Could have been so much better

Rating: 6/10 (2 July 2009)

I remember waiting for this movie to come out, and then going to the Drive In (yes I still have one near me) to see it.
The movie started out great. From a purely entertainment, action standpoint, this is a great movie.
Critical comments not withstanding, special effects were great. Acting was OK, although some characters were over the top (Randy Quaid as the burned out, drunken fighter pilot was a little much).
After the initial attack, the whole plot goes to hell.
If I were to guess, I would say that Devlin/Emmerich sat down with a great concept for a movie.
After getting through the initial invasion story, they had no idea how to finish it.
***HERE COME THE SPOILERS*** How did they manage to come up with a virus that could wipe out the invaders again? They just glossed over that one.
Of all the people who studied and worked on this recovered UFO, Will Smith walks in the door and is given the job to fly it? SCENE PLAGERISM: At the end of the movie, Goldblum and Smith walk away from their crashed UFO, out of a haze of smoke, as the wives and such drive out to them. Hello! Anyone see The Right Stuff? Leader of the free world flying a fighter into battle against the alien attack.
Could Judd Hirsch be anymore of a stereotype? If you just want a fun action packed movie, this may be for you.