War of the Worlds updated.

Rating: 9/10 (4 July 2004)

Upon viewing Independence Day I immediately noticed that it was basically a remake of The War of the Worlds (finally). Initially the Earth is the victim of a devastating attack by alien beings. Faced with extermination mankind forgets it's petty quarrels and unites to battle the other world invaders. As in the War of the Worlds, conventional weapons are useless and even nuclear bombs have no effect. Finally a "virus" helps ensure a successful outcome (as opposed to bacteria). The acting in this movie is nothing great. Character development is just so-so and stone faced Bill Pullman is a bad choice for an inspiring leader. What really makes things happen are the dazzling special effects and David Arnold's sweeping score. Roland Emmerich's fast paced directorial skill keeps the story moving in spite of the B grade acting. However Randy Quade's portrayal of a chronic alcoholic is outstanding. This seems to be a favorite role of his, to the point that he's being type cast. All in all this movie is entertaining, enjoyable, and even patriotic. I highly recommend it.