A Nightmare

Rating: 9/10 (20 December 2005)

This film is dead set on proving its point and theme. The theme is simple, that man is evil. To prove this point it has man put into a spot where he or she would only care about themselves and would fight to survive. Sounds like a natural disaster.
And that's what the aliens are in this film, a natural disaster, like a twister or an earthquake. They have no motive for what they are doing. No reason. They are heartless, senseless beings only in the film to cause the mayhem that is needed to show man at his worse. And once man's chips are down it is painfully disturbing what he'll do to get his chips back up, but this is the point of the film.
from the start the film is dedicated to this point, and relentlessly so. When the aliens first attack everyone that does not see them up close and personal suddenly believes that it is terrorists doing the damage. This is a bold statement about just how paranoid the US has become, and it also shows man's natural distrust for his fellow man. Of course this is only a foreshadowing of the things to come.
Also, the film starts off very bright, and as it goes on the picture slowly gets darker and darker. A rather creative way of setting the tone. Also, the stylish pictures of destruction never stopped to amaze or chill me to the bone.
This is a dark thriller that pulls off its job at showing man at his worse, and for doing such a fine job it should be given high marks. The only grip I had was what the aliens looked like when you at last saw them.
I have seen all three versions of this film. The original, Independence Day, and now the new remake. This one gets top marks.