INDEPENDENCE DAY

SYNOPSIS:
Finally, it's happening: intelligent alien life forms are discovered - and they're coming to Earth in a giant spaceship. The bad news is they aren't bearing gifts. Fireblasting major cities around the world, the aliens are destroying life on Earth, and the world's only hope lies with a band of survivors (Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum) who get together for a desperate strike against the invaders. With the full backing of the President of the US (Bill Pullman).

"Big money can make BIG movies, even popular ones, but doesn’t guarantee GOOD movies: it guarantees BIG hype and marketing, the creation of an event. Predicability and implausibility mar what might have been the definitive 90s movie about evil aliens posing thought provoking questions through three dimensional characters: instead, we are left with ONLY the SFX and a smattering of humour. Without these things, it would be a very dreary affair. Goldblum is great, but likeable Bill Pullman simply doesn’t cut the ice as the US President. The battle scenes and the alien spacecraft are a definitive triumph of movie technology over reality, as with the aliens, but the script and characterisations should have had as much attention. As one critic puts it, this is the biggest B Movie ever made. And that’s a pity because the subject is eternally fascinating. It coulda been a contender. . . "
Andrew L. Urban

DVD REVIEW