Review of Independence Day (1996) by Grant H — 05 Jul 2012

Before Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin began upchucking and crapping out an endless, unfortunate stream of dimwitted, dreadful and disastrous disaster flicks, they masterminded this masterpiece. Since when did plot plausibility become a prerequisite for pretentious critics? Please.

The Day After Tomorrow is no doubt sewer scum not worthy of the minimal effort it takes to flush a toilet.

ID4, however, belongs in the same conversation as Citizen Kane, Blade Runner and all other films seen as timeless. Special effects galor? Check. Captivating storyline? Check. Iconic characters and dialogue? Check and check.

La Vie en Rose, while a slapdash means of comparison because it resides in a polar opposite cinematic genre, gets way better reviews than this movie. Yet, while I also adore it, I challenge you to find one line of dialogue in La Vie as unforgettable as "Welcome to Earth," "You're obsessed with the fat lady," or any sentence from President Thomas Whitmore's stirring pre-strike speech. A cadre of immensely flawed characters bands together in the planet's darkest hour summoning immeasurable courage and more of humanity's best qualities to defeat the hellbent-on-annihilation alien invaders.

This perfect blockbuster sets a gold standard for all ensemble cast-driven screen offerings to follow and remains my favorite movie.