Independence Day(1996)- User Reviews

You have to admit, "Independence Day" when it appeared on the big screen, or even better on a giant plasma TV, it's a rather good looking spectacular sight to see a giant alien spaceship about the size of a football field covering up about three quarters of the screen. The sound effects should be turned up at the highest volume it will feel like a hurricane has invaded your living room. It's not through me flattering Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich for their efforts, but it's because "Independence Day" is big and loud. Keep in mind if you have young toddlers asleep and it's late at night,if the volume isn't enough to wake them up, then you're not experiencing this loud, huge summer blockbuster of 1996 properly.

Paying homage to those classic 1950's "Twilight Zone" and "Outer Limits" series and trying to revitalized it to the 1990's masses, "Independence Day" is an exhibition of stunning visuals and an intensive display of heroism. The whole story stands is what you would expect in a traditional science fiction story (aliens pay a friendly little visit [or maybe not] our Earthling comrades try to take them down in a climactic battle), but it's the atmosphere that becomes the foundation of what holds this movie together. I guess the thrills and spills of watching the giant lasers hit Manhattan enthralled the audiences at the time. It doesn't have the same effects today mostly due to too many movies also creating or trying to usurp the other movies with huge visuals an voluminous noises. And as strange as it may seem, the star-studded cast adds to the unpredictability of who will be the ones to survive or who will die trying.

The movie itself has itself placed in a corner where the theory that anything's possible. Well in 1996, it stood in the middle of the long gone Cold War and five years before a real tragic invasion was coming our way. Therefore, the epic confrontation handled without any kind of upheaval or personal vendetta at the time seemed like the way to go in this particular time period. Even in the brief scenes where the Arabs joining forces with the United States to send these aliens packing. Yes it's once again the Americans pampering themselves as the number one force to take down these marauders while other countries take back seat and get instructed from them like only they have the best fighting skills than anyone else. Sure this self-adulation at times pisses me off, but hey the battles are so tense, you absolutely think nothing of it.

But I digress, this is what makes blockbusters, blockbusters. Yes the invaders from God knows where would like to have a piece of our scintillating resources for their own personal gains, but still have the utmost pleasure to zap whatever they wish come their way in the duration of this movie. If you're looking for a deeply emotional story or an intelligent story that will inspire you or make a deep impact on your life, keep looking. But if want to explore an intense atmospheric exhibition of stunning effects, loud explosions, and a threat that's intense let alone gripping, then this is one you should watch. Be advised this is going to be loud and for those toddlers, it's best to let them sleep with the doors closed.