Independence Day **** (1996, Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Robert Loggia, Randy Quaid) – Classic Movie Review 576

‘I don’t think they flew 90 billion light years to start a fight,’ says pilot Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith) when a huge flying saucer appears over Los Angeles one morning. But he’s wrong, and the Earth is threatened by alien spacecraft, which promptly attack the world’s major cities, so alert computer buff David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) dashes to Washington to save his ex-wife, a presidential staff member, and also rescues the US President, Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman).

The heroes converge on Nevada’s Area 51, where the US Government secretly holds a long previously downed spacecraft.  Goldblum and Smith (who’s soon shot down an alien) helm the rocket out to the mothership to plant a virus that will obstruct its computers controlling the crafts’ defence shields, so the wimpy-seeming but gung-ho President can lead a world forces fighter plane attack on the aliens on America’s Independence Day, which he now dedicates to the world.

Co-writer/director Roland Emmerich’s daft, simple-minded but highly entertaining 50s-style sci-fi hokum becomes 1996’s major blockbuster (it took a record $94 million in its opening week) thanks in part to 20th Century Fox’s canny advertising campaign that started in Christmas 1995. Tongue-in-cheek humour and the old movie references help the sometimes bumpy journey of this rickety craft on its turbulent way. The scenes of destruction are impressively handled on a big budget that the 50s space films couldn’t dream of, and the Oscar-winning special effects are gobsmacking in a retro sort of way, with the destruction of Manhattan the standout.

A lot of more than capable, likeable actors are too often left high and dry without decent dialogue or properly plotted, paced or explained story development, though Goldblum fares best in an appealing variant of his wacky scientist Jurassic Park role, Judd Hirsch is amusing as his dad, Smith’s a very likeable hero and Randy Quaid does well as a drunken pilot who goes out in a blaze of glory (‘Ever since I was kidnapped by aliens I’ve been dying for some payback!’).

The script’s American jingoism is not redeemed by its clumsy attempt at universality nor by the attempt to undercut the gung-ho mood with mocking humour, while bringing stereotypes of different races and cultures together in the characters looks cynically calculated. Though this often dark-tinged and unexpectedly hawkish film raises a number of uncomfortable issues, it’s generally extremely good-natured and, in an overlong running time, there are many funny scenes and some genuinely scary moments.

All in all, it’s enormous fun and tremendous popcorn entertainment, brilliant for most dads and their young sons who will probably love it, though there’s some violence and strong language.

The special effects Oscar went to Volker Engel, Douglas Smith, Clay Pinney and Joe Viskocil .

Mary McDonnell as First Lady Marilyn Whitmore, Harvey Fierstein as Marty Gilbert, Margaret Colin as Constance Spano, Robert Loggia as General William Grey, Brent Spiner, Adam Baldwin, James Duval, James Rebhorn, Vivica A Fox and Harry Connick Jr are also in the cast.

The running time is 145 minutes with 153 minutes for the special edition.

In January 2015 it was announced that Liam Hemsworth has been offered a lead role in Roland Emmerich’s upcoming Independence Day sequel, ID Forever, to star alongside original cast members Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman.

Robert (Salvatore) Loggia, the much-loved, durable and versatile tough-guy character star, died on December 4 2015, aged 85.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 576

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com/