Entertaining

Rating: 8/10 (25 May 2010)

As a popcorn movie you won't find much better than this- the action, the special effects- all of it first-rate, holding out well even thirteen (yes, thirteen!) years on. From the massive city ships and the destruction of major landmarks, to the heroic fightback, it's all slick and polished, even if it is a little cheesy, with so much sentiment for the 4th of July that it makes you cringe (well, if you're not American at least- but the film IS Independence Day after all).
That said, a little bit more focus on the rest of the world would have been nice, to clearly show this was a global struggle, but it's still a fantastic film.