Independence Day

Independence Day (1996)

Image From IMDB

If I had to make a list of the top ten most important movies in my life, Independence Day would be on it. Ronald Emmerich and Dean Delvin’s Blockbuster Sci-Fi––along with Jurassic Park––is my earliest memory of seeing a massive movie in the cinema. The scope of ID4 was like nothing i’d ever seen before, and honestly, baring maybe The Matrix, and Star Wars Prequels (at the time) I don’t think it’s ever been topped for pure spectacle.

I still remember to this day seeing so many clips of Independence Day on the news months before its release. The build to it was amazing. The posters iconic. Every trailer bigger than the last. It absolutely dominated the summer of 96’. Everything about the build up and release of this mega hit was incredible. It took over my life for a while.

As for the film itself, I love every single scene of it. Some may dismiss it as cheesy, or dumb, but whatever. The movie takes its time to setup a whole host of interesting characters and an unrivalled situation, before it blows the hell out of everything. Structurally I think it’s sound, and much better put together than any modern big movie.

From the moment that first blast is unleashed it is blockbuster cinema at its finest. Nobody blows shit up like Ronald Emmerich. No one was a bigger sci-fi superstar than Will Smith at the time. There was no President close to being as cool as Bill Pullman (Dennis Haysbert David Palmer was still a few years away). And then there’s Jeff Goldblum who’s incredible in everything.

The movie is insanely quotable. Every scene feels memorable. Every character seared into your brain, at least they are for me. The score bombastic and heroic. And the movie had so much heart. Again, maybe some will laugh at that, but I loved the different relationships throughout. Had tears in my eyes when President Whitmore sat with his daughter––her––after the First Lady died. Smiled ear to ear when Will smith came back for his girlfriend. And of course, the rousing fist pumping ‘We will not got quietly into the night,’ speech which maybe the greatest speech in cinema history.

The massive destruction was equalled only by the incredible effects through-out, and a super cool alien design. The little nods to the cinema that came before it was a fantastic touch too––especially the Hal 9000 reference in the mothership, and the Jurassic Park line in the same scene. This movie had everything I love about cinema. A true celebration of what it means to be a blockbuster movie.

Also, this might be my favourite movie ever for miniatures (and I truly mean that)

I’ll support this movie forever. It’s not just about childhood nostalgia, it’s about what cinema used to be. What blockbuster movies represented. That ability to entertain millions, and whisk them away on a fantastic adventure. We’ve lost that over the years, but this movie has it in spades. Independence Day wants you to have an enjoyable cinematic experience, and I for one, always do.

… I really could write a book about my love of this movie lol.