On July 2nd, communications systems worldwide are sent into chaos by a strange atmospheric interference. It is soon learned by the military that a number of enormous objects are on a collision course with Earth. At first thought to be meteors, they are later revealed to be gigantic spacecraft, piloted by a mysterious alien species. After attempts to communicate with the aliens go nowhere, David Levinson, an ex-scientist turned cable technician, discovers that the aliens are going to attack major points around the globe in less than a day. On July 3rd, the aliens all but obliterate New York, Los Angeles, and Washington. The survivors set out in convoys towards Area 51, a strange government testing ground where it is rumored the military has a captured alien spacecraft of their own. The survivors devise a plan to fight back against the enslaving aliens, and July 4th becomes the day humanity will fight for its freedom. July 4th is their Independence Day.
I know some here hate this film but I've always loved it. It's the best alien movie I've ever seen and in fact was the first sci-fi film I ever loved. The alien and spaceship designs are great and the CGI (for 1996) is fantastic. This is also the film I think of when talking about Will Smith post-Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and becoming the A-list actor that he is today. This is also director Roland Emmerich's masterpiece. He's also directed some enjoyable B-action films, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, STARGATE and THE PATRIOT. I try to watch this every year around this time like other seasonal movies (A CHRISTMAS STORY, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, etc.)
