About six months ago I was reading reviews of this movie from the Movie Review Quarry Engine (a nice website whose URL remains forgotten, sorry people). I remember being amazed at the number of negative reviews attributed to this movie. Yet, in my own memory, I recall vividly a sold out theater in central Alabama where I, my grandmother (Mama Chosis), and one of my jock cousins had to step on peoples toes to find a seat.
Now, thought I, this is a bit of an incongruity. How could so many critics hate this movie and so many normal people (i.e. me, for, at the time I thought this I had yet to become a critic) like it?
Well, I'm a critic now. I've become a little older, a little more cynical (okay, a lot more cynical) and (I like to think) a bit wiser. And you know what? I still don't know why people hate this movie so much.
I mean, this is not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination. But come on, it's and alien invasion movie. AI movies don't have to be great cinematic art (though it doesn't hurt, see Invasion of the Body Snatchers), all they really have to do is give us some characters we can care about, and show aliens blowing stuff up. Independence Day does both of these things.
And then some.
Beginning on July 2, an alien ship parallel parks in earth orbit and drops off a few "smaller" ships. These "smaller" ships (each one a 15 mile wide flying saucer itself) in turn park themselves over Earth's major cities and . . . just kind of sit there, actually. Leaving the American President (Bill Pullman) dumbfounded. What do you do when with an alien ship hovering over your head?
Meanwhile, in New York City (New York City?) a MIT graduate/computer geek/cable guy named David (Jeff Goldblum) discovers that the alien ships are counting down to the destruction of Earth. Unfortunately, his warnings to the president come to late and New York, Washington D.C., LA and a whole bunch of other major cites are obliterated.
That's basically all the plot that really matters. The rest of the movie deals with America's attempts to counter the alien threat. Of course, when your enemies have shields, high grade energy weapons, and seam to get a kick out of blowing stuff up, wave after wave of fighter plains isn't going to do much good. So its up to the Pres., Jeff, Will Smith, and a bunch of other characters (including drunken crop-duster Randy Quade) to save humanity from extermination.
Let's see now . . . what in God's name can I say about this movie that hasn't been said a million times? Um . . .er . . . uh . . . nope. Nothing. I'll just go the low road and say "This movie kicks ass like Bruce Lee on steroids." Hey! That was pretty original, yes? I could just stop right here, but, alas, I'm a critic. This means I have to tell you why this movie kicks ass like Bruce Lee on steroids.
Well, I've mentioned my fondness for the work of Jeff Goldblum before. He's at his usual best here, though this time he's a bit more subdued. Bill Pullman certainly does some good as the president, and Big Willie will make you laugh as he gets all the good lines. However, the person that really surprised me is Bret Spiner as Dr. Oken, the head of Area 51. Now there's an interesting character. To bad, he's so criminally underused.
But that's just stuff that happens.
Since this is an alien invasion movie, the script (penned by Dean Devlin and director Roland Emmerich) gets all that bothersome characterization out of the way as quickly and as fluidly as possible. Plus, there are some really funny in-jokes about alien invasion movies spread out through the movie. Most people would call this plagiarism. Most people are stupid. I mean, even Hal from 2001 makes a cameo. That's funny stuff, right there. Anyone who calls this plagiarism is not only taking themselves too seriously, but they're taking movies too seriously as well.
But that's just stuff that happens. Most of the time, things blow up.
And boy, do they ever blow up. The wanton and apocalyptic destruction of 3 major American cities aside, this movie also supplies capacious amounts of F-18 vs. Alien Fighter dogfighting. Plus, under the direction of Emmerich, things move at just the right pace to hold interest without confusing you (are you taking notes, Mr. Bay?). We're talking some ultra cool air-to-air combat here, people. Sure, naysayers compare it to Star Wars (every movie with a dog fight in it will be compared to Star Wars until the end of time, what's the point?), but I just sit back an enjoy it.
That's really what you got to do to watch Independence Day: sit back an enjoy. Watch the puppet show before you and be wowed by the sights. Don't take it too seriously, because it doesn't take itself seriously. Relax, enjoy, and have yourself a marry time.
RATING (OUT OF A POSSIBLE FIVE)
