Great spin on essential theme; must see & think

Rating: 8/10 (7 June 1999)

First of all, let's dispense with the negatives.
(1) Typical American "we're number 1" drivel, but what's new? Get over it. (2) Some weak main characters. Awfully cartoonish at times. (3) Too much convenience. Will Smith's girlfriend finding him across the destroyed nation, gimme a break. (4) Fill in your own (and, sure, there were plenty from which to choose).
For those who want a summer-time fx popcorn movie, no complaints. It delivered.
For thinkers, the essential theme is overcoming the dark side, as seen in films like Apocalypse Now, the Star Wars story (they shout it in your face throughout the trilogy), or Falling Down (Robert Duvall, Michael Douglas).
The protagonist sees in the antagonist his own dark side. The decision to overcome the dark side usually means some form of destruction of the antagonist by the protagonist, whether in symbol or literal death, to confirm the rejection of temptation to give in to the dark side.
This film symbolizes the alien nature of humans in earth's history. One fellow wrote a review here mentioning the invasion of Mexico in the 16th century; one may also consider what they native North American folks must have felt when the Europeans arrived. Or even how animals feel when they are displaced by "aliens in flying machines destroying their homes to take away the resources" (gee, folks, the crop duster character...).
This movie is telling us to feel about ourselves the way we felt about the alien threat. Shucks, they came in the first place because they had consumed their planet's resources. Doesn't that sound like us?! (deforestation, water and air pollution, are we that oblivious to what's happening?) War has involved pillaging resources for thousands of years, from fighting over share of the hunted herds to fighting over the land to cultivate to fighting for the gold...And, let's not even begin to talk about colonialism and slavery...
Notice also that the crop duster is the one "worthy" to destroy the aliens by sacrifice; he seems to judge himself at the same time, and as it were justifies his killing them by dying with them.
There is a whole lot in this film.
Compare the presidential characterization in this movie versus, say, The Rock.
Or, how about the scene where Will Smith punches out the alien - preposterous, we might say. But, think about it -- if the creature is carbon-based, and if the whole universe came from one big bang start, why can't it be as fragile as earth-bound carbon-based forms? We have this idea that, if we ever met an alien, it must be stronger - why? who's ever authenticated a meeting with one to say?
If you missed all this (and so much more, but there's a limit here!), you may need to watch it again.