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Review #384 of 365
Movie Review of Independence Day (1996) [PG-13] 145 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $12.75
Where Viewed: United Artists Continental 6, Denver, CO
Special Regal Cinema Wednesday Night Flashback Series Screening
When 4th Seen: 31 January 2007
Time: 4:55 p.m.
Film's Official Website
Review Dedicated to: Donovan W. of Madison, WI
Directed by: Roland Emmerich (The Day After Tomorrow)
Written by: Dean Devlin (Stargate) and Roland Emmerich (Godzilla)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Will Smith (Pursuit of Happyness) • Bill Pullman (Scary Movie 4) • Jeff Goldblum (Man of the Year) • Mary McDonnell ("Battlestar Galactica") • Judd Hirsch ("Numb3rs") • Robert Loggia ("The Sopranos") • Randy Quaid (Brokeback Mountain) • Margaret Colin (First Daughter) • Vivica A. Fox (Kill Bill: Vol. 1) • James Rebhorn (How to Eat Fried Worms) • Harvey Fierstein (Death to Smoochy) • Adam Baldwin ("Day Break") • Brent Spiner (Material Girls)
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Every Wednesday evening, the Regal Cinema Continental Theatre in Denver hosts a classic flash back film to allow people who probably weren't alive when these films came out a chance to see them as they were intended, on a giant screen with amazing theatre sound and a huge audience. I applaud Regal and the sponsors of the Flash Back Series. As a person that believes the only true way to experience a movie is in the theatre no matter how big one's home system is, I think it is truly admirable to show these films, giving up the giant screen (one of the biggest in the City of Denver), and offering these films at a low, low price of $5 per person. So, to support this effort, occasionally, I go to see these films. It is also nice to be able to review some of the older 'classics' when there are no new releases to review that I haven't already seen, some more than once even for spoilers. This week's film was supposed to be The Godfather, but according to insiders, it is being re-mastered for a winter release this year, so, it was pulled from the circuit necessitating a quick change to another block buster film, not so honored nor heralded of course, but famous nonetheless, Independence Day. I first saw this film on the 4th of July in 1996 at a theatre in Manhattan during my days in grad school. So, for me, the film took on a whole new meaning this time around. Since the film came out, and the premise for those who avoided the film, or don't like sci-fi, etc., is about a hostile alien take over of our planet targeting the destruction of our major cities first, so much has happened in the world. 9/11 of course, is probably the most significant thing. Of course, any time I see a movie with the Twin Towers in it, it causes me to pause and think. I remember thinking at the time that maybe the film would cause our government to become more well prepared in the event something like this ever really did happen. It's been ten years, and sadly, we are less well prepared and probably worse off. In any case, critically, when the film came out, I loved it. I loved the story, the timing of the story, and the special effects. I loved the concept, ultimately, of everyone on earth coming together to fend off a hostile take over of our planet. I thought some of the acting was over done, some of the dialogue was too cheesy, and I thought there were some plot issues, but it was one outstanding summer blockbuster. Its success, in fact, sort of set the tone for all subsequent 4th of July movie release plans. Seeing it now, so long out of context, etc. brings not only new meanings to the film but new areas of critique.
"…Independence Day still ranks as a great summer blockbuster film a decade later…"
As for the story:
I still enjoyed it thoroughly. I thought the Randy Quaid character—a supposedly alien-abducted, former Vietnam war pilot turned crop duster with an alcohol abuse problem is still the weakest and most non-essential character. The story goes out of its way, at times, to cover too much of the personal lives of the principle characters that can be annoying and better suited to a mini-series. Yet, at the core, the story is about fifty years of government neglect and denial, mismanagement, and failure to plan ahead for the future. As a culture, the USA is known for these three problems, and it never hurts to be reminded, in a big way, of the potentially disastrous consequences to a wait and see or coasting along approach-as our government reaction to Hurricane Katrina proved in the real world once more just last year. Truth be told one must ask, why does it take disasters to get we potatoes off our couches? The roles of the women in the film were pretty much second class cliché's, something that probably would have been altered if the film were set today.
As for the Characters:
Boiling it down, the film focuses on a pair of unlikely heroes, a fighter pilot from CA, Capt. Steven Hiller (Will Smith) and a network administrator, David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) and how their skills matched in the right way at the right time, leads to the wiping out of the alien invasion threat. Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich did a great job of developing these characters and setting them up to interact as they become instrumental in saving humanity. It's still hilarious to see Goldblum mimicking Will Smith's swagger at the end of the film as the two smoke cigars making their way through the deserts of Nevada back to the Area 51 airbase. It's funny to see Mary McDonnell playing the First Lady after two seasons as the President on "Battlestar Galactica". One might observe that she would have made a fine president for the film as well, however that role fell to Bill Pullman as President Thomas J. Whitmore. His speech at the end of the film, I still recall as inspiring, and that hasn't changed. What has changed is faith that we might ever have a president like him.
Overall, Independence Day still ranks as a great summer blockbuster film a decade later. It does get bogged down in some of the soap opera drama, but otherwise it's a classic sci-fi film with a twist.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Independence Day (1996)
Cast Members
Will Smith
• Bill Pullman • Jeff GoldblumMary McDonnell
• Judd Hirsch • Robert LoggiaRandy Quaid
• Margaret Colin • Vivica FoxJames Rebhorn
• Harvey Fierstein • Adam BaldwinBrent Spiner
Director / Co-writer
Roland Emmerich
Writer
Dean Devlin
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Independence Day (1996) Review-lite [150-word cap]
Independence Day still ranks as a great summer blockbuster film a decade later. It does get bogged down in some of the soap opera drama, but otherwise it's a classic sci-fi film with a twist.
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