Independence Day 2025

In 1996, it was a good movie. The 2016 version...not so much...

On 3 July 1996, 20th Century Disney Studios released Robert Emmrich’s Independence Day, a science fiction action blockbuster that boosted the film careers of Will Smith, Jada Pinkett, Bill Pullman and many others. The film did well at the theaters and for critical acclaim and awards, winning an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and a nomination for Best Sound among many others.

As far as films of the genre go, this was one of the more entertaining ones, but plot-wise it was HG Wells’ War of the Worlds gone high tech without acknowledgement…anywhere. That resemblance, unfortunately, made it predictable. Enormous ships arriving suddenly; desperate humans banding together to fight the menace that is ultimately done in by a virus—computer virus, but a virus.

Yep; War of the Worlds.

All it would have taken was a line in the closing credits—”Based on HG Wells’ War of the Worlds,” but no. Another issue I’ve always had with the film is that two classically trained actors only had minor roles: Robert Loggia and Judd Hirsh. OK, actioners are for the younger generation, but the disastrous 2016 sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, was Loggia’s last film, released after his death. Not a fitting sendoff.

Done Ranting.

OK; today’s a day for relaxing in the backyard, for swimming in whatever body of water is closest to you, or for doing not much of anything at all. I’m for the latter.

Happy Birthday, America!