Pure vapid popcorn entertainment.

Rating: Null/10 (2 February 2000)

The one thing ID4 has going for it are the special effects. I must admit, when I first saw the trailers for this in the theaters, we all went "wow". But, when I finally saw it, it was more like "eh." The f/x are done quite well. New York and LA getting blown to smithereens was a nice touch. But there are so many ridiculously acted and cartoonish scenes I don't know where to begin. I think Will Smith as the gung-ho pilot punching the alien is right up there. Also, I was looking forward to the Area 51 scenes, but it was more like a Holiday Inn lobby, complete with a concierge/host with a cheerful "Welcome to Area 51!" In the long run, I think we will look back on this twenty or thirty years from now, like we look back on all those cheesy sci-fi movies made in the fifties, like Earth vs. The Flying Saucers, with snickering derision, but with a certain affection.