Independence Day (1996) Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGeIsCLOI-U

THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Patriotism is not for the faint of heart.


PLOT


1996’s Independence Day begins with an official extraterrestrial spotting, where giant flying saucers are heading towards Planet Earth. As this gets everyone’s attention one by one including US President Thomas Whitmore, technician David Levinson decodes an embedded signal that reveals their intent to attack. As he and his father Julius are aided by his ex wife, White House Communications Director Constance Sporano, they head to the Oval Office to alert the president. The saucers would soon pass the likes of California, New York and Washington DC where retired combat pilot turned alcoholic crop duster Russell Case sees this as vindication of an abduction he claimed to have had 10 years prior. Captain Steve Hiller would be called in to lead a squadron attack, resulting in his girlfriend Jessica Dubrow and her son Dylan (Ross Bagley) to flee Los Angeles. Just as Thomas declares evacuation, it would already be too late because the saucers would fire beams that incinerate every city and kill millions. Thomas, his daughter Patricia (Mae Whitman), Constance & the Levinsons flee via Air Force One while Jasmine & Dylan shelter into a tunnel’s inspection alcove. Only after this wave do the aliens send shielded fighters where Steve is able to subdue at least one and bring it to Area 51 where Air Force one landed. He’s able to get there with assist of a convoy that includes Russell. Jasmine & Dylan do reach there as well when commandeering a highway maintenance truck alongside survivors including First Lady Marilyn Whitmore (Mary McDonnell), who would succumb to fatal injuries by the time they get there. At the base does Secretary of Defense Albert Nimzki (James Rebhorn) admit they’ve held a refurbished ship since ‘47 including three alien corpses. Chief scientist Brackish Okun has been studying them for some time and when examining the one Steve brought, it telepathically invades his mind & physically attacks Thomas before being slain by military personnel. That link however does help the President discover they will wipe out the planet to harvest natural resources as it has done to past planets. Out of fear, he authorizes a nuclear attack in Houston but the aliens’ force fields cause the mission to be aborted. The next day, David becomes inspired with the idea devising a computer virus onto the mothership that’ll disable their shields long enough to nuke it. Steve would pilot the alien craft for David to get inside. With lacking pilots, Thomas and General William Grey (Robert Loggia) join Russell and other volunteers to join the counterattack. Before departing, Thomas gives a speech that claims defeating the aliens would bring the world all the more together, David reconciles with Constance and Steve marries Jasmine. Once in the mothership and the virus gets uploaded, a saucer targets the Area 51 base. Russell crashes into it and sacrifices himself in order to destroy it, in which David & Steve nearly escape destruction. The film would end with both men reuniting with their families and celebrating victory against the aliens on the titular holiday.


THOUGHTS


It’s not unfamiliar territory to see extraterrestrials be depicted as threats if you want to go all the way back The Thing From Another World, but each sci fi flick that has came since with such a setting, every story is gonna remain compelling nonetheless. In this case, director Roland Emmerich and co-writer Dean Devlin are able to craft what feels like an adventure for the ages because while the aliens here are straight up acknowledged as threats from the start meant to take what they want like an evil ET, but that doesn’t mean you have to hide forever. The practical effects for the ‘Harvesters’ and the destruction they cause is outstanding because it’s not everyday you see a movie of the White House being one of the landmarks to be destroyed. The adrenaline & excitement that establishes the ensuing action doesn’t just come from precise editing from David Brenner’s editing, but also David Arnold’s score. Once that gets started, you know you’re in for a ride. Considering we get to see our kind fight back does prove the point of the movie that all it takes is inner courage when it comes to taking on varying odds and they get better when there’s unity. Everyone that survived the first wave and chose to fight on is still inspiring because everyone deserves a chance to fight for their freedom their home gives them and no one should take it unfairly. It takes a while to respect Bill Pullman as President Whitmore because he comes off meek at first and not with a clear conscience when the worst threat imaginable arrives. That doesn’t mean he’s not a good person when the going got tough, he steps up to be far more courageous by joining the action given his experience in the Gulf War. His speech in celebrating independence remains iconic to this day because it gives the moment of unity that makes us want to do anything we set our mind to. It sure paid off with an array of heroes that contributed significantly. While there’s no true confirmation if Randy was ever abducted before, Randy Quaid still makes us love the guy for portraying the guy as a guy who has a heart of gold behind the eccentricity. With his wife out of the picture, he had to take care of three kids on his own and battle alcoholism between it all. Despite the legacy sequel giving the Harvesters a comeback, I don’t think Randy’s sacrifice was in vein because he was able to stick it to the doubters and the enemy simultaneously which is too badass to ignore. Moving on, it’s hard to not enjoy Jeff Goldblum as David because he’s the true voice of reason and he uses his wit to get those to listen. If he didn’t have enough altruism in him, it would’ve taken much longer to figure out his Trojan Horse virus let alone immediately understand their intentions. Apart from having Judd Hirsch making a blunt yet quirky & living of a father as Julius, it makes sense for David to have his own entanglements that drive him where he wants to be mentally. It does suck knowing he broke up with Constance due to the constant clash between career ambitions, but it never changed they always loved each other for being opposites attract as Margaret Colin portrayed her to be the one always on her feet whereas he was far more laidback. Nevertheless, it was neat to see them find common grounds one more time before not knowing what would’ve come next from such a mission. I also want to give a shoutout to Brett Spiner because while Okun was most unfiltered compared to Julius, he had good intentions as well since it was his curiosity that paved the way for Thomas to know what was to come next. Last but not least, Will Smith having wrapped The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and left a strong impression co-leading Bad Boys, officially reaches superstar status in the role of Steven Hiller. He’s the kind of action star that brings the charisma to be likable, but Steven is so different because he’s immediately fearless upon discovering the invasion. Only he can say he’s the first to punch an alien in the face and live to tell it. With such a big heart of his own, it’s a no brainer for him to be loved by Vivica A Fox as the resilient Jasmine. Had he not been written off of Resiegence, I’m sure he’d be proud of the career path his son chose to pursue. This movie is hella fun, but there are stil some things that don’t make sense upon rewatching. Like for example, it’s already problematic nobody picked up on the ships coming until it already passed the moon. I mean someone should have noticed with a telescope much sooner. And if the aliens are meant to harvest through its destruction, I don’t see why they needed to wait six more hours to begin their attack. I also refuse to believe the US Bank Tower would be accessible for anyone like ufo fanatics to reach the rooftop let alone during an alien invasion. It then feels on the government to have an alien in a surgical room claiming it’s contained, only to break the glass quick enough to shoot it. If it ain’t bulletproof, it ain’t contained. I’d lastly have to say it’s too much luck Steve knew how to pilot an alien craft just off of one dogfight. I don’t want to doubt him having good memory, but it’s crazy he doesn’t practice flying it before the counterattack. Other than that, I can still say Independence Day is one of the finest blockbusters that knows what it is to remain pure entertainment and then some. If sci fi and action are your jam, then this one will do it for you.