Deserves its kudos

Rating: 6/10 (7 July 2003)

Independence Day did great at the box office but has suffered a bit of a backlash over time as its inherent flaws and cheesiness are exposed.
Normally I would totally rip into a rah-rah-USA flick like Independence Day. A computer virus being transmitted by a Macintosh to an alien system? The president hopping into a jet fighter to personally join the battle? An alcoholic redneck elevated to hero status? Seeing the final celebration scenes, I wonder if 300 years from now American movies will still portray other nationalities in their basest stereotypes. (ie happy Africans running around with their spears and loinclothes).
Nevertheless, I give ID lots of credit for its initial impact, especially given its most fundamental goal: entertainment. I remember the first time I saw it in a theater in '96, and I fully admit that my friends and I had a blast. The action was great, the characters were likable, and even the humor was cute.
Plus, ID was one of the first to really effectively use the theme of massive disaster. The audience was glued to the screen watching New York and Washington get devastated, overwhelmed by the destruction and loss of life. Looking back and seeing all the copycat films of late, it's actually quite emotionally exploitive, but hey, ID gets credit for being one of the first to do it well.
All in all, I give Independence Day an imdb 6: worth watching at least once.