On July 2nd, communications systems worldwide are sent into chaos by a strange atmospheric interference. First thought to be meteors, they are later revealed to be gigantic spacecraft, piloted by a mysterious alien species who have set out to launch an attack throughout the globe. On July 3rd, the aliens all but obliterate New York, Los Angeles, and Washington when a band of survivors devise a plan to fight back against the enslaving aliens. On July 4th, humanity fights for its freedom.
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Since it’s the Fourth of July, it seemed fitting to go back and visit a summer blockbuster from the 90’s: Independence Day. Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum and so many more star in this throwback alien attack movie on an epic scale, known mainly for blowing up major landmarks in an impressive fashion. But would it still hold up nearly 30 years after its release? Or had time done more damage than the aliens?
After Bad Boys and Independence Day, Will Smith’s career skyrocketed (with his follow-up, Men in Black helping things even more), but he really comes into his own in this film. He’s got the ability to blend action and humor flawlessly, and his rant at the aliens after ejecting is a high point in both the script and the film as a whole. Without him, the film wouldn’t be nearly as fun (proven dramatically by the sad sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence).Â
The rest of the cast is decent enough. Jeff Goldblum takes his usually neurotic character to new heights, spending most of the time muttering to himself, yet also manages to show he’s got a soft side with his interactions with Margaret Colin. Judd Hirsch is spot on as the Jewish dad; Robert Loggia is a good fit as a general; Mary McDonnell is a heartfelt first lady; Brent Spiner (Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV)) is a quirky scientist, and Vivica A. Fox shines as a stripper with a heart. Bill Pullman at first seems an odd choice to play the US President, but his inspiring speech at the end both justifies his role and has also become iconic.
The plot is super straightforward. Aliens pop up in massive ships, blow the crap out of famous monuments, and the survivors across the globe fight back. Unfortunately, Independence Day really should have worked on the script a bit better. It never really flesh out any of its characters that much, with Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum about the only ones to get any back story at all. The dialogue is cheesy, and the pieces of the film seem to be taken from a paint-by-numbers film kit the studios seem to keep on hand. On the surface, it’s decent, but if the viewer tries to look closer, they are going to discover there’s not much under the façade.
For example, despite being a global invasion, Independence Day is all about the United States of America. With only a quick scene or two of other countries (either on a news broadcast or in a montage), it’s obvious from the start that America is the focal point, supposedly to inspire patriotism. That speech by Pullman’s US President is the epitome of that, with the film stressing that now everyone will celebrate America’s Fourth of July. It’s silly, since it relegates everyone around the world to mindless automatons, just helpless until they follow America’s lead. Sure, it’s American-centric to play to US audiences, but it’s just goofy to think that no one, anywhere else in the world, has anything to contribute, other than as cannon fodder against their own alien ships.
Instead of a strong script (despite the good ensemble cast), Independence Day is all about the action. Thankfully, most of the action takes place with models, so it holds up for the most part. Sure, it’s easier to see that most of the action sequences are done with models, but there’s a certain old school charm about that, reminiscent of early Godzilla movies, or other sci-fi flicks of the 50’s and 60’s. Thankfully, it’s not too obvious to take away too much from the enjoyment, and even the CGI – which has started to look dated – isn’t bad enough to hurt the huge action sequences that bad.
With a thin script, Independence Day is the epitome of spectacle over quality. It’s not a great film, but it thankfully never seems to take itself too seriously. It’s a big-budget popcorn blockbuster, and it never claims to be anything else. With Will Smith shining bright, Goldblum doing a decent job of backing him up, and other bit players putting in their two cents, it’s honestly better than it has any right to be. It’s nowhere near perfect, but it’s still some fun mindless entertainment.
