Rating: 
Summary: A 3.5 star Sci Fi Movie.
Review: In a nut shell the movie was good, not bad, but not spectacular ether. I like the SPECIAL EFFECTS and Aliens. The movie is a kind of WAR OF THE WORLDS meets TOP GUN (for those who have not seen it) buy it for your sci fi collection, but don't pay too much. Enjoy
Rating: 
Summary: People punch aliens and sass em!
Review: This is one of those big stupid movies that people hate and for good reason. It's big, loud and stupid. The town drunk is a hero for no reason. People punch aliens and sass em! People fly alien spaceships like they drive cars. Aliens (from outer space) use Apple computers! Oi! This movie hurts my head. Oh yea, the president can fly an f-18 why not. I kept routing for the aliens thru the whole movie. I hope this new DVD has an ending where the aliens win and kill everyone. I cheered in the theater when they started blowing up things. Beethoven wrote the score to this movie. It went "Crap crap crap craaaap. Crap Crap craaaaaaaaap"
Rating: 
Summary: A movie that ENTERTAINS from start to finish!
Review: I am not one who usually writes online reviews, but after reading several that have trashed this movie for being something more that what it is, I feel compelled to defend this entertaining and funny work.
I will be the first to admit that although there are several unrealistic, gaping plot holes and the dialogue is corny at times, anyone who looked for REALITY in this film is taking themselves too seriously. The very nature of the story's premise would suggest to anyone who has an IQ above that of an amoeba that this film is FICTION. I saw this film in 1996 in the theater, and have watched it several times at home on my 27 inch screen. Regardless of the setting, it is still fun to watch because (take note you 2004 social activists)...IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY! Yes, you too can enjoy the comedy, cheesy banter, and bombastic explosions this 2-hour film has to offer if you check your critical ego with the "power" button of your surround-sound home theater system. Anyone who would even TRY to somehow draw a parallel between this film (which, I repeat, was made in 1996!) and events happening in the world in 2004 need to relax. There was a reason why "Independence Day" broke box-office records when it came out, and it was because we were looking to be entertained for a few hours; we were NOT looking for a documentary on realistic intergalactic relations. So although I would normally rate this movie with 3 or 4 stars, I am going to give it 5 because for the first time I now realize how entertaining (and totally unrealistic) this movie really is. Wasn't that the purpose?
Rating:
Summary: This movie is SAD and Terrible
Review: I always hate movies that have no "planetary" aspect about them. This always kills the movie. What I mean by "planetary" is that remember the movie "THE BLOB"??? Remember how this thing comes from outer-space and starts to devour a small town somewhere in the U.S.A.??? Well what is wrong with that picture?? What is wrong is that I guess the other 5.99999 BILLION people on the planet earth are having a good time and not being affected by this problem. So WHO CARES right?? Same thing here. While New York and Washington and Los Angeles are getting destroyed, and then later the aliens get killed by the U.S., I suppose everyone who lives in France, Tahiti, Timbuktu were having a good one eating Hungry Man dinners right? This movie is so bad. It could'a been a contender, especially after that killer SUPERBOWL commercial.
Rating:
Summary: Are special effects all we have today?
Review: I remember going to the movies to see this. I was excited to see it, but once the film got going I felt like asking for my money back!
Special effects are great now, but the stories and characters seem to get lost with mindless explosions and effects that just can't stand on their own.
Ever watch the old Twilght Zones? The Day the Earth Stood Still? Laugh if you will at the effects, but the stories behind them still hold up today.
I like alot of the actors in this film, but whoever gave the greenlight for this movie should be ashamed.
Rating:
Summary: Visually Fun Flick, But It Takes Itself Too Seriously
Review: "Independence Day" could have been a great film. It's got the huge explosions that draw in big summer crowds, it's loaded with fodder for popcorn popping, but after that... Honestly, this isn't a terrible movie. It will hold your attention for the entire duration of the film. The visuals, especially the opening sequence showing you just how tiny the moon and our little neck of the universe can be, are fantastic. The special effects are top-notch and the acting is over-the-top, loud-mouthed and fun. The aliens are believeable enough and I liked the touch of Roswell thrown in to give the story a little substance. However, things went downhill from there. Now if you've read my review of Emmerich's "Godzilla," you already know that I liked that movie. But the reasons I liked it are the same reasons that I'm not overly fond of "Independence Day." Like the large lizard flick, the story has no originality to it whatsoever. It's a blatant rip-off of all those old Sunday matinee sci-fi movies. At least "Godzilla" had the decency to impregnate the title character. Tons of buildings are destroyed in both films, but "Godzilla" more or less just toppled things over trying to hide from the baddies. Only Madison Square Garden received any extra special attention. In "ID4," buildings were destroyed to show people just how nifty the special effects were. The two biggest disappointments in "ID4" had to be the virus implanting ending(just too unbelieveable) and Will Smith. Normally I like Mr. Smith, but he's just too annoying in this movie. I found myself hoping that one of the aliens would have whacked him just to shut him up. In closing, I have to say that this is a fun movie to watch if you like explosions, but for some reason, this movie doesn't click with me like "Godzilla" did. I know they are different films, but they were created on the same larger-than-life scale. "ID4" takes itself too seriously. It's nothing more than a glorified cheesy sci-fi movie that's fun to watch, but just not fun enough. For a better time, "Starship Troopers" has explosions galore, including some cool bug guts. If that's not your speed, check out "Armageddon." It has that whole "end of the world" thing going for it. Both of these movies don't take themselves too serously, and they are a lot more enjoyable to watch. If that still doesn't fit your bill, break out the old Atari and play "Space Invaders." Now that's entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: RP
Review: Yesterday in France, where I live, they projected this movie on the TV's 1st channel. Frankly, It's difficult to find a film that would be as stupid and pretentious as Independence Day. People who made this movie must be simply a little bit sick. Just look at the story: US Independence Day becomes the Planet's Independence Day due to the awareness and courage of US people; other countries survive because they follow US salutary instructions. I addition you have: - Ridiculous protagonist's acts and dialogues
- Cartoonesque (at best) representation of characters
- Over-abundance of cheap rally-around-the-flag propaganda This film should never exist.
Rating:
Summary: I love this film
Review: Independence Day is a summer blockbuster film. Your not suppose to care about the plot, your so suppose to sit back and enjoy something that could never really happen. In Independence Day are fears have come true. Alien spacecrafts have come to earth and are hostile. After a failed attack by our own military all hope looks to be gone. The aliens are slowly destroying all of our big cities and it continues to look bleak. It's all up to a crack team of misfits that include our president(Bill Pullman), Fighter Pilot Capt. Steve Hiller(Will Smith), a cable man David Levinson(Jeff Goldblum), and a even the dumb hick Russel Casse(Randy Quaid) to save the day and the world. This is such a fun film to watch and is for many reasons. You have to love the special effects in the film. The alien weapons are cool and a lot of the explosions are on a big scale. It's not easy to flatten L.A, New York, and Washington. The movie won the Oscar for best special effects and rightfully so. The movie has a lot of memorable performances that make it worth buying. You have to love Will Smith in the film. His one liners and overall toughness really help make the film. They also helped make his carear and he wouldn't be where he's at today without this film. The movie is stolen however with the performance of Jeff Goldblum. His character David is the main character in the movie and nobody could have played him like Jeff Goldblum. His one liners are great and you love to like his character. This is another hit movie for Roland Emmerich. This guy has taken the Steven Spielberg mold for summer blockbuster hits and has made quite a carear for himself. If your a fan of Roland you have to pick up Independence Day. The music is great in Independence Day. David Arnold has written a fantastic score. It has a great patriotic feel to it. The music is well worth the price of the movie. Fans of the movie should look at the soundtrack as well. Independence Day is a great film. It grossed over 306 million at the Box Office in the U.S. alone and thats a testament statement. You don't make that much money on a bad film. Independence Day is a great summer blockbuster movie. It reminds us why we go to the movies and that to be entertained.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Special Effects and Great Special Effects and er, um..
Review: This supercharged War of the Worlds ripoff is worth seeing just for the special effects. It's the only reason to watch it. The acting is cartoonish at best, the plot twists and turns are absolutely ludicrous, the science is so way off it's comical. But, the really spooky thing about this 1996 movie, is the Empire State building being blown up, and people running through the streets away from the explosion. It presages (unintentionally of course) 9-11 and the Twin Towers.
Watch that scene, and remember the news videos about the Twin Towers. It's unsettling, that a piece of directorial drek like Independence Day, can bring about strong emotional reactions, not because of its inept screenplay, but because it accidentally showed us a vision of a terrible future incident that would Really take place five years in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Sorry, I must have not gotten "it"
Review: This has been one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I know some people find hidden references to great movies, or find some of the lines in this movie funny. To me it's a movie directed at audiences with an average IQ of around 70, no one to exceed 90. Science fiction is supposed to be somewat feasible, or at least give some explanation of why things are happening. This movie drops stuff on us like a virus downloading into an alien system and destroying their computers (War of the Worlds?). And the moment when I was about to leave the theater is when they tell an aussie that the americans are counterattacking and he says "Twas about time!". Who on earth thinks those lines and who are they directing them to? If you value two hours of your time, don't waste them on this movie.
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