Monday, July 1, 1996
‘Independence Day’ takes no prisoners in the fight for
box-office cashBy Michael Horowitz
Summer Bruin Senior Staff
"Independence Day" attacks the audience with a scope
unparalleled in cinema.
For that alone, it deserves to rake in the box-office bucks and
reap "oh-my-Gods" and "did-you-sees" worldwide.
Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, the duo who opened the insipid
"Stargate," unleash every weapon in the Hollywood filmmaking
arsenal for almost two hours of nonstop activity. Well-worn cliches
(some that hit, some that miss) and special effects galore rocket
at the viewer too fast to be judged, and the overall reaction is
one of awe. It’s ambitious to the point of critic-proof.
From the take-no-prisoners trailer to the planes that flew over
campus, the concept behind "ID4" is simple and perfect. Aliens come
to fuck with Earth. No negotiations, no peace talks, no love lost.
Just all out war until one side is dead.
On our side, and hopefully no one’s rooting against humanity,
are a bunch of B-list performers. Will Smith’s a studly fighter
pilot, Jeff Goldblum is a nebbishy genius and Bill Pullman is
President Clinton. Harvey Fierstein, Randy Quaid, Mary McDonnell,
Brent Spiner and Harry Connick Jr. are other characters with webs
of connections that make this ensemble drama something like "Two
Degrees of Separation."
All performances are passable, some really winning. Smith is
enjoyably cocksure, able to handle the most hackneyed of the film’s
dramatic scenes with ease and man enough to battle his alien foes.
Pullman gets to show a passion he hardly displays playing his usual
"the other guy." Divided into three segments (July 2, July 3, July
4), "ID4’s" act structure and passage of time are precise, like the
alien attack on our planet. The first two-thirds are almost
flawless, crammed with just the right amount of annihilation and
desperation. Devlin and Emmerich bat us from one situation to
another with the greatest ease, never letting the momentum flag or
allowing a dramatic scene to get overly cheesy. Their story has no
real story, thus nothing is a transgression and all subplots are
equally compelling.
Which brings us to the last act. Not quite a stumble, but it
leaves "ID4" considerable steps short of the holy Trilogy to which
parallels are constructed. This film ends up just shy on
imagination. The effects start looking a little more fake, and soon
it approaches dumb. It almost seems like our valiant filmmaking duo
couldn’t figure out a cool way to defeat their invincible
aliens.
This film will enter that esteemed sci-fi pantheon where it’s
broken apart piece by piece as if it made rational or scientific
sense. "ID4" will provide a tough measuring stick for the comeback
of Earth-under-attack flicks like "Mars Attacks" and "Aliens 4."
And this film will also do wonders for Smith and the
filmmakers.
But perhaps the best thing about "Independence Day" is that it
is the summer blockbuster  two hours of unadulterated
enjoyment, unhindered by pathetic storm-chaser psychobabble or Tom
Cruise’s version of acting. Just aliens and the people who hate
them.
FILM: "Independence Day," directed by Roland Emmerich. Grade:
A-
(Far left) A large UFO casts a dark shadow, threatening life on
Earth.
(Left) Jeff Goldblum bravely attempts to save the planet from
hostile invaders.
Will Smith (below) battles alien forces in "Independence Day,"
which sneak previews Tuesday night.Independence Day, w/ Shockwave:
www.id4.com
ID4 and other movies, w/ Shockwave:
www.hollywood.com/movies/independ/bsindepend.html