Independence Day

This movie is a guilty pleasure of mine, a summer popcorn roller coaster of a movie done up big and loud. This two-DVD set delivers the extra goods, too, including commentary by the director/producer team, special effects commentary, and numerous video and still items explaining different aspects of the movie.

When all is said and done, however, this is a grim disaster film that, were it not for the adrenalin-pumping excitement and calculated humorous inserts -- as well as excellent performances by the acting team -- would be hugely depressing. The destruction and carnage depicted here are almost mind-numbing. Someone is eventually going to allocate a similar level of technical resources to depicting the horrors of Hiroshima, the firebombing of Dresden or Tokyo, and the results will be anything but fun. No wonder the production team's next movie, Godzilla, featured that big guy tramping around a deserted Manhattan so the carnage could be kept to a dull roar.

No Frills Review copyright (c) 2002 by DDMcD.

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