Science-fiction has been growing over the years, gathering more viewers and getting more and more ambitious as technology evolves. Slowly, I’ve been diving into the movies from “the good old days” when my mother was old enough to watch them, and I probably wasn’t born yet.

When Independence Day came out on theatres, I was one-year-old, a tiny little person that couldn’t even speak, let alone be interested in sci-fi. I wanted to eat and sleep, those were my priorities, so it was many years later that I stumbled across this movie. I don’t remember exactly when I first saw it, but since then I’m probably on my 4th rerun of this great sci-fi piece. And just last week it was on TV again, so I saw it as an opportunity to refresh my memory and do a review.

Synopsis:

The communication systems worldwide are experiencing atmospheric interference caused by meteors that are coming straight to Earth. Quickly, the scientists realize that the reason behind the interference is a huge spacecraft hovering the Moon and sending three dozens of smaller spaceships to all the major cities on the planet.

David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum), an MIT graduate turned into cable technician, discovers a hidden signal being broadcast through our satellites that is causing the interferences. At first, he realises that the signal is getting weaker and will go away eventually. Although when he learns the signal comes from an alien ship and the attempts to communicate are received with hostility, David realizes the signal is a countdown to an attack.

With the help of his father Julius Levinson (Judd Hirsch), David must go to Washington DC to find his ex-wife Constance (Margaret Collin). Only she can get him inside the White House to talk with President Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman) and alert them of the alien attack.

On the other side of the country, Steve Hiller (Will Smith), a military pilot with hopes to become an astronaut, is called into El Peso to be part of the offensive against the aliens. The arrival ruins the 4th of July plans he has with his girlfriend Jasmine (Vivica Fox) and her son making them go separate ways.

When the countdown reaches zero, there isn’t much anyone can do other than running away. Jasmine and her son are caught up in traffic when Los Angeles is destroyed. Meanwhile, David, Julius, Constance, and President Whitmore try to escape on the Air Force One from Washington destruction. Unfortunately, while battelling against the spaceship, the El Peso base is targeted and completely destroyed leaving no one alive.

Watching a movie in an era when special effects are very important and play a major role in the viewers’ enjoyment, I have to say that they are quite good. I need to have into consideration when it was made, and for a 1996 movie, it’s not bad, not bad at all. There are a few bits here and there when it doesn’t fool anyone, but the overall experience is very immersive.

I also can’t talk about all the explosions and spaceships without bringing up the aliens. Those things are creepy and disgusting. The amount of detail, their bodies, their faces, and their movements are really good. It’s that type of alien that I never want to be in a room with, but not horribly looking enough for me to have nightmares with it, ya know? The team deserves a big applause for such great work.

The story has a strange pace, and that’s one reason why I wrote such long synopsis. Everything that is happening with the aliens starts from the first minute of the film, and it’s a continuous timeline with the characters being introduced in between those events. I’m pretty sure that what I wrote is about a third of the movie, and it’s not even the real juice! And when the story is all set and prepared to develop, everything happens so quickly. That is one thing I wish was done differently. The whys are put out there and moved on. There isn’t much exploration of the alien history, and it saddens me. I wanted more!

But as the story develops quickly, it also has slower moments within. If I think back on the movie has a whole, the story isn’t that big to be a 145 minutes film (2h 25min). So somewhere among all the action and explosions, the story slows down even though it doesn’t feel like it.

As I say, the pace is very strange but I only started to notice when I was on my second or third rerun that it became more and more notorious.

The best thing this movie does is humour. At first, it’s all very serious, but once the characters are introduced the jokes come into play. That is one thing that I can watch this movie over and over again and will always make me smile and even laugh some times. My favourite? Glad you asked!

Julius is gathering around people to pray when the ex-Secretary of Defence – that person you wish would die in an alien invasion – joins them, but confesses that he is not jew. As to Julius responds: “Nobody is perfect.”

This line is stuck with me for the rest of my life. I love the burn Julius delivers in the simplest way possible. It’s so good!

Overall, it’s a great movie, and I’m not the only one saying it. Since it’s release, it has become a franchise. From books – who knew?! – to a sequel and possible two more movies down the road, Independence Day as gained its spot in my heart and in the sci-fi universe.

It doesn’t matter if you are young, old or in between if you enjoy sci-fi and/or aliens this movie needs to be on your watch list. Give it a try, and then tell me all about it!