargate, work very well to convey the magnitude of the attacks. David Brenner's montage (The Day After Tomorrow, 2012, The Man of Steel) also deserves commendation for not succumbing to the spectator's bewilderment. Using Lindenlaub's broader photograph very well, he connects the sequences in a way that makes the beating - even in the complicated final aerial attack - logical without losing its energy. And what about the visual effects, which won the Oscars? Today they may seem a little dated, but nothing that gets in the way. And when reviewing the film today, it is actually impressive that many scenes remain current. The grandeur of the ships, the destruction of buildings and the White House, the final air battles, everything remains exciting.

The film is shallow and somewhat empty of content - the theme "union of nations" is beautiful, but if we squeeze it, nothing comes out - but it is undeniable that the director and his script partner Dean Devlin manage to create captivating characters, who they carry the film on their backs. Will Smith in his first big hit, in his burst stage. The star has always lavished charisma, mainly for his comical crazy things and in the action scenes. The best jokes and jokes come out of Smith's mouth. The star Jeff Goldblum (from 'The Fly" and 'Jurassic Park') always with presence and a restrained performance. Bill Pullman plays with respect a well-intentioned and convincing president. Veterans Randy Quaid and Judd Hirsch are surprisingly funny. The synchrony of all of them is something that helps us to care about the characters and cheer in the end.

Independence Day is a beautiful example of the catastrophe film, almost a return to the seventies past, which seems to have been the decade that "created" the genre. This work by Emmerich will remain in the viewer's memory even if it is due to its exaggeration and absurd technological freedoms. A true guilty pleasure, of those who leave a pleasant smile on the face after the projection. It's another great guilty pleasure - that movie, which is essentially pretty bad, but you have fun watching it - directed by the filmmaker specializing in catastrophe films. After all, action and tension is what Emmerich wants to deliver. It is not about his "sophisticated and complex" plot that he wants to base his feature film on, as his artistic expression resides in entertainment. Who cares about ufanism - I would say implicitly, if the foreground was not an American flag - and cheesy melodramas when Bill Pullman is giving such an "inspirational" speech? Anyway, they say that there is that kind of film to "turn off the brain". I say that for this we have those we can call "bad". Independence Day is not to turn anything off, but rather just one of those event films that requires less from the intellect of others - which is different, and by no means a demerit. After all, features like these by Emmerich, however disposable they may be, will always find shelter.

Independence Day is the sort of film that's best appreciated on a big screen, preferably a massive great plasma television that is so huge you had to cut the roof off your house and get airlifted in by helicopters just to get it in the living room. You should also have the most state of the art surround sound possible, with bass pickups so deep they cause earthquakes on the Eastern seaboard. Not because Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich's alien invasion flick is a masterpiece of cinematic art or anything, but because it's loud. Very loud. And if the windows in your house don't shatter when the spaceship flies over New York then well, you're just not experiencing it properly.

Taking the 1950's invasion narratives and pro-tooling them for 90's audiences, Independence Day is an absolute blast of visual flare and gung ho heroism. The plot is so straightforward as to be superfluous (aliens invade, fights ensue) but even so, it remains an invigorating watch purely because of the spectacle it provides. Back in 1996, the sight of that giant blue laser tearing apart lower Manhattan made jaws drop and while it's unlikely to do the same to today's overstimulated audiences, it's still an incredible visual feast. What's more, the ensemble cast makes it surprisingly unpredictable - we all know that the aliens will be defeated at the end, but what isn't so obvious is which characters are going to be alive to see it. Except for the kid and the dog. They're relatively safe bets.

Watching it now though, it does possess a cheerful naivety in the face of world politics. After all, this was 1996, the Cold War was over and 9/11 a long way off, so the entire world uniting against a common foe without being bogged down with petty arguments and personal agendas still seemed believable. Hell, even the gun-toting Arabs that briefly appear on screen are more than happy to rally behind Uncle Sam in the name of freedom. That's right folks, it's an Americans Save The World movie, complete with a snapshot of British officers drinking tea in the desert and waiting for those silly yanks to get a bally move on and show us what to do.

Needless to say, this is blockbuster entertainment through and through. The aliens are apparently here to strip mine the planet of all her natural resources, but they're quite happy to put that off for a bit in order to blow things up for the entire running time. Fans of in-depth characterisation, intelligent story telling and emotional engagement with the protagonists are wasting their time, but if you want to watch tourist attractions, jet planes and space craft exploding for three hours, you can't really go wrong. That business about a computer virus bringing down the mother-ship is a bit daft though, not once did they try switching everything on and off again.

Turn your brain off and just enjoy it. If you're a hard ass, skip it.

Will Smith and Goldblum together is an A+ in my book.

Highly recommended!

I don't usually comment on this, I don't like to portray a movie as being good or bad just on my opinion, as everyone has their own tastes and needs when it comes to cinema. But god damn, why do so many people hate this film.

Firstly, this is not a serious film, it has never happened nor will it ever. This film is just damn good fun to watch...the explosions, the suspense, the cheesy one-liners...its not trying to tell you that aliens are coming to blow the s**t of of us...its entertainment. To all the people here that have said this is the worst movie ever...you guys need need to watch more movies, because if this is the worst movie ever then im Santa clause! To put it simply, this is 2 and a half hours of fun filled, edge of the seat (occasionally have a laugh) action...and nothing else.

Why cant people just enjoy a independence day for what it is (as mentioned above)...not why its improbable etc etc etc we all know that duh! This film is entertaining, full stop!! and thats all its supposed to be.

Giant, hostile, alien spaceships appear overnight to move on Earth's natural resources; humanity's last, desperate hope is a shaky plan involving a captured UFO from the 1950s and an old PowerBook laptop. Seems like this one was a guilty-pleasure classic from opening day. ID4 isn't well-written and constantly bathes itself in dense layers of cheese, but it tries hard, most the character arcs connect and the big special effects hold up quite well, despite their age.

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.

I wonder why Arthur C. Clarke wasn't given a nod for the idea of the scene seems to have come directly from 'Childhood's End'. I haven't read all the reviews, but it seems some points have not been addressed; for example, world unity. The world is so divided by ideologies, language, beliefs, economic conditions, currency, etc. that it would take a world-wide threat (like an alien attack or another black plague) to unify all the people. This film, shallow as it is in other respects, illustrates that. Also, this film was 'centered' in America, so the film makers naturally concentrated on America, with 'cameos' of members of other countries. I resent being told that 'the worst part of the movie was America' (see above comment about divisiveness, negativism and just plain rudeness). Obviously, I am American, but I have Swedish and English (and other) roots. I consider myself a citizen of Earth. The Earth, this little blue planet is my home. So, let's try to take that phrase 'think globally' seriously. I rather liked the movie with it's humor and special effects (I guess I'm easily entertained), and my wife always cries at the sad parts. Movies are like beauty - in the eye and ear of the beholder. It's easy to find fault with things, but much harder to find the good, the higher ground, the motivation. That's why it's easy to be a critic! Makes you wonder what kind of movies the reviewers rave over...

What's the fuss about this movie? Why does everyone think so poorly of this? Well, in my opinion they compare this film to the Best Picture movies. This is not a Best Picture film, but a very entertaining popcorn film. This tells the tale of aliens attacking Earth and a group of survivors must unite together to destroy the invading aliens. The acting is decent. Will Smith, with a movie career underway, is excellent. Bill Pullman is great as the President. The effects were amazing especially when the buildings were blown up. David Arnold's music score is just fantastic. The theme is still stuck in my head. Overall, this is an excellent film. I rate this film a 10/10.

Will Smith at his cocky best. Jeff Goldblum doing Jeff Goldblum stuff. What's not to love. The movie is really funny. Undoubtedly over the top. The story isn't hard to follow. But that suits the pace of the movie. The special effects for the time were excellent and still hold up reasonably well in 2024. The cast is well drilled with no one having a difficult task as most of the characters are pretty uncomplicated. Goldblum is a real treat as is his father and colleague. The drunken pilot is ridiculous. But endearing also. Smith is cocky and slick throughout. Brent spiner plays the emotionally absent scientist very well also. Easy a 7.5. It does not require a brain to watch. It has a load of elements of movies of that era. But it knits them all together into a coherent and enjoyable couple of hours. You can't help but smile and root for the good guys. Great movie. 7.5.

I enjoyed this movie, sure it isn't the most original movie ever made or the best, but it was what it set out to be...which is a combo alien attack movie of the 50's plus an all-star disaster movie of the 70's. A lot of critics don't like this one and a lot of people who think of themselves as critics don't care much for it either, but it still brought in over 300 million at the box office in the summer of 96. I thought it was an entertaining film with lots of action and a good dose of comedy as well. One complaint I have is that it runs a bit long and you feel the time pass not like other movies like "The Two Towers" where it doesn't feel like all that much time has passed. Another problem with this movie is that it is best seen in the theater. This movie has a score of only six at imdb, so a lot of people who saw it probably saw it on TV. Or if they did see it at the theaters, realized it just wasn't as good on the small screen when they saw it on TV. The movie also benefited from a great ad campaign that started with a super bowl spot that showed the White House being destroyed. The movie is basically an alien invasion movie and it is like a 50's science fiction movie. It also has a lot of stars, not the biggest names, just like a 70's disaster flick. If you don't care for either of these genres you probably won't like this movie, but if you like one or the other or both it is worth checking out. Just don't take it too seriously and have fun watching it.

A very happy ending to a concept that more or less wouldn't be so happy if ended in a realistic manor. Despite this fact, this film brings out the pride In you as a human because it displays our ability to stand up together regardless of our differences. Will Smith adds some of his swagger alongside Jeff Goldblum's always convenient intelligence to create the happy feel American classic that is Independence Day. I also feel they did a quite impressive job on the concept of aliens and tying in Area-51 to the whole story. All and all I was very happy with this film, even though it's incredibly unrealistic and overly optimistic.

Never mind the stereotypical characters. Never mind the non-existant logic. Never mind that the dialogue is inane and bordering on idiotic. THIS IS GREAT ACTION! And there's no point in denying it.

First of all: I love to watch destruction. Preferably in larger scales. You get fed an enormous amount of it here. Second: I love alien starships the size of New York. And you sure get that too. And third: I love dogfights. You get that too. Forth: I don't take it seriously.

This films is one of the best of the decade, not simply because it works so well in an all-over scheme, but it provides some kicks that no other film had up to then (1996). Aliens arrive in gigantic spaceships and blow up a bunch of major cities. That's all I need.

How to grapple with the fact that logic takes a backseat - please spare me. There are worse films than this one.

This is a very entertaining movie for sure. I think this is a good line to begin with, because from a movie perspective I see it as a big old B film, hehe... But I enjoyed the movie from start to end, even with all the clichés, the americanish touch, the sometimes laughable dialog. This is a movie where you just turn your brain off, and just enjoy the fun ride it is, and root for the humans, and especially the Americans (:p) to win over evil!...

The movie I must say has a lot of memorable moments... A lot of them comes from the great special effects. I remember when watching this as a kid, I was woved by the effects, and they still look pretty good to this day! So to end it all, if you are a movie viewer who watches movies for character development, clever dialog, etc. This movie is not for you. If you just want a good time, and a good feeling after watching a movie, I recommend this very much! Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

I am just shocked at all the negative reviews by pseudo-intellectuals saying the film was heavily flawed, incomprehensible, devoid of any merit, and "lame", to quote a few. What were they expecting? A remake of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Sure, I am not going to pretend the film does not has many glaring weaknesses. The plot is hardly original; its execution is even less inspiring. Roland Emmerich goes out of his way to use every cliche in the book, over-sentimentality, weak, flat characterizations, incredible jumps in logic and reasoning made on the viewer, and the use of special effects to overcome these shortcomings. But what some of the reviewers seemed to have missed, and its there as substantiated by the huge popularity of the film, is heart. The film has a lot of heart. It makes you feel good after watching it. And although that quality does not make it a great film, it certainly makes it a good film in my book. The film is vastly entertaining, very suspenseful, a delight for the eyes with dazzling special effects, and even has some dialogue that does just rise above its hackneyed origins. The acting is adequate all around with no one pulling off a great performance, but a few doing marvelous jobs with what they have to work with. Judd Hirsch easily out acts his fellow colleagues as a Jewish father with a gift for common sense and lack of tact. Jeff Goldblum also gives a pretty good performance as his son. Yeah, Will Smith is just Will Smith..lots of one liners and little meat so to speak. But he is bearable. Watch for Brent Spiner in an outrageous role as a hippie scientist. His performance is a real hoot! If you are looking for philosophical science fiction, this is not it. See Starship Troopers(a great film). This is just good old Americans against the universe stuff, lots of action but little substance. But whatever it may have as its faults, it is a fun, happy, sad, charming, engrossing film to watch...time and time again.

I used to have this mate that was utterly convinced that this was the greatest film ever made, and I was like "What? This one? Really?", and she was like "Yes it is, and if you don't agree then you're just plain wrong and stupid". She was always saying stuff like this, I guess that's why we probably grew apart. To be fair I can be a lot like this as well. I think that might have been what went wrong - people who are too similar don't often end up getting along. It's quite normal for me to resent characteristics in others that I also have and dislike in myself. I think my therapist said that I'm "projecting" or something. Lighting is very good in this film.

Remember the posters 6 months before the release? Remember the previews during the Super Bowl? Remember how long you waited in line and how packed the theater was opening day? Remember the audience "ooohing", "aaahing", screaming, and cheering? Remember the exhiliration and astoundment you felt as it ended? I sure do. And it was one of the best times I've ever had for a night out on the town. And it didn't cost 0 or involve getting drunk. That says alot. This came out the summer I had graduated high school. It was the second biggest highlight of 1996 for me. Oh, if this young heart could talk...

Rating: A monumental, romanticizing 10 out of 10.

Independence Day doesn't stand up particularly well to a second viewing. It is basically a millenial version of The War of the Worlds with grand-scale effects and a cast which probably cost almost as much as the effects. Will Smith, Randy Quaid, Jeff Goldblum, Adam Baldwin and Judd Hirsch help pick up a surprisingly talented (but underexploited) cast and seem to have enjoyed their parts. Unfortunately, the mediocre script allowed few of the other actors to make their roles shine.

The plot is so simple it's hard to imagine a 140+ minute film about it. The earth is under invasion from a highly advanced and merciless alien culture hell bent on intergalactic conquest. Our most powerful weapons can not pierce their shields and their weapons are capable of incinerating cities the size of Washington DC with one shot. After the first wave of attacks, all seems lost, and humans must find some way to fight back.

Roland Emmerich's direction is good. There are few dull moments and very little in the way of uninteresting and pointless scenes. Unfortunately, the characters are generally two-dimensional - even Bill Pullman's brooding, depressed President of the United States comes across as an uncomplicated, uninspired and unemotional individual. Limited character development and an uncomplicated plot result in a one-shot movie.

The best performances in Independence Day are the semi-comedic ones (note the actors mentioned above. This should tell you most of what you need to know about the film. Enjoy it by not taking it seriously, but spare yourself a second viewing unless intoxicated. And, oh yea, don't see it if you have a problem with American nationalism - the film is full of it.

I really enjoyed watching this movie throughout and is pretty fun. The story is your standard alien invasion with the characters trying to figured out how to defeat the aliens before they kill off of the people. It is pretty predictable to guess what happened next and goes through the same tropes. But the movie itself is fun and entertaining to watch throughout. We get to learn more about the aliens and the human plans to stop them from attacking. There's a lot of action that happened during the climax that is suspenseful and enjoyable to watch. The characters are pretty weak with them lacking any development to them and plays generic roles throughout the movie. But they are likable and do anything to stop the aliens from attacking.

I really like the visual effects of the movie with the giant spaceship, and the alien design looks pretty good on the work they put onto it. I also like the explosion scenes that are both great and terrifying to be in the same spot as the characters in the movie.

Overall, it's a fun movie to watch throughout.

On July 2nd, satellite stations experience interference in their systems and the scientists and military believe that it is caused by meteors. Soon they realize that it is originated from the Moon by a huge spacecraft that brings other ones that are positioned over the major cities on Earth including Washington, New York and Los Angeles and governments do not know the purpose of the alien force.

The scientist David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) discovers that the aliens are preparing the invasion of Earth, destroying the human species, and he succeeds in reporting to the president of the United States, President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman). With an inferior technology, Whitmore and General William Grey (Robert Loggia) decide to give a chance to Levinson's plan of downloading a virus in the computer of the alien spacecraft as the last chance of Earthlings to survive.

In 1996, when I saw "Independence Day" in a movie theater on the release, I liked a lot this sci-fi adventure. Yesterday I saw it again on DVD and I found it funny and entertaining, but not as good as when I saw it for the first time.

The story of an alien invasion still has great special effects, but the conclusion is lame with the idea of the virus and the nationalist speech of President Whitmore. Bill Pullman is awful, with his wooden face giving the sensation that he is sick and tired.

There are silly melodramatic subplots of soap opera, like for example, the death of First Lady Marilyn Whitmore (Mary McDonnell) that is forgotten by the president; or the desire of getting married of the stripper Jasmine Dubrow. But after 145 minutes running time, it is a good entertainment. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Independence Day"

Independence Day (1996) is an absolute blast of a movie that earns every bit of its perfect score. Directed by Roland Emmerich, this sci-fi extravaganza is a non-stop thrill ride, delivering heart-pounding action, mind-blowing visual effects, and a pure sense of fun that captivates audiences.

The storyline, featuring an otherworldly invasion threatening Earth, is a rollercoaster of excitement. Emmerich's direction keeps the adrenaline pumping, ensuring that the film never loses its momentum. From the get-go, viewers are treated to a spectacle of epic proportions as humanity faces an alien threat, making Independence Day a joyous celebration of cinematic entertainment.

What sets Independence Day apart is its groundbreaking visual effects, especially considering the era of its release. The scenes of enormous alien spacecraft looming over iconic landmarks are not only visually stunning but also became benchmarks for the possibilities of special effects. The sheer scale of destruction and chaos caused by the alien invaders is both awe-inspiring and a testament to the film's commitment to delivering a cinematic spectacle.

The ensemble cast, led by the charismatic trio of Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman, injects a tremendous amount of fun into the movie. Will Smith's infectious energy as Captain Steven Hiller, Jeff Goldblum's witty portrayal of David Levinson, and Bill Pullman's rousing speech as President Thomas J. Whitmore contribute to the overall sense of enjoyment. The chemistry among the cast members adds a layer of camaraderie that enhances the audience's connection to the characters.

Independence Day is not just a sci-fi action film; it's a feel-good celebration of humanity's resilience and unity in the face of a larger-than-life threat. Released on July 4th, the American Independence Day, the film's thematic resonance is accompanied by an infectious sense of patriotism and pride.

David Arnold's musical score complements the film's fun factor, adding to the overall enjoyment of the experience. And let's not forget one of the greatest speeches in movie history delivered by Bill Pullman as President Whitmore, a moment that still gives viewers chills and stands as an iconic cinematic highlight.

In summary, Independence Day is not just a movie; it's a joyous cinematic experience that has stood the test of time. Its perfect 10/10 rating is well-deserved for its exhilarating action, groundbreaking visuals, and the sheer fun it brings to the screen. Whether you're a fan of sci-fi or simply looking for a good time, Independence Day delivers on all fronts, earning its place as a timeless classic and a reminder that movies can be an absolute blast.

This is an entertaining movie but some special effects don't look good by today's standards. I can understand why this was a blockbuster back in 1996. Compared to sci Fi movies and special effects we get to see today this doesn't hold up. Also the way it ended it's like we see that in every blockbuster movie. Nothing I haven't seen before. Dialogue in this movie is average at best. It didn't stand out for me. Infact there were some cringy dialogue moments here and there. I was pretty pumped to watch this movie because it almost made 1 billion dollars. But when this ended I was pretty disappointed. 6.3/10.

Action, love, loss...to has it all. Bring in Pullman and he steals the show, who would have known back in this day he would have a boss epic performance. Earth is on the line from the locusts and Will Smith and Goldblum are there to tag team for the potential save. This move is a classic. I shall show it to my children, and their children if Im able. The mighty F16 gets lots of love and we all know this jet has been the king of the air for more than 50 years. Respect is given. Randy Quaid wow, from Christmas Vacation to this (oh and Vegas Vacation) he crushes as the insane alien abducted former military pilot. Can I stress that the Pullman 4th of July speech may well be the best "pep rally" speech of any movie, ever. Enjoy with popcorn, a beer, your family, or solo. This one will not let you down. I miss the 90s but films like this glorious legacy live in infamy for our delicious viewing pleasure.

I started reading the comments for this movie and was taken by how many people from outside the U.S. were deriding it as being too patriotic. A recurring derogatory comment was "The Americans save the day, again." And the movie is "only for stupid American children and rednecks."

I don't understand what those people are thinking about. This is an American movie, made for, oddly enough, Americans! Would those people also be surprised that Americans are biased for America? I personally agree that the RAH-RAH factor was too high in ID4, but not all my countrymen must have felt that way. The movie made over $300,000,000 domestically, so more than kids and hicks must have liked it. And despite the fact that, overseas, the IMDb commenter's seem to dismiss the film as propagandistic pabulum, it made almost $500,000,000 in foreign sales, so there must be a lot of American rednecks in other countries too.

Now, if foreigners want to watch American films, that's fine with me (and I'm sure it's more than fine with U.S. movie producers), but they shouldn't be surprised if our movies are "Pro-American." I would expect that Russian films are "Pro-Russian" too.

If anyone is offended by our films, the solution is really simple - DON'T WATCH THEM. I found French films to be pretentious, low rent, chick flicks, so I stopped watching them. Not watching foreign films is easy to do, so feel free to show your disgust by never watching an American film again. In fact, if all foreigners stopped, maybe Hollywood studios would start making films just for them, although you shouldn't hold your breath.

If Germany, Japan, or any other country could make such big, booming, over-the-top films, I'd probably watch them, but no other countries have production companies that can afford to throw a hundred million dollars (or more) into making a film. If you want wiz-bang, high-tech, blockbuster films like Harry Potter, Terminator 2, Spiderman, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, The Matrix, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, ID4, etc., you're going to have to view an American film. And if they have to put some patriotic RAH-RAH in there to make sure they at least make their money back domestically (in case the film doesn't work overseas), well, that's what they'll do. Movie making is just a business like any other. If movies don't make money, they'll stop making them.

Remember- Movies like ID4 and X-Men are just mindless FANTASIES. They aren't meant to be taken seriously. They're meant to be harmless fun on a Saturday afternoon. I don't know if I'm a typical American male, but I do like to just kick back and watch things go "BOOM" once in a while.

However, if you wish to view a nice, high concept, artsy-fartsy, thought provoking, low budget, snooze-inducing talk-fest of a movie, feel free to watch some of that hokum coming out of France.

Here's the plot of this story: Aliens in (what else?) flying saucers come to earth to take no prisoners and to destroy our major cities in seconds. They succeed unhindered. Billions of people die in horrible deaths and life as we know it has ceased.

Meanwhile, in America, Will Smith cracks jokes, people get married and everybody is really happy. Even the dog didn't die!

Now, here comes three Americans to the rescue: a moronic wisecracker, a drunkard, a U.S. President who looks like a used-car salesman that just turned 30, and, of course, a brilliant scientist who nobody knows is brilliant!

In a few hours, the scientist has it all figured out: create a computer virus and put it into the mainframe in the mother ship! The Aliens use Microsoft too, after all! And we don't have to worry about security or passwords! Heck they won't even see us flying around! And even though they have psychic powers, we will be undetected! When we are done, we will just fly back to Earth. And the Aliens are so stupid that they don't use Norton's Antivirus software!

The wisecracker chips in by figuring out how to fly a 40-year old alien spacecraft that he never saw before (and which was conveniently found in - where else! - Roswell). Then the drunk and the President decide to fly around a little and destroy those big ships. The Americans have won again and tell the rest of the world how easy it really is. Just recruit the local neighborhood drunk and send him straight up into the weak spot (never mind that the ship is as long as Manhattan Island and has death rays that can obliterate an entire city in seconds). Heck, you can get rid of a few neighborhood drunks too while you're at it!

At one point in the movie I shuddered a scream! Hollywood has done it, they really have done it!! They have succeeded in lobotomizing America.

Where's Ed Wood when you need him?