Independence Day (1996) Dir: Roland Emmerich
Instagram post:
This 1996 sci-fi action film from Roland Emmerich is one of those films that gets referenced all the time, and is certainly one that just about everyone has seen or heard of. As such, I decided I should finally give this a go. I wasn't sure how good it would be, but it seemed like it would be decent enough.
I have to admit, I was not ready for how utterly ridiculous the film was. It was just so funny, in a so bad it's good way. For example, the practical effects were fun, but they were awfully mixed with green screen and CGI. Speaking of which, the CGI actually looked okay, for the 90s. Sure, it looked a bit dated, but it held up reasonably well compared to other films of the same era.
The story was so dumb - riddled with convenience and absurdities that, while pretty entertaining, did not do anything for the film's quality. It was pretty woeful, again, beyond that so bad it's good kind of way. It was painfully patriotic and pro-armed forces. I could not, in any way, take the film seriously at any point.
Will Smith was so unserious that it felt like he was parodying himself for a great deal of the film. I appreciate that he was cast to bring his knack for comedy to the table, but I kind of preferred his serious acting in this one. That mire serious side actually worked really well, and made the film much more watchable.
Jeff Goldblum was the only one whose comedy was consistently on point. I found him legitimately hilarious. I think he actually had some really strong chemistry with Smith too, which helped the film no end. He was quite easily the best performer in the film.
Bill Pullman was kinda just there at times in this one. He wasn't bad at all, but he was also pretty forgettable, and a bit of a charisma vacuum at points. I just wish he'd shown a bit more personality, instead of feeling like a generic American patriot character.
Vivica A. Fox and Mary McDonnell provide the most memorable performances of the supporting cast, particularly McDonnell, who I really quite liked. Meanwhile, Judd Hirsch, Randy Quaid and Margaret Colin deserve mentions for their roles in the film.
Overall, this was a such a ridiculous film in just about every way. It was so jammed packed with clichés and tropes, but for sheer entertainment value, it was fine. I can't say I'll be in a rush to watch it again, but I guess I got it done and out the way now.
Comments