ID4 - The Independence Day Discussion Thread

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i liked this movie and always enjoy watching it. i remember seeing it in theaters and was in awe when the ships fired there primary weapons on all the major buildings. it was really cool seeing something like that on the big screen. what are all of your thoughts on it?

 

I liked the movie, myself. Very nice action, and Will Smith was great. Bill Pullman's speech was quite stirring for me.

 

Popcorn entertainment at its shiniest! It's not an academy award winner or anything, but it's a lot of fun. They just don't make big action packed blockbusters like this anymore.

And even though I loathe Will Smith now, he's actually still pretty funny in this. The movie overall isn't bad if you try not to think too much while watching it.

 

I saw this movie in 6th grade back when it was released in theaters and I really really really liked it. In fact, I considered it my favorite movie for at least a year or so.

Now, I still think it is an entertaining movie. I like it! It is sometimes difficult to overlook the silliness involved in using a 1996 Mac laptop to hack into an alien starship, but usually I can manage.

 

My major gripe with ID4 is that it's too Amerocentric.

 

one thing i would've liked to see is during the montage of the ships firing the primary weapon instead of just showing american landmarks being destroyed is that we could see foreign landmarks get destroyed like Big Ben in london or something

 

ID4 was good for it's day and still holds up next to all the end of the world films. I'm not a Will Smith fan but even I cheered for the "Welcome to Earth" line.

 

i loved David Arnold's music for the movie. especially when the ships are entering the atmosphere and appearing over the cities

 

Good film, but in actuality, the force of those ships hovering over the cities alone would have crushed all the buildings, they didn't need a lazer....silly aliens don't know their science

 

Seeing it in the theater was great. I really wish they had done an IMAX version of it. The DVD Extended edtion is also good. I liked the cast. Goldblum, Smith and Randy Quaid were the best. Oh, and Brent Spiner was great. The movie also has a likeable President - something very few movies and TV shows have now these days.

 

I love 'Independence Day'. I actually have ALL the action figures and toys from it. ALL of 'em. My alien attack-fighter still lights up and makes sounds, too. It's awesome.

The movie novelization is cool, too. It expands on the invading aliens' culture and history a lot, and even goes into the symbiotic biology between the big exoskeletal "suits" and the little aliens inside them. It's very interesting.

There's also the ID4 spin-off novel, Independence Day: Silent Zone, which is a prequel novel that explains how Dr. Okun (Brent Spiner) got his job at Area51, and how they captured the downed attack-fighter. The book ended up being a lot better than I expected, and gives a lot of insight into Okun's character. Believe it or not, before being stationed at Area51, he wasn't nearly as... eccentric.

 

There's also a sequel book of sorts. I forget the title for the moment. But it starts with the timeline of the movie, only covers the events in the Mid East. It then continues after the invasion, where surviving aliens leave the ship to attack humans and attempt to poison a water supply or something. I forget all of the details, I haven't read it since like 8th grade, but I liked it at the time.

 

I love this movie!! Bull Pulman is great as the president, and it is a very very fun movie to watch. Actually, I think i may watch it tomorrow!! or soon, anyways. I like that it is American centric because I am american I try to not think about problems with technolgy and logic and stuff becuase it is more enjoyable that way. Wonderful movie!

 

You're kidding. I didn't know there was a sequel novel. I'll have to check Amazon.com right now... if you can find a title for me, that'd be awesome.

Edit-- nevermind, I found it. Independence Day: War in the Desert. I think I can afford a used copy for $0.45

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061058297/qid=1140601828/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-8753944-0237428?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

There it is! War in the Desert. I remember I actually emailed the author asking him if there'd be a sequel to ID4, and he actually replied to me and explained there were plans to do that. That was 1999 though, I think things have changed with regards to a sequel. But an author that answers fan email is still pretty cool!

 

I also recall a spin-off comic series of some kind, but I can't recall the title or what it was about. I know there was the comic adaptation, but I also remember a sequel-comic or something.

 

I agree, but it was made with american money, for an american market.
However, I did find the scenes with the British guys and the Iraqis in the desert stomach churning.

"By jove chaps, I do believe the Americans have a plan!"

(or whatever it is he says).

ID4 had ground breaking SFX at the time, and was one of the first movies to show detailed destruction of major cities - years before Deep Impact and Armaggedon did the same thing.

 

i remember when Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum are flying out of the mothership, how the line that Jeff used when being chased by the T-Rex in Jurassic Park is used. "Must go faster, Must go faster. Go Go Go Go Go Go Go!!!"

 

I can't stand this movie. I tried, but it was just a bad adaptation of War of the Worlds, and the acting and dialog, while funny, wasn't that good. Cool CGI, but that's about it.

 

I remember when I was younger, I went with my dad and brother to see this movie. I loved it.

"By jove chaps, I do believe the Americans have a plan!"

 

i don't have the dvd for this. so is there like an extended edition out there or one with deleted scenes? if so are any of the deleted scenes good?

 

Yes and Yes

there is one that is hilarious

 

could you describe it for me

 

Although the cheese factor is through the roof, I am still moved by the President's speech bit.