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Independence Day

Independence Day (1996)

tomatometer

61

Average Rating: 6.3/10
Reviews Counted: 56
Fresh: 34 | Rotten: 22

The plot is thin and so is character development, but as a thrilling, spectacle-filled summer movie, Independence Day delivers.

65

Average Rating: 6.5/10
Critic Reviews: 17
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 6

The plot is thin and so is character development, but as a thrilling, spectacle-filled summer movie, Independence Day delivers.

audience

75

liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 887,179

My Rating

Movie Info

A group of intrepid humans attempts to save the Earth from vicious extraterrestrials in this extremely popular science-fiction adventure. Borrowing liberally from War of the Worlds, Aliens, and every sci-fi invasion film inbetween, director Roland Emmerich and producer and co-writer Dean Devlin present a visually slick, fast-paced adventure filled with expensive special effects and large-scale action sequences. The story begins with the approach of a series of massive spaceships, which many on

PG-13, 2 hr. 25 min.

Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich

Jun 27, 2000

20th Century Fox

Independence Day Trailer & Photos

More Trailers and Videos (1)

Cast

Critic Reviews for Independence Day

All Critics (57) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (22) | DVD (40)

Splendidly cheesy entertainment.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: CNN.com | Comments (2)
Carol Buckland
CNN.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It's the first futuristic disaster movie that's as cute as a button. Which, when all the special effects blow over, is what we Americans like in a monster hit.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | Comment
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic IconTop Critic

If I were a 10-year-old boy, I'd probably think it was the coolest movie going.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Newsweek | Comments (3)
David Ansen
Newsweek
Top Critic IconTop Critic

As unavoidably entertaining as it is hopelessly cornball.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Maybe the moviemakers' mission was to boldly go where everyone in Hollywood has gone before: the bank.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comments (2)
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The earnestness, the effects, and the notion of a whole world forgetting its differences to defeat a common foe carry a certain charm.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Spending a scant four weeks on script versus 13 months on physical production, as happened here, does have its drawbacks.

September 8, 2009 Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | Comment
Hollywood.com

Independence Day Restores Order to the Millennium.

September 1, 2009 Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul | Comment
Rob Nelson
City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

Basically, this is almost perfect realization of the movie you eagerly anticipated when, as a kid, you saw some poster or coming attractions trailer for a 1950s-style alien invasion movie ...

July 7, 2008 Full Review Source: ESplatter | Comment
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

Where else but America can a drunken crop-duster become a hero by pulling a Slim Pickens and riding a nuclear payload to its target? What a country!

March 10, 2008 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis | Comment
James Plath
Movie Metropolis

Insanely pompous and brilliantly exhilarating in equal measure.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment
Film4 Source: Film4

No matter how ludicrous and coincidental the plot gets, it never takes itself seriously.

March 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | Comment
Laura Clifford
Reeling Reviews

Forget government conspiracies about aliens -- what about the entertainment media's conspiracy to persuade America that this movie doesn't suck?

August 13, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comments (12)
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

No one who wants to see this movie needs me to recommend it to them, but if anyone wants to know, I say stay home and rent one of those other movies on video.

February 17, 2007 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comments (3)
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

In true summer-movie style, the plot is pretty preposterous ... but that doesn't matter. Independence Day succeeds as mainstream entertainment.

September 1, 2006 Comment
Betsy Bozdech
Reel.com

Everything feels anti-climactic after the fireworks, but the moral is clear: it's the end of the world as we know it. And we feel fine.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment
Time Out Source: Time Out

No brain, no pain, but a heck of a lot of fun.

April 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | Comment
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

The most spectacular and intriguing sci-fi action film since the 'Star Wars' trilogy. (published 7-6-96)

December 28, 2004 Full Review | Comments (2)
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan Source: Kansas City Kansan
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Independence Day

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It works, for all it is worth, though not much can be said of any depth or realism, it is a sci-fi flick with good old sci-fi goodness.

March 26, 2012
Adriel Lim
Adriel Lim

Super Reviewer

"Apocalypse 52: Alien Invasion" is what this movie should be called. Roland Emmerich's best movie, which isn't saying much cause he's done the same movie hundreds of times now, but this time, the world is getting destroyed by aliens. So cheesy, but its pretty entertaining nevertheless.

March 24, 2012
Albert Kim
Albert Kim

Super Reviewer

Independence Day Quotes

View All

    1. David Levinson: We're hit! We took a hit!
    2. Capt. Steven Hiller: We're not hit! We're not hit! Stop side-seat driving!
    – Submitted by Carl L (4 months ago)
    1. President Thomas J. Whitmore: Welcome to Earth!
    – Submitted by Carl L (4 months ago)
    1. Capt. Steven Hiller: Come here you fucking bastard! [kicking dead alien] I'm going to put you on a fucking barbecue!
    – Submitted by Baurushan J (7 months ago)
    1. Capt. Steven Hiller: I have got to get me one of these!
    – Submitted by Alexander Bradley H (9 months ago)
    1. President Thomas J. Whitmore: Today, we celebrate our Independence Day.
    – Submitted by Alexander Bradley H (9 months ago)

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Latest News for Independence Day

April 3, 2012:
Roland Emmerich Is Up for White House Down
He's in talks to helm the action thriller from "Amazing Spider-Man" screenwriter James Vanderbilt.

October 27, 2011:
Fox Plans a Pair of Independence Day Sequels
And it sounds like they'll make them with or without Will Smith.

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Foreign Titles

  • Día de la Independencia (ES)
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