Rating: 
Summary: Really really stoopid but them explosions sure wuz purdy!!!
Review: I shelled out $1.50 of my hard-earned money to see this goofy movie at the budget theatre, even though I had a pretty good idea that this was stupid beyond belief. Why would I do such a thing? Simply put, seeing the White House getting blown up was sort of fun, and $1.50 isn't that punitive of a price to pay for the guilty pleasure of a few special effects.However, I didn't anticipate the movie being as stupid & corny as it turned out to be. I don't know what was harder to take --- the jingoistic "only good old American know-how can save us now" mentality (I guess no other country has the capacity for organizing a simple air attack), or the notion that you can take down an entire invasion fleet with a virus implanted by a pipsqueak laptop computer (which would probably STILL be trying to plant that virus, even today!). It wasn't particularly an issue that there were holes in the plot. Most viewers have come to expect that. However, these holes were unashamedly gaping holes, accompanied by ridiculous dialogue and disengaged acting that just makes the viewer cringe, or at least it should. Anyone with a brain should have been groaning through most of this film, and the folks that paid full price for this are deserving of our pity. So what were we left with, after all the plot holes & bad acting? A bunch of really nifty explosions, which is great if you were fortunate to see them on the big screen. However, if you are hoping for a similar impact from the special effects, you will be in for a disappointment. This really is a film best experienced in a movie theatre. On a television, even with the biggest of screens, the viewer is left with the impression of cardboard models being blown up with firecrackers, thus making the movie uniformly stupid. Of course, since the special effects were the only redeeming feature about this movie, there truly is no point in watching it at all now. Save your time & your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Hole In the World? More Like Hole In The Plot prt. 1
Review: The special effects and aliens and ship designs were awesome, but the plot was so ludacris I just couldn't take it seriously. Will Smith is a godawful actor. Don't you think he is pretty upbeat considering he believes that his girlfriend, her kid and dog are all dead, and that his best friend died right in front of him in combat? But in the end, it is Goldbloom's charector that is more annoying. So he's a genius and smart enough to save the world, yet he doesn't want a better job. What kind of IDIOT would want to work in a TV STATION?!? I guess those years in college actually taught him nothing except how to fix TVs and make comp. viruses. At Area 51 when the alien goes crazy and kills everybody the alien repeatedly shrieks even though its doesn't have vocal chords. Then the guy asks if that glass is bulletproof. The answer is no. What?! The main laboratory in a multi-billion dollar government facility and the glass is not bulletproof? Why did Aliens destroy the Empire State Building? This is not the center of New York, nor is it a pivitol role in the functioning of the city, like the White House. But then again, it looks as if the aliens are very bad planners in all areas of fighting. When fighters are descending on El Toro, NOT ONE of the planes is hit during the attack. Later, you see a bunch of alien fighters descending on Area 51, and once again NOT ONE of the RVs or planes outside are hit. The scene where the woman and her son are in the tunnel and dive into the closet when the blast is coming, she actually waits for her pet to jump in, apparently more concerned about the dog than her own son. A fire that intense would have just entered the room and killed all three of them. Even worse, that fire would have sucked all the oxygen out of the tunnel, and the room, even with the door closed. They would have simply suffocated. When Will Smith's character is flying against the alien, and they both crash, he walks over to the craft, and leaving aside that he has no idea how to open it, he opens it anyway, and proceeds to punch out the alien with one hit, and it leave it unconcious for the next however long it took them to get to the base. Now wouldnt the aliens come up with a better battle suit that one that can survive a crash into a rock wall, but is still open to the sucker punch? The movie's most offensive crime is completely ignoring all the other countries in the world except America. There is the weak attempt to show that the rest of the world exists when we see two Russian officers recieving orders from the US. Why are the rest of the world's forces in hiding, can't other military forces do things by themselves? How is it that when the aliens are destroying the world, the only weapons we have are 2-3 types of fighter planes, no cruise missles, Aircraft carriers, Battleships, AA cannons, helicopters, or for that matter ANY OTHER BRANCH OF MILITARY? In the middle of the movie, they try to destroy a ship with nukes in stealth bombers. They are very concerned that it will create a lot of damage... yet they fire at the SIDE of the ship instead of the top. Will Smith's chacter was able to fly directly to his lady love even though the city had been destroyed. The president volunteers to fly in a fighter, apparently not caring what the country will do without him should he be killed, or worrying about his own daughter, whom has already dealt with the loss of her mother and one would think he could better take care of her by living and not stupidly risking his life by flying into a battle he contributed absoloutly nothing to. The military and government would not refer to Area 51 as Area 51. That is not it's official name. Has Coke won the cola wars? Every can, every soft drink in the movie is a coke can. When David wants to demonstrate his ability to disable the Alien shields, he asks the major to shoot at a Coke can placed on the exterior of the ship. The major's shot is deflected by the shield, causing the bullet to ricochet around the room. He then does his little thing on the computer, and asks the major to give it another try. Everybody in the room must have had absolute faith that his idea worked because when the major takes his second shot, not one single person showed the slightest bit of apprehension over the idea of another bullet ricocheting all over the place. Not only does the craft itself look nothing like what witnesses describe the Roswell craft, but there is a lot of talk about it crashing in the 50's. The actual Roswell Incident took place in 1947. Of course it could be an older model, but then it would be a clear give-away in the virus-installing action. Did anyone notice the seats in the 40 year old space craft are designed for humans? There is no way the aliens could have sat in those seats because of their size & shape. Plus, the ship had seatbelts. The two didn't need oxygen masks or any sort of oxygen-supplying equipment. The virus is perhaps the stupidest thing about the whole movie. Some yahoo who is not even smart enough to get a better job can think better and program better than all the top-level scientists at Area 51?! Isn't it a little odd that a race of creatures who are capable of building a city-sized spaceship with impenerable shields and all sorts of weapons are not able to fix a simple computer virus? Just couldn't find a working firewall in outer space, huh?
Rating: 
Summary: C'mon, it's not that bad!!
Review: I know this movie has gotten mixed reviews, but it is worth watching. I've seen it many times, & every time it's on cable, I always find myself watching it again. I do agree with the editorial review about how everything just magically happens in the characters' favor, but *shrug* don't many movies work like that anyway? The thing that attracted me to it was just the story... the "what if" notion of aliens taking over the planet. That alone may push some away who don't feel open-minded enough to the possibility...& whether it is or not, it's just a movie. I myself don't think it's too far-fetched... but, well, I'd have to see it for myself. So with that in mind, it sort of falls into the fantasy category...with a mix of sci-fi, adventure, & comedy, so with all these genres mixed in, it's fun to watch. As far as the characters, if you liked Will Smith in Men in Black, you'll certainly like him here. Randy Quaid's character is similar to the one he played in American Pie.... & actually, at times it feels like it IS the same character. You'll get a good laugh either way. Jeff Goldblum is pleasing as the genius cable guy who happens to crack the code that no one else noticed... yah, I know. Goldblum's character's Jewish dad, played by Judd Hirsch, is likable with his memorable wisecracks. Overall, it's not the best movie in the world, but it is entertaining and has many good moments... so there must be some reason cable keeps playing it over & over. And of course, some of the special effects are really cool. I didn't see it in the theater, but I'm sure they were even more impressive. There are some frustrating & aggravating moments (like the virus idea) that many have already pointed out in here, but different things seem to annoy different people, so I'll let you figure it out. It is also safe enough for a family, esp. if kids are alien fanatics. If you like movies like this, I'd also suggest Twister, but if you found either of these aggravating, you'd probably find Godzilla even more so.
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.
Rating: 
Summary: A Star Wars for the next generation
Review: When this movie was first released, my husband and I were a bit wary; we had seen too many disappointing Sci Fi movies (Starship Troopers, anyone?) to get our hopes up. However, when we saw the White House get blown up in the previews, we allowed ourselves to be optimistic, and we both left work early to see the movie on opening day. Sure enough, only a few minutes into the film, we were hooked: the fantastic opening sequence shows Earth's moon, and suddenly, the supposedly-forever footprints left by our astronauts are blown away as an enormous spacecraft flies overhead. In a fashion similar to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, people world-wide slowly become aware of this amazing development, but unlike in that earlier movie, these visitors are NOT friendly. Although the plot may feel familiar, the development of the storyline is thrilling, and it is enhanced by an excellent cast. Both Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum are ideally suited to their roles, playing bravado (Smith) and quirkiness (Goldblum) to perfection. Bill Pullman is surprisingly believable as the President, and the fine Robert Loggia is a natural general. Supporting characters Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid, Brent Spiner, and Harvey Fierstein are all a bit over-the-top, yet they are completely appropriate for the mood of the film--wasn't Darth Vader over-the-top too? And also like in Star Wars, this movie does have its cheese-y moments, but again, the goofiness fits right in. A final comparison to Star Wars is the way I felt just after seeing the film for the first time, which is to say, amazed, exhilarated, and eager to view it again (which I did just two days later). Independence Day has stood the test of time for me: it's one of only a handful of movies that I own, and I never tire of repeated viewings. This is Sci Fi at its best!
Rating:
Summary: Great Patriotic Sci-Fi Flick
Review: First,I was surprised when I came to the page for the Limited Edition with the free movie ticket, to find that almost all the ads were 1-star ratings. (...) Films are escapist, do I need to mention that? This is an American film, displaying a rare air of American Patriotism in modern cinema. It has plenty of cliches, it has its silly moments, but it is also a great film to cheer the heroes. And yes, the heroes are Americans, because if the French made a movie similar to this, the heroes would have been French and if the Australians had made a similar movie... if you're not too dense you get my point. I loved the movie because I liked many of the characters. I liked their stories, their sacrifices, and their joys in the face of impending doom. I do agree with some of the critics who pan the film that say it is like a B-movie from the old days. I agree, it has those aspects married to some modern special effects. To me, it works well. If you don't hate America or if you don't think being American is an embarassment, you just may enjoy this movie.
Rating:
Summary: INDEPENDENCE DAY
Review: I am a big fan of this kind of movie.It was a thrill ride for me from start to finish.Roland Emmerich is a fine director who brought us GODZILLA and THE PATRIOT.With a steller cast,award winning special effects,this film is a must have,and a must see family favorite for many years to come.I highly recommend it along with other sci-fi classics.
Rating:
Summary: Beware This Triple Threat From The Aliens At Fox
Review: This latest DVD release of Independence Day marks the third time this film has been repackaged. While this practice of what I like to call "double dipping", (or is it triple dipping in this case?) is certainly not new, every studio has done this at some point. What makes this release particularly shamefull though, is the fact that, the only reason it exists is to promote another film, as it's readied for theatrical realese. The film itself, also known as ID4, tries to be a throwback to the "disaster" films of the 70s. A huge cast of well known actors tries to overcome a major threat and be victorious in the end. Anyone familar with an alien saga known as V, will likely find many similarities between that mini series, and this film. Huge spacecrafts are in orbit around Earth and can be seen over many cities. The world wonders what these visitors have in store for us. David (Jeff Goldblum) determines that the aliens have begun counting down. He and his father (Judd Hirsch) race to Washington D.C. to tell the President (Bill Pullman). Shortly after the 2 men arrive at the White House, the aliens attack, and those that are left, decide to fight back. Thanks to Will Smith the film is saved. The film is your typical "event" movie, many of which, do have a place in cinema history. The effects are pretty good and the film manages to entertain, despite a very contrived script, and lopsided second act. I would consider this film to be a VERY guilty pleasure of mine. As I implied earlier, Will Smith takes what he is given to do and helps to makes it work somehow. Brought to you by the team that made the awful Godzilla remake, a few years later, at least ID4 gave viewers some fun characters to root for. The "limited edition" DVD main extras are merely lifed from the previous versions. The film viewer can select to watch either the original theatrical cut, or the special edition version, with 9 minutes of additional footage. The extended scenes don't really add much to the story, but it's still nice to have the option to choose. The two audio commentary tracks are O.K. (at best) The first, features director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin, both men are fine I guess, but some of their comments are laughable---comparing ID4 to the original Star Wars-c'mon! The second track features special effects wizzards (and Oscar winners) Volker Engle and Doug Smith. This stuff gets a bit technical at times and may lose some folks. Now for really ugly stuff. The hyped and "exclusive" sneak peek at the making of Emmerich's The Day After Tomorrow, amounts to nothing more than a quick 2 minute commercial for the movie. It doesn't really add much to what's already out there about the movie. I would say that if you don't already own ID4 on DVD, you could buy this, and be satisfied. If you own the "Five Star Collection" 2 disc set, skip this altogether. There's nothing "new"...If you do buy the Limited Edition, you will find a free movie-money coupon good for admission to The Day After Tomorrow--during its first 2 weeks or so, of release...At least if it turns out to be bad, you can say you saw it for free.
Rating:
Summary: Just a Fun Movie
Review: I really enjoyed Independence Day. Will Smith was riot and Bill Pullman as the President of the USA was a kick. However, having just seen Emmerich's The Day After Tomorrow, I was left wondering whether he has it in for DC, Los Angeles and NYC. Actually, I was rather surprised at how many cheered when I watched this in the theater when the White House got it.....what were these people thinking. Anyway, this movie takes you all around the world and of course a bit of luck is what causes the good guys to win. I really got a kick out of how the Aliens on the mother ship say "uh oh...." when they realize their goose is cooked. Interesting the graphics of the larger buildings being the target of the aliens. Sadly the implosion of the Library Tower and the Empire State Building looked all too much like that of the WTC. I can still remember the look on the man's face while looking up in disbelief as the alien ship over Manhattan begins to ignite the Empire State Building. This as a fascinating movie and fun for the most part. The story did drag a bit at times. I look forward to getting the limited edition.
Rating:
Summary: Independence Day (1996)
Review: Director: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, James Rebhorn, Harvey Fierstein.
Running Time: 145 minutes.
Rated PG-13 for some violence, a particularly scary alien scene, and brief language. A quintessential example of the "summer blockbuster", "Independence Day" is a full-filled science-fiction epic with a likable cast, astonishing special effects, and a unique style of direction from Roland Emmerich. It is a film that emphasizes the American dream, patriotism, and perhaps is a stab at communism, in which the war against the all-mighty alien terror is actually symbolizing the decades of struggle that the United States dealt with against socialist countries such as Nazi Germany and the U.S.S.R. Will Smith is excellent as a rogue fighter pilot who finds himself preparing for an unusual enemy--a species of extra-terrestrials that first hovered over the planet Earth, but then struck mightily with beams of destructive fire that ripped apart all of the world's major cities. Bill Pullman gives an adequate role as the gung ho president who must trust his heart and not let political issues determine the fate of the world as he knows it. Jeff Goldblum play his usual scientist role, but is wittier than usual and is a grand compliment to the Fresh Prince. The three main stars engage in an all-out battle against the aliens, eventually coming face to face with the mothership and its inhabitants. "ID4" is certainly not an emotional film, but more of a visual effects spectacle that show-boats the arriving technology at the time. Director Roland Emmerich basically states "screw your cool-looking dinosaurs Spielberg, check this out!" and lets loose with a barrage of intense explosions and catastrophe, making the first half of the film similar to that of an old 1970's national disaster flick. The second half of "Independence Day" is truly enjoyable as the audience gets to konw the characters better and they are intertwined in a battle for mankind. Cheesy, outlandish, and sometimes down-right stupid; however, it not taken too seroiusly, "ID4" is a rock-em, sock-em adventure that will delight the whole family. Still probably has the coolest looking spaceship ever created on film--it is amazing!
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