It's pointless to go into the details of the plot, some of the logic and logistics of which are as convoluted as they are incredulous. Suffice it to say, there is the surprisingly young and good-natured President (the usually fine Bill Pullman, here miscast) who is initially criticized for being too nice (read dove-ish). In the end, he saves the day (and the entire planet) by a sudden macho transformation, piloting one of the planes himself. In his crucial turn-around moment when he finally snarls "Let's nuke'em!", the audience cheers, but some viewers may find themselves pondering the film's thinly veiled militaristic subtext.
Jeff Goldblum's David is a role he can by now do perfectly in his sleep -- that of the hip, smart and cynical scientist who has figured out the problem as well as its solution long before anyone else. Will Smith (from TV's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) plays Capt. Steven Hiller, whose brash eagerness to fly recalls Tom Cruise's character in Top Gun. Mind you, the metaphysical implications of this film surpass Top Gun by an exponential factor, yet Mr. Smith's character is written and played with shockingly casual, street hipness. But then, no one in Independence Day behaves as if they are taking part in a profound moment in human evolution. Showing no awe at all, they may as well be fighting in the Gulf War.
Many odd sub-plots abound: the rapprochement between David and his somewhat estranged father (Judd Hirsch, flirting dangerously with Jewish caricature); the plight of the First Lady (Mary McDonnell) and her unlikely meeting up with Capt. Hiller's girlfriend (Vivica Fox); and lastly, poor Russell (Randy Quaid), the half-crazed, alcoholic ex-pilot who claims to have been abducted by these same aliens years before. Also along the way, we are treated to a medical dissection of a captured alien that is effectively scary in an Alien-esque sort of way. To the film's credit, it's all edited with break-neck speed.
But if Director/Co - Writer/Executive Producer Roland Emmerich (Stargate) didn't spend much money on script re-writes, he certainly spent it on art direction and computerized special effects. They are pretty damn dazzling and the resulting action sequences are extremely effective. The initial fire-bombing of the major cities will make your eyes pop out, as will the final fight sequences.
My advice? Go for the ride. It's a blast.
