Independence Day [Blu-ray] Reviews

• A Star Wars for the next generation

  
  By AK7CAW3N1XZV6 on 2004-04-16
  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!
  
  

• TERRIFIC SCI-FI ALIEN INVASION ACTION FLICK...

  
  By A1L43KWWR05PCS on 2001-12-15
  This is a sensational, sci-fi, alien invasion, action film with a terrific cast and superlative special effects. Alien invaders suddenly darken the skyline across the world, as city sized flying saucers hover ominously over major cities world wide. A computer geek, David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum), figures out how the alien ships are communicating with each other and realizes the import of what he has discovered. He manages to have an audience with President Whitmore (Bill Pullam), as his ex-wife is one of the president's top aides, and tells the president of his findings. Wonder at the alien saucer spectacle turns to terror, as the meaning of the ships in the sky becomes clear.
  
  The White House evacuates just in time, as the aliens launch a world wide attack in complete synchronization, an awesome spectacle that enthralls the viewer. A counter attack is launched, led by fighter pilot Captain Steve Hiller (Will Smith), which ends in disaster for the fighter pilots, as only Hiller survives to fight another day. He manages, however, to bring in a captive. Notwithstanding the gravity of the premise of the film, there are moments of comic relief interspersed throughout.
  
  Meanwhile, our computer geek, realizing why the counter attack failed, comes up with a solution, one that requires nerves of steel and a desire to walk on the wild side. A second counter attack is launched world wide, which leads to some terrific action scenes and heroics by a most unlikely candidate. Naturally, mankind is victorious. It is not the victory itself, however, but what leads up to the victory that makes the film so entertaining.
  
  This is a fast paced film with a myriad of subplots and coincidental pairings that may stretch the viewer's credence but do not take away from the enjoyment of the film. The special effects are dazzling. The cast is excellent. Will Smith is charming and funny throughout. Bill Pullam is appropriately presidential, and Jeff Goldblum is a most convincing computer geek. Look for fine performances from the stellar supporting cast: Mary McConnell, Robert Loggia, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, Judd Hirsch, James Rebhorn, Harry Connick, Jr., and Harvey Fierstein. All in all, this is a marvelous film.
  
  Be prepared for an unintended poignant moment in the film, when the camera pans to the New York skyline and the viewer sees the World Trade Center twin towers standing proud and tall on the horizon. It is a moment that gives the viewer pause in remembrance of what was. It is, indeed, a moment to remember.
  
  The quality of this two disc DVD is superlative with crystal clear visuals and great sound quality. The letterbox format offers both the theatrical release version and the special edition version from which to choose. The special edition version offers an extra nine minutes of restored footage. The second disc offers a myriad of features, including an interesting thirty minute documentary on the making of the film. All in all, this two disc DVD is a terrific value and well worth having in one's collection.
  
  

• THIS MOVIE DOES HAVE A POINT...

  
  By A9UMMMTRQGAQA on 2000-04-08
  This is not a great movie, and it isn't as impressive on video as in the theater, but it works on a number of levels. I saw a packed house applaud this film twice and I think I know a reason why.

  Hidden in all the stupidity (although there are some incredibly well done scenes-- the alien arrival; the first battle) is a story about a bunch of underachievers shaking off their problems and saving the day. You have a President failing in the polls (Pullman), a fighter pilot (Smith) who repeatedly fails to make the astronaut corps; an alcoholic Vietnam era fighter jock(Quaid) who can't do a crop dusting job right; a stripper (nothing against strippers) who manages to save her family and her dog during the alien launched holocaust. It's no wonder so many people wanted to see the aliens lose -- in many ways this movie is about overcoming obstacles.

  This movie also makes real everyone's ultimate fantasy of super aliens taking on a super power -- probably why the blowing up of the White House caused such a reaction -- seeing that, you know the battle's on.

  The message of everyone working together is somewhat lost in the jingoism of the film, but seeing an Arab/Israeli pilot team kind of brings home the message. It is a silly movie, but at its heart it connects with people's optimism. Most movies today are more cynical, so it's interesting that this one works. Enjoy it.

  Also, much has been said about the inability of the laptop to connect with the alien ship-- Goldblum discovers the alien's use of our satellite system -- according to the movie they had already made THEIR system compatible to ours. Well, it's possible, anyway.
  
  

• An Outstanding DVD Package!

  
  By A18CRS4FLVH5YW on 2000-07-03
  Studios are finally getting the whole DVD thing! This is a truly worth-your-money deal with lots of extras including two versions of the film; the first version is the original theatrical release and the second version is a directors cut featuring about 9 minutes of added footage not released in theatres. What's really great about this is they list what new scenes have been included and some of them are really funny and some of them make the story a lot more heartfelt. Also included is a second disc that includes a really cool mockumentary called "The ID4 Invasion" which is truly a priceless gem in this great collection. Also, there is commentary, lots of interviews with cast and crew, a special effects documentary on the making of the film and the original biplane ending which unfortunately looks really hokey and what I felt after watching it was-THANK GOD THEY DIDN'T GO WITH THAT ENDING-THAT ENDING WOULD'VE MADE THIS MOVIE A "REAL" DISASTER! For a product like this under $30 it is totally worth your money. For those who appreciated this movie as a special effects funfest, this DVD is not one to be passed up. For those of you boring types who felt this movie needed a "serious acting edge" buy Out of Africa and leave science fiction alone! Cheers!
  
  

• Great Entertainment (for U.S. citizens)

  
  By on 1999-08-18
  If you read on thru this whole list, you'll see that people either love or hate this movie. The ones that hated it expected it to be something its not - Star Trek, apparently, although they are somehow upholding Star Wars as being a believable picture with serious acting and well-rounded character development. HUH?

  Independence Day is neither. It is an action film, in the tradition of The Rock and ConAir. If you like that stuff, you'll like this better. If not, you probably won't like this - especially if your normal film selection runs toward serious drama. This isn't Wells, and it isn't meant to be; nowhere did the producers say they were re-making the War of the Worlds except in people's imaginations.

  I only had two problems with this film:

  1) It's target audience is the USA and only the USA. Now, if you're a US citizen, like I am, and you thought it wouldn't be shown in any other country, you could sit back and enjoy it and get all teary-eyed with patiotism. [Just like if it was made in your country and depicted your country as saving the day you might react the same way - probably most people have some kind of fantasy where they save the world single-handedly, even if the fantasy is only momentary - the movie is like that]. But when you know other world citizens will see it, it's just plain embarrassing. Unfortunately, what it *does* try to get across (its only real message) is that we would all of us on Earth work together if anything like that ever happened (and you know we would, I don't care where you're from). And it fails this by being too US-oriented. We're not all a bunch of provincials, in spite of movies like this being made.

  2) The inclusion of an absolutely gratuitous death for no reason other than to draw sympathy, apparently. You'll know what I mean when you see it. These two problems are all that kept it from being five stars.

  I still recommend you see it. It was outstanding otherwise (unless you're the heavy drama type as mentioned above). If you're not from the US, just bite your tongue and know that a lot of us are just as embarrassed as you are miffed.
  
  

• Best FX yet, even without a truly spectacular story
  By A3OI841P5R6FCH on 2000-07-08
  The plot is basically derived from various b-grade sci-fi flicks, with many references to past milestones in sci-fi entertainment (not to mention pop culture), including "Star Trek", "Star Wars", and "2001". The stock "Alien invasion" and "The average Joes save the day" storylines are used to full effect in this one. But for some reason I rather enjoy viewing this neat little epic. And to this day, I've yet to view a movie that boasts more realistic visual effects than this effort (although many of the rear-projection screen shots could've been better).

  Howzabout them buildings? They blew up REAL good, huh huh. And let's face it... with all the gripes we have about our government, is there any adult Yank viewer who doesn't feel just a tiny bit of morbid satisfaction along with the horror after seeing the U.S. Capitol building or the White House go up in flames, even if only in fiction? Actually, there's probably a lot of non-American viewers who find it pretty amusing too. Not to be outdone of course, New York and L.A. also receive some quick "urban renewal", both just as spectacularly as the D.C. blowout.

  A good portion of the restored Special Edition footage helps to further flesh out the subplot involving Randy Quaid's character, who plays the stereotypical "ne'er-do-well who redeems himself in the end" character. Most of the remaining added bits are extensions of scenes, rather than entire scenes themselves. If you are a more casual viewer of ID4, a few of these added bits might pass you by with little notice.

  Although not as extensively equipped as "The Abyss" Special Edition DVD, 20th Century Fox did throw in quite a few extra features on Disc Two, including theatrical trailers, TV spots, production stills, and a few "making-of" documentaries. There's also a DVD-ROM game that I don't presently have the technology to try out...

  But out of all the extras given, I find the most entertaining part to be the original ending, which is laughably hokey... well, more hokey than many of the other moments in the movie anyway. All I'm going to say is you'll have to see it to believe it...

  'Late
  
  

• Hole In the World? More Like Hole In The Plot prt. 1
  By ADQCCHVTDZ3R0 on 2003-12-23
  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?
  
  
• Really really stoopid but them explosions sure wuz purdy!!!
  By A2FS38D943KX12 on 2004-01-12
  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.
  
  

• it really deserves zero stars!
  By on 1999-11-26
  trite, unbelieveable, predictable, overrated, mindless Hollywood garbage. Will Smith once agains proves he has no talent. the movie is aimed at pre-adolescents and anyone else who has the brain of one. most Americans will love this since it formulated for their mental capabilities: gum-chomping, mall-inhabiting morons. if this description fits you, well, sit back and enjoy! if not, don't waste a minute of your time with this waste of film.
  
  
• I wish I left my memories alone.
  By A1LF5ZC278YTKS on 2002-03-29
  I saw this movie in the theater originally and had a decent memory of it. It was a fun summer movie and the special effects were great. So when this two DVD THX version came out, I bought a copy. I wish I had stuck with my memories, because it is such a cheesy movie watching it now, almost six years later.

  The special effects are still decent, but can't really compare with what they do nowadays. And since the special effects can no longer compensate for the screenplay (or lack thereof), there is really nothing to the movie, even watching it from a purely entertainment standpoint.

  Giving the movie every benefit of the doubt possible, there are still so many things that make it virtually unwatchable. Here are just a couple:

  -- The acting is just so shallow and non-passionate. Millions of people die when the aliens destroy entire cities, yet the cast, including the supposed President of the U.S. (a poorly cast Bill Pullman) is on a plane joking around hours later with no apparent sadness for what happened.

  -- Scientists have been studying an alien spaceship at Area 51 for 40 years, yet Jeff Goldblum (in the same role he played in Jurassic Park) is able to come in, decipher the ship's secrets, and get the ship ready to fly in 24 hours.

  -- Will Smith steals a helicopter when he finds out his hometown is destroyed (and thus his girlfriend and girlfriend's son), and manages to land within 50 yards of where his girlfriend has survived and camped out (and coincidentally found the first lady of the U.S. on the side of what used to be a road)

  -- The part about planting a computer virus in the mother ship isn't even worth mentioning.

  In summary, I would recommend that if you have good memories of this movie from when it came out, please leave them as good memories and don't ruin them by watching this movie again. I wish I had this advice.
  
  

• A movie that ENTERTAINS from start to finish!
  By on 2004-04-25
  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?
  
  
• Horrible, horrible, horrible film
  By A3U0BJUDFN7Z0L on 2005-02-11
  Have I mentioned it was horrible? This film is officially my least favorite film of all time. Why? I'd count the reasons out on my hand, but unfortunately my hand does not have 1500 fingers. How all of these people can say "This is the best film eva!" to this insipid festering pile of cack is beyond me - it's obviously aimed at people with the intelligence of a shirt. Gaping plot holes, over-acting, patronising (and frankly quite insulting to anyone outside the US) gung-ho, awful stereotyping (yes, Emmerich, all British people talk with "what-ho" accents, sip tea, and say "bloody" at every opportunity), ridiculous coincidences, I could go on... and I will!
  
  I'd have thought the Australians would have been up in arms as well, because their designated mothership was not even over their governmental capital, but instead over the Sydney Opera House. Why? Oh yes, silly me, I forgot that Opera is our hidden special weapon.
  
  And as for the computer virus thing. Deary deary me. I can imagine a thousand runts across the planet, upon first seeing that moment, breathing a sigh of relief - "of course, get them with a computer virus".
  
  There are so many things that rile me about this film, but what riles me even more is that people actually enjoy it, and cannot see it for what it really is! Those people for whom special effects make a movie, sod the plotline. It's because of people like this that people like Emmerich are given vast quantities of cash to come out with this rubbish.
  
  Ed Wood must be turning in his grave - his title of The Worst Director of All Time has been [bloody] usurped.
  
  What ho.
  
  
  
• Independence Day
  By A1OGPR0AKZ4K7D on 2008-03-24
  This is one of my most favorite movies!! It is hard to pick which is better the cast, special effects or writing. The special effects go without saying - superb. The timing on some of the events like the synchronized takedown of the different cities could not have been done better. I can't say enough nice things about the cast. Will Smith was funny at times and yet still the tragic hero. Randy Quaid was priceless! Jeff Goldblum was more likeable in this movie than I have ever seen him in the past. I also thought Robert Loggia and Bill Pullman were well chosen. While the script was similar to movies done in the past, there was a new spin on it. I particularly liked the scene when Bill Pullman gave his speech prior to fighting the enemy. Some borrowed history from a Dylan Thomas' poem was genius.
  
  
  
• Good Movie - Great DVD
  By A1X80H3GWU409C on 2000-07-10
  I bought this movie because Fox seems to put out excellent DVD's. The Abyss, Fight Club, Aliens - all great Special Editions with extras. The same is true of Independence Day. Disc 1 has the theatrical version as well as the Special Edition. Disc 2 is just full of Extra Features. Documentaries & Behind the Scenes Footage are all over the place. There is also an alternate ending. I'm sure most people have seen the movie - but just in case here's the quick lowdown. Alien battleships strategically position themselves around the world. They eventually attack earth & of course USA leads the world in a counter-attack. Great Special Effects & CGI throughout the movie. Great performances by Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Will Smith, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, Judd Hirsch and many more.

  This is one of those DVD's that is actually worth buying. Movie gets a 4 - DVD deserves a 5. Way to go again Fox!
  
  

• Come on, it's just fun...
  By on 2000-06-14
  How come nobody brought up the fact the aliens use RS232 interface (so is that earth technology or alien technology?) and their computer's CPU recognises Intel instructions? :-) (Maybe they were running Windows - Alien OEM version? And what, no virus checker? :-D)

  I went to one of the preview sessions in Sydney, and at 2 o'clock in the morning, when they showed one of the alien ships crashed over the Sydney Opera House, everybody in the audience clapped and cheered.

  Some sci-fi movies are just meant to entertain. Forget the social implications and scientific justifications it made to mankind. This is just a no-brainer film that takes your mind off your everyday troubles/hassles etc....even when you are picking holes in the movie..
  
  

• Trash!
  By on 2000-05-14
  If your IQ is extremely low, this movie might be for you.
  
  
• Pentagon production
  By A1TUDEC66M9FO3 on 2006-06-10
  This film was filled with cliches, macho posturing, glorification of violence, fear of "the other," and all sorts of manipulative emotional triggers. As I watched it, I thought of the book, "Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the Movies." "Independence Day" served all the interests of our overgrown military establishment - lots of joyful explosions, jingoism and rallying around the warrior president. There's even a scene of a US suicide bomber, thrusting his jet into the core of the "mother ship."
  There was a review of this film in the satirical paper, "The Onion." They mentioned how the representation of aliens as invaders who are going to destroy us helps to engender a pattern of thinking that frightened US citizens apply to people in other countries, immigrants, socialists or whoever our military state is targeting for oppression.
  If people are interested in learning more about how some of us are being manipulated by these sorts of films, I'd highly recommmend Eugene Jarecki's documentary "Why We Fight." It's an expose of the military industrial mafia that Eisenhower warned us about, and the culture that helps the Pentagon profiteers get away with their crimes.
  
  This quote from "Patriotism" by Emma Goldman is dedicated to Will Smith, who in the movie is a pilot who is driving the new jet-fighter, and exclaims, "I've got to get me one of these" -
  "The powers that have for centuries been engaged in enslaving the masses have made a thorough study of their psychology. They know that the people at large are like children whose despair, sorrow, and tears can be turned into joy with a little toy. And the more gorgeously the toy is dressed, the louder the colors, the more it will appeal to the million-headed child.
  An army and navy represent the people's toys. To make them more attractive and acceptable, hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent for the display of these toys."
  
  
• Independance Day - If I could, I'd give it zero
  By A1TDSPN5G1PP2L on 2000-01-16
  Okay... I rented this expecting to watch a decent (at least decent, considering how much it cost) movie. Once I was through with it, I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I could go on forever about how bad this movie was. Featuring the dumbest lines in movie history, ( WOMP! " Welcome to Earth! " " I'm Baaack!" ) and some of the dumbest actions ever (let's upload a virus into the Alien computer!) this movie is just.. .... I mean, come on, they put the President in a jet. How stupid is that. And Will Smith is just horrible in this movie. This is your typical "The world is in trouble, it's USA to the rescue" movies, and is, in my opinion, one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Just think of all the starving kids they could have fed by not making this thing. Instead, they waste tons of donatable dollars to give us this moronic waste of time. Pathetic. It's not 'I'll watch it to make fun of it' horrible, it's just plain HORRIBLE. Period.
  
  
• One of the greatest sci-fi epics ever created.
  By A2198FZZMTJ38H on 2000-04-12
  Independence Day creates a setting of an alien invasion of Earth, and how it affects people in different places in the United States who eventually come together to fight their common enemy. Will Smith and Vivica A. Fox play a couple on the verge of getting married, yet when he is called away to duty at the military base outside of Los Angeles, they must put the plans on hold, and are separated when the attack comes. Jeff Goldblum and Judd Hirsch play son and father, and Goldblum is the first to decipher the signal sent from the alien spacecraft. In a mad dash to Washington DC, Goldblum encounters his ex-wife, played by Margaret Colin, who is advisor to the President, played by Bill Pullman. The movie is a superb package of stunning visual effects and an entertaining, adrenaline-pumped storyline that never stops moving. The action spans through the length of the feature, and Independence Day will undoubtedly remain one of the most masterful science fiction films to date.
  
  
• An Utterly Disgusting Disappointment...
  By on 2000-02-05
  When the teaser trailers for this movie first appeared about a year before its release in the summer of '96, I was expecting an incredible film kind of like "V: The Final Battle" mixed together with the Japanimation "Macross" saga rolled into action scenes like "Empire Strikes Back".

  Instead, we get Will Smith trash-talking an alien he is dogfighting with like he might do to an opponent in the basketball court, a president who flies a fighter plane in the last scene, and way, way. waaaaay too much focus on the American aspect of the "alien invasion."

  I felt that this film could have done sooooo much more than it did had it focused more on how people in other parts of the world dealt with the aliens, and the plot would have been far more interesting if the aliens had landed ground forces.

  Oh, and by the way, did anyone catch the scene where Will Smith's girlfriend is driving a truck through the devastated and leveled Los Angeles? All the buildings were utterly destroyed, but there were two swaying palm trees, apparently unscathed by the nuclear holocaust. Must've been *alien* trees, huh?
  
  

• Harmless Fun.
  By ACMOLKXVKQ06Z on 2000-05-28
  I don't why people hate this movie so much. Yes, the movie is not very well written, and the acting is just terrible (I can't believe Will Smith got an acting career from this) but it is harmless fun. It's an action blockbuster in its purest form. MOVIES ARE MEANT TO ENTERTAIN, that doesn't mean they have to have deeply written scripts like "Blade Runner", or "2001" (is that a rule or something, I don't think so) they just have to entertain, and that's what this movie does, with flying colors.

  Movies help us escape reality, that's why it's not very realistic. So it's reccomended, if you want a mindless, but fun thrill ride.

  The 2 Disc DVD is worth the price alone, soooo many features.
  
  

• movies are for entertainment
  By A2Q6GW8V1VS86Z on 2000-06-11
  So give us all a break! To all the self-proclaimed elitist snobs. Lets try to remember that is the reason why movies like Independence Day are made, to escape from our dower everyday lives and thats why we flock to see them. Yes, the United States is made to look like the world savior, but how far is that really from the truth? Arent we called upon all the time to save the world from itself? If the plot of this movie were to really happen the united nations would roll over and beg for us to save them! Yes it is a feel good about being American movie and so it should be we were riding the high from our victory in the Persian Gulf and a resurgence of patriotism and this movie capitolized on this in spades it was meant to make you want to stand up and sing "proud to be an American" at the end of the movie. I think that the other nations peoples may just see this for what it is and may make them get the message that its better to join us than fight us anymore. And wasnt anyone watching the part of the movie were it said that the president was an ex-fighter pilot Gulf War hero, so with pilots at a shortage then wouldnt Pullman get in the cockpit once again? After all once a fighter jock always a fighter jock! And though it didnt explain it the more I let go of my cinisism of the Smith finding his girlfriend scene, it led me to think well she did go to El Toro marine air station and maybe he checked elsewhere and figured maybe she went there in such an emergency, my wife would go to our air base where I am stationed in such a situation and what military spouse would not? All in all its a decent movie with some good humour and great special effects and the video transfer onto digital is superbly done, the sound in 5.1 will give a great workout to all our expensive surround systems and isnt that what they are bought for. Plus there are some great extras I just wish more releases had this much stuff on them, maybe someday hollywood will start to make more movies that completly utilize the advantages of DVD, like multi camera angles and such. Go on and buy this you wont be dissapointed and if you are well maybe you should stick with documentaries and nature specials.
  
  
• ending
  By AD79N1396WAYR on 1999-12-28
  this was a very impressive movie the first few times i saw it. i mean i expected no less from the makers of star gate, and would later go on to make godzilla. however the ending was too short and ended too quickly it was like 'ok we've killed them lets go shoot off some fire works its the 4th of july!' this was a great movie dont get me wrong. it built up great to a climax that lasted about 5 min. this is not what i expected. now the DVD has more footage and another ending that hopefully will explain more about the aliens and how they were distroyed. the original version was totaly in the prespective of the humans witch was good, i liked it, it was intended to be this way. but everytime i see this movie i want to see more about the aliens, were are they from, were have they been, what are there plans? i will buy this DVD i loved this movie, and the special features are what sell a DVD to me and this movie has the features to sell the movie. but if it didnt i would still buy it.
  
  
• A Great Fireworks Display of a SF movie!
  By A1A87TUBBDPMF0 on 2003-05-06
  Independence Day Offers Fireworks and Thrills
  One of the best science fiction films made in recent years, Roland Emmerich's Independence Day highlights a clever script, an A-list cast (which includes Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, and Robert Loggia, just to name a few of the actors) and eye-popping special effects.

  This film is essentially a 1950s "flying saucers attack Earth" movie - indeed, it is almost a remake of George Pal's War of the Worlds, which some of us baby boomers may recall seeing either as a "Creature Features" offering on independent television stations in the 1970s or as a Late Show feature when networks like ABC and CBS carried feature films in those pre-"Nightline," pre-David Letterman days....uh, nights. The plot is essentially the same as most "alien invasion" movies of those Red-scare 1950s: flying saucers appear literally out of the blue, we try to make contact, they invade, we resist. Chaos ensues, there are big battles with the Bug Eyed Monsters (BEMs), cities are destroyed, and the war goes the BEMs' way until some scientist or brave military hero comes up with either a wonder weapon or last-minute desperation tactic and saves the day. (And often in these movies the male lead ended up smooching with the female lead....)

  And it is exactly this back-to-the-future "retro" feel that is the heart of Independence Day's appeal. It takes all these clichés and makes them work in such a way that audiences familiar with "invaders from space" can recognize the tongue-in-cheek tone of Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich's screenplay and smile, and there are lots of visual and dialogue tips of the hats to films such as Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and other science fiction series. Still, the strongest influence is War of the Worlds, not only thematically but structurally as well.

  For instance, in both the original 1890s novel and the modernized George Pal version of War of the Worlds, a trio of emissaries waving a white flag approach the Martians' landing cylinder, only to be vaporized by the invaders' heat ray. In Independence Day there is a similar scene, when a trio of especially fitted helicopters attempts to communicate with the aliens' ship over Washington. The aliens respond to this Close Encounters-style light show with a violent show of force.

  In another echo of Pal's 1950s movie, President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman) reluctantly orders a B-2 Spirit to attack one of the alien vessels with nuclear weapons. Not only does the attack fail miserably as in War of the Worlds, but the B-2A itself is based on the Northrop "flying wing" which appeared in the older film (making use of stock film of test flight footage, since the flying wing was never in U.S. Air Force service).

  Even the ending is derived from H.G. Wells' novel, though the twist that Devlin and Emmerich used was not only clever but very 1990s. Instead of being infected by Earth germs as the Martians were in War of the Worlds, in this film the creepy BEMs are done in by....a computer virus created by David Levinson (Goldblum). (And if you have not seen the sequence when Levinson and Marine pilot Steven Hiller [Smith] plant the virus aboard the alien ship, keep your eyes open for a reference to another classic science fiction film!)

  Independence Day comes in two versions of the DVD: a barebones one-disc edition which has both the theatrical and Special Editions of the movie, commentary by Emmerich and Devlin, commentary by the visual effects supervisors, plus the usual language and subtitles options. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment also released a pricier 2-disc Five Star Collection edition which has this disc plus another extra features disc. I have the one-disc edition, and though I miss the theatrical trailers and other goodies, I am satisfied with the DVD I own.
  
  

• Already purchased from Amazon Japan. Screenshots added.
  By A1O430C6F07VV2 on 2007-11-13
  [...] It looks very good. I would rate it a solid 4.25 out of 5 for picture quality. For a 12 year-old movie, it looks very nice. There is a fair amount of grain in some scenes (not so noticeable on my 768p TV, but probably more-so at 1080p) but it's not overdone. The grain is mostly in the darker scenes, where it is to be expected. Don't let that deter your purchase in any way. The CGI effects are dated, and blu-ray kind of exacerbates this in the Area 51 scene, for example, but it's not horrible -- this movie is a hoot the way it is. I did see some banding on the mothership explosion/destruction part, but that might be due to a limitation of my TV. The audio is fabulous as well. There is a 1.5mps DTS HD encode available, and it sounded great via optical out of my PS3. The Japan version also recieved an AVC video encode, and I'm assuming they will use the same for the USA release. The menus include at least three trailers, a game I haven't figured out yet (all Japanese) with some kind of "X" crosshair thing you move around the screen during the movie, and also a really great glossary search feature in the menu that lets you search by actor's names, location names, etc., to see all scenes involving the word chosen.
  
  I recommend you get this blu-ray if you like Independence Day.
  
  
• Truly Awful!
  By A2BX9UPWBK2I8V on 2000-04-09
  I realise that by writing a disfavourable review to a "popular" movie, one sets themselves up for criticism. But, I must say that this has to be one of the absolute worst American films ever produced, and certainly one of the worst of the 1990's (itself a decade with enough horrible films for an entire century). The dialogue is laugh-out-loud terrible, the story line is implausible, and the acting (or should I say "over-acting") is generally atrocious. There is one lame character after another in this film, not the least of whom are its "stars". Bill Pullman is wooden and dull, Geoff Goldblum is his usual creepy self, and Will Smith gives his worst performance of his young career. The only possible saving grace are the special effects, but these can not be fully appreciated unless viewed in a theatre. There are not enough synonyms in a thesaurus to fully describe how bad this movie is. A film that truly deserves to be 'booed' at the end of (as I did), it is on my list of ALL-TIME WORST MOVIES!
  
  
• "Where are they now?"
  By A1V1L0YTQ3MSXI on 2000-07-19
  "They'll be entering our atmosphere within the next 25 minutes." HAD to put this in! This is undoubtedly one of the most fun sci-fi movies in history. The tale starts with a ship roughly 1/4 size of the moon entering orbit of earth, only to send down multiple city sized ships to our cities to wipe out humanity. This is one of those movies where you won't realize you've spent nearly 3 hours in front of your set. In fact, you'll probably want more!

  Though this is not one of your "great thinker" movies, it's not really meant to be. From Dean Devlin himself (Producer), it's really a "popcorn movie." Sit down, eat your popcorn, and enjoy the ride. If you want thought, Amazon.com has 2001 for sale, too. Nonetheless, this movie still succeeds. The story is fun and easy to follow, the characters are believable (and equally fun to watch!), and the special effects are still (4 years later) among the best you'll ever see.

  This DVD release is great, too, because it gives you the option to play the theatrical or the special edition versions. Personally, I like the theatrical better, simply because the editing is done more smoothly. The special edition edits sometimes seem a bit rough, but the scenes are still worth watching. Also, the movie in DD is a serious treat!

  Supplemental material, you ask? You got it, and LOTS of it! You've got ALL the trailers and TV spots, some cool interviews and movie specials, and more. For the price of the disc, you can't beat this deal.

  For sheer fun value, Independence Day sure delivers, and the DVD transfer (superb color and shadow details, with a pleasing 5.1 surround mix) is sure to make you thankful for your investment in a player. This disc is recommended in every way.
  
  

• Hollywood!! STOP Making Movies Like This!!!
  By A8SGLDOPCFPM3 on 2002-03-05
  This movie redefines the term "awful", and will have you cursing the makers of this movie for the two precious hours of your life they stole from you. Absolutely everything is simply terrible. The special effects are predictable, the acting is pathetic, and the script is insulting to anyone with an IQ over 50. Why! Why was such an obvious piece of "you know what" of a movie given the green light!? And why did it make so much money at the box office!? And why is there a need to release a second, Five Star, version of the DVD!? Please...I beg you...DO NOT buy this movie under any circumstances!! There are so many excellent movies out there that deserve your attention. Independence Day is NOT one of them!!
  
  
• Don't Believe the Hype about the Limited Edition!
  By A3M4MIU0HIMUT9 on 2004-05-12
  1. The so-called "free movie-money coupon good for admission to The Day After Tomorrow" in only good for $1. Whoopdie doo!

  2. The so-called "Exclusive sneak peek at the making of The Day After Tomorrow" is only 2-minutes long, and most of that is from the trailer you can download from 100 websites. In fact, the trailer shows a lot more!

  If you want to buy the DVD for the movie, fine - I love ID4! But if you buy it for the Day After Tomorrow ca-rap you'll be RIPPED OFF!!!

  Shame, shame, shame, 20th Century Fox. Shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame, shame...
  
  

• Bad story, bad science fiction, bad action flick
  By AXUXVNF54LMGY on 2005-06-07
  In case I forget to mention it, Independence Day flat out stinks.
  Very briefly, I agree with most of the other one-star reviews. First, this picture is horribly mis-cast--Bill Pullman as the President and Robert Loggia as a general? Ptooie! Next, all trace of story logic is kicked aside so we can quickly move on to another "Awwwww", "Yee-Haw", or "Gobbless Amurrica" moment. And last, the plot devices are so thin that I started having nightmare flashbacks of Sean Connery in Outland.
  
  Still, Will Smith is an amusing guy and the special effects are as good as advertised. What's the harm in cranking suspension of disbelief up a few more notches and enjoying the ride? This attitude carried me up to the point that the valiant US Air Force bravely attacked the scum-sucking aliens in defense of a grateful world. These bold pilots closed with a target the size of downtown Los Angeles and let 'er have it with a devastating salvo of Sidewinders. As if a bunch of air-to-air missiles with 20 pound warheads are going to affect a saucer covering the lower half of California! To say nothing of why get close at all? Are they afraid of missing? I fled the room at that point and could only finish the movie after the brick-to-the-forehead feeling went away.
  
  People got paid money to write this dreck. I recommend you don't give them any more. If you feel you must experience the special effects or Mr. Smith's comedy firsthand, borrow your friend's copy.
  
  Finally, I'm amazed that there are five or six different "special" DVD editions of Independence Day. No matter how many times you rub it, you can't polish a cow pie.
  
  

• I, Robot [Blu-ray]
• Twister [Blu-ray]
• National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets [Blu-ray]
• Men in Black (+ BD Live) [Blu-ray]
• The Day After Tomorrow [Blu-ray]