Movie Review Monday: Independence Day
As this is Independence Day here in the United States, I thought I’d celebrate in blog style by reviewing Independence Day, my favorite of the patriotic/Fourth of July themed films. Yes, I realize I’m shunning Born on the Fourth of July, The Patriot, and the grandfather of patriotic films, Yankee Doodle Dandy, but I wasn’t alive in 1942, I though The Patriot was a little self-indulgent, and I was never really sure if I liked Born on the Fourth of July. So the decision was pretty much a no-brainer.
Which, I realize, is what many people felt about Independence Day. It lacked smarts and was just a silly disaster film that disappointed all of those expecting something more serious and heart-pounding and terrifying. But I wasn’t one of those people. I just wanted to see the White House and New York City get blown up and I wasn’t disappointed.
Yes, Independence Day is a bit of a throw back to the disaster films of the 1970s, with a bunch of human interest story lines that can detract from the action, but I’m a fan of Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith and their banter in the alien spacecraft still makes me chuckle.
I admit that there was a significant cornball-factor, especially the characters played by Judd Hirsch and Randy Quaid. Not to mention the inspirational speech delivered by Bill Pullman. But Brent Spiner as the crazed research scientist was delightful and the special effects were a lot of fun. So if you’re in the mood for some good old-fashioned alien-invasion, blow-up-the-world fun, give this one a look. Or watch it again for the first time.
And if you want to blow off watching the fireworks and make it a double feature of guilty pleasure patriotic disaster films, throw on Armageddon and get your Aerosmith on.
