Independence Day (1996)

Today's movie is Independence Day.  Watching this movie today has been a family tradition for 16 years.  I'd like to share that tradition with you by providing this review.  In addition to this, I also watched a making of documentary which was very informative.  They used tiny buildings in miniature towns.  I loved seeing how they made all the special effects.

Plot:  Aliens have come to destroy the world because they want to use up all our natural resources. Resources, you know, like oil?  We can't let them take our planet's oil; that belongs to America!

Throughout the film, we see various people cope with the alien's destruction and travel to find safe haven.  Eventually, they end up at Area 51, which for a super secret base in the middle of the desert, is super easy to find.  Notable characters include Captain Steven Hiller, played by Will Smith, and David, played by Jeff Goldblum.  The combination of these actors makes this a very entertaining movie.

There are several mistakes and scenes that make me say "what?!".  For example, David claims he can 'triangulate' Connie's location inside the White House and proceeds to set only one antenna.  Also, in the scenes set in Area 51, the beautiful white desert could only be the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, while Area 51 should be in Nevada where the film claims it is.  Also, in the beginning where the ships are passing over the moon: the American flag should be all white by now because there's nothing to protect it from the sun's rays, and the footprints would not be destroyed by vibrations because the moon's atmosphere is too thin to allow them.  I could actually write a book about how many mistakes there are.

The entire world is saved thanks to the efforts of the United States of America.  Why? Because America is great and this is a movie about our Independence Day.  When the aliens take control and block out the satellites, what do we do?  All of the world sends messages to each other using Morse Code, which was invented in America!  When David is demonstrating the alien ship's forcefield, he uses a Coke can - which was made in America.  And he creates the virus using an American laptop, even though I had no idea one could write a virus program using an Apple.  

And speaking of the ship's forcefield, how convenient was it that out of the millions of possible life forms in the universe, we happen to have the exact kind of spaceship the evil aliens have?  Holy coincidences Batman! It is also lucky that all Marines are skilled in flying spaceships or else we'd have no one to fly the thing.  And let's forget all about the scientists who have dedicated their lives to studying extraterrestrial beings and equipment and stick Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum on the ship, because fuck it, it'll be funnier.

With all its mistakes, the movie is a fun one to watch. Most years we watched the 'quick' version because my mom would fast forward to the explosion scenes because "talking is boring".  I will give this an 8/10 and now return to my beer and watermelon because today is our Independence Day.