I Enjoyed It First Time But It Doesn't Hold Up To Repeated Viewing

Rating: 7/10 (29 July 2005)

When ID4 was released I certainly didn't think it was a movie I'd be going out of my way to see due to its reputation as being overly jingoistic along with being a shallow story with no substance so I waited to catch it on network TV and when I did I was fairly blown away by its quality . The first half of the movie is nail biting as whole cities across the globe are vapourised by the invaders who can't be stopped and it's not often we get a blockbuster that starts off in such a pessimistic manner . As for the " American nationalism " that some people hated it for I suggest you avoid watching every American war movie that doesn't have Sam Fuller in the credits . Here is a movie that only celebrates the Utopian dream of multi racialism in America ( Unfortunately that's all it is in reality - a dream ) but also the international community where Arabs , Israelis and the RAF can all join together to take on the alien menace
While the multi ethnic / international idealism holds up to repeated viewing I'm afraid other aspects do not . I saw ID4 again tonight about five years after I first saw it and I'm sorry to say that it was nowhere as good as I remembered it . Yes the first half is rather bleak and pessimistic and what could been a very serious , intelligent movie that mixes downbeat drama with commercial appeal starts to shoot itself in the foot in the second half . I've no idea how I noticed this on first viewing but the dialogue is rather bad while the plotting is ridiculous . The president of the United States leads the remnants of the USAF into battle ! You might be shocked to know that allegedly Bill Clinton thought President Whitmore was based on him ! so goodness knows what Dubya thought about Bill Pulman's performance . I guess the major problem is that by making the aliens so invincible the screenwriters have painted themselves into a corner to how humanity can overcome the invaders , I mean when Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum entered the mother ship I was expecting the Colonel from MONTY PYTHON to jump out and say " Stop this at once this film is getting far too silly "
There is another slight problem that wouldn't appear apparent in 1996 but is noticeable in 2005 and that is the breath taking advance of special effects . Nowadays it's nearly impossible to watch a film and decide what is a special effect and what is real . I'm afraid that in many action sequences like the F-16s attacking the alien ship you are aware that blue screen projection and CGI explosions are being used , it's not bad enough to condemn the film of course and at the time these sequences must have seemed awesome but the FX haven't stood the test of time very well
Okay I'm in a charitable mood and I'm giving this movie 7/10 . It's a film of two halves with the doom laden first half easily beating the second in terms of tension and drama . It's a great pity the producers couldn't keep up the momentum