A laid back Independence Day

Rating: 6/10 (18 September 2002)

There were SIGNS that this was going to be good. Shyamalan's last few films (especially Unbreakable) were SIGNS that this would be good. Another SIGN that it would be good was the very creepy trailer. I began to notice some SIGNS that I might like to see it, like when I said to my friends, do you want to see this film? A SIGN that I was actually going to see it was when I was buying my ticket in the cinema lobby.
After it started, I began to notice some SIGNS that it wasn't that good. The first half of the movie is pretty slow. Then the aliens start to appear (first rule of filmmaking, don't show the alien!!!!), which was a SIGN that it was pretty bad. The ridiculous denoument was another SIGN of a not very well thought out film. Perhaps I'm seeing too many SIGNS, but that appears to be common with respect to this movie.
I do have to say that everyone acted well (the kids were terrific, and I don't think that often), the direction was slick (but possibly a little too laid back), but it was all let down by a very poor story. And the foundation of a good movie is a story.