Independence Day Movie Review 1996

The biggest of the new wave of disaster flicks paying tribute to the Irwin Allen celebrity-fests of the '70s finds an alien armada descending on Earth to create some fireworks on the July 4th weekend. The fate of the world rests in the hands of an unlikely band of Earthlings led by President Whitmore (Pullman), a computer expert (Goldblum), and a Marine fighter pilot (Smith). Special effects, despite forgoing some of the more expensive newer technology, don't disappoint. Strong (if not A-list) cast and plenty of action. Devlin and Emmerich wrote the script while promoting "Stargate," after a reporter asked Emmerich if he believed in aliens.

Distribution

Fox Home Entertainment, PO Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213, Phone: (310)369-3900, Toll-free: 888-223-4FOX, Fax: (310)369-5811, URL: http://www.foxmovies.com/index1.html, Remarks: Also known as Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 135 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Sci Fi, Alien Beings--Vicious, Disaster Flicks, Military: Army, Presidency, Special FX Extravaganzas, Airborne, Race Against Time, Rescue Missions, Boom!, Top Grossing Films of 1996, Big Battles

Screenplay

Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich

Cast

Bill Pullman, Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, Mary McDonnell, Robert Loggia, Brent Spiner, James Rebhorn, Vivica A. Fox, James Duval, Harry Connick, Harvey Fierstein, Richard Speight, Adam Baldwin, Bill Smitrovich, Mae Whitman, Kiersten Warren, Giuseppe Andrews, Devon Gummersall, Leland Orser, Raphael Sbarge, Bobby Hosea, Dan Lauria, Robert Pine, John Capodice, Lyman Ward

Cinematography

Karl Walter Lindenlaub

Director

Roland Emmerich

Music

David Arnold

Producer

Dean Devlin, William Fay, 20th Century-Fox

Awards

Oscars 1996: Visual FX; MTV Movie Awards 1997: Kiss (Vivica A. Fox/Will Smith).