Independence Day (1996) lands on Netflix — still the ultimate alien invasion film

Roland Emmerich’s 1996 alien invasion movie Independence Day arrives on Netflix today, and a Polygon piece argues that, 30 years on, it remains the ultimate alien-invasion film. The article contends no subsequent invasion movie has matched Independence Day’s sense of scale and excitement, comparing it to Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, Cloverfield, Signs, Arrival, and the Quiet Place films while noting how each is limited in scope by comparison.

One reason cited is the film’s structure: Independence Day splits the story among five disparate citizens in different locations, allowing it to cover the catastrophe from many angles and deliver a range of spectacle and emotional beats. The piece highlights the cast choices and their roles: Will Smith’s Marine Captain Steven Hiller provides the military, pilot-led dogfights; Jeff Goldblum’s David Levinson supplies the scientific perspective and the alien-signal countdown; Bill Pullman’s President James Whitmore gives a national-leader viewpoint and an inspirational speech; Vivica A.

Fox and her son Dylan (Ross Bagley) portray a parent protecting a child in Los Angeles; and Randy Quaid’s Russell Casse offers a rural, everyman hero who answers the call. The article also acknowledges flaws: Emmerich’s emphasis on spectacle over story, relatively shallow characters due to the multiple perspectives, and the now-dated "computer virus" fix.

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