[.ca] Independence Day (Widescreen)

This movie has Hollywood written all over it but it's all good.:
The movie trailer shows a picture of the White House...all of a sudden, its blown into smithereens by a laser blast!!! This popcorn flick was all that I hoped for, nothing but 100% of everything: action, drama, humor and suspense. Many people are justified in stating that the success of "Independence Day" comes from the fact that its nothing more than what its intended to be: FUN, period. However, in this day and age of constant threats to modern society from epidemics such as war and disease, "Independence Day" can suddenly mean more than just a cinematic escape from reality. Perhaps it symbolizes the power and determination of the human spirit to prevail against all odds. Well, I most certainly think so! Just observe the plot and you'll find out what I mean: Several gigantic UFOs, dwarfing anything which mankind can possibly conceive, suddenly hover above major cities all over the world. Without warning, these alien ships simultaneously strike the heart of the cities with awesome laser beams, causing vast proportions of horrific destruction. Just when it seems that all is lost for the citizens of the Planet Earth, a courageous band of human rebels join forces to combat this seemingly impregnable terror. These rebels come from all walks of life, from the dead serious to the outrageously funny. You've got Will Smith, a fighter pilot with a mouth of a wise guy but having a heart of gold; Jeff Goldblum, the computer nerd who knows how to decode the alien bad guys; and Bill Pullman, the dedicated U.S. president who will stop at nothing to preserve the survival of the human race. Put them together and you have a trinity (respectively the heart, mind and soul) of the ultimate good guys to rally "mankind," a word as Pullman in the film eloquently states, "should have a new meaning to us all." The spirit of this movie owes much to past multi-character disaster classics such as "Earthquake." If you are an avid fan of sci-fi flicks, the content and material of "Independence Day" might be familiar territory for you, but it's a treat to watch nonetheless. So, do you feel the need to ignite that "fighting human spirit" in you? Then its time to place this on your cart or rush to your nearest video store and celebrate your "Independence Day!"

i saw great potential in this movie,...:
for me,it just failed to deliver.independence day looked like it could be a good,even great movie.it has great actors,and loads of action.it also has some humour courtesy will smith and jeff goldblum.goldblum is the perfect straight man for smith's witty quips and one liners and even adds a bit of his own brand of comedy to the mix.these two play off each other very well,and there is undeniable comedic chemistry between the two.the supporting cast is also very strong.and then there is the premise.aliens invade the world and the military must save the day.not a bad premise,although not original.there must be something new added to the mix or this becomes just another alien invasion movie.the question is,is there anything original in this movie?true,the comedic element is a step in the right direction.but is in enough own its own?for me,not quite.i just found too many problems which overshadow the positive aspects of the film,one of them being the special effects,which admittedly are well done.however,they are overpowering in this movie.the viewer is bombarded with explosion after explosion.independence day becomes a movie about the special effects, so the characters take a back seat for most of the movie.true,there are some touching dramatic moments in the middle to latter stages of the film,but the characters are not given enough screen time to be developed,so there is less of the human feel than there might otherwise be.bill pullman, as the president of the U.S delivers an inspirational speech at the end of the movie.Pullman is a fine actor but i just didn't feel he had the charisma or screen presence to carry this speech off.for me,it's one of those 'eyes glazed over and rolled back in the head'moment.not believable.which lead us to the dialogue.aside from the president's speech there are are other examples of cringe worthy dialogue.the actors cannot therefore take total responsibility for this.the writers should shoulder some of the blame.finally there is the discovery which leads to the eventual defeat of the aliens.in my my mind the odds of things happening this way are astronomical at best.so,basically i found the movie(although entertaining)is lacking for the most part,and is moderately successful in other parts. for me,the end result is a 2/5