Picture this… You open to the sound of Neil Armstrong’s voice recording from 1969 on the moon with the view he had from that same piece of rock, with an emphasis on the fact mankind came in peace. Then, suddenly, the ground is quaking and those footsteps that should outlive the human race, the footsteps Armstrong made, are vibrated into nothingness.
Come on! What a great picture, no?! Sound familiar? It’s the opening scene to the epic 1996 blockbuster ‘Independence Day’.
This blog is an argument as to why ‘Independence Day’ is legendary.

Quite simply, I’m going to give you 10 reasons why this film is awesome. I could give you more, but I’ve heard 10 is a popular figure:

1) Bill Pullman is the president we all wish America had. I’m pretty sure even Barack Obama feels that way. He selflessly hops in a plane to defend his country. What a leader! And he’s pretty cool as presidents go… And the way he is with the First Lady. Actually, he’s not far off Barack Obama.

2) Jeff Goldblum’s inflections. He should be in every film. I love the way he talks. He’s a genius in this and he beats the government to working out that the code is a countdown. Come on… We all love an underdog and everyone loves it when a nobody beats the government to it.

3) Will Smith punches an alien. And then says “Welcome to Earth!”

4) The scene where the alien strangles the scientist is one of the scariest scenes ever. All the effects were so ahead of their time, this film was spectacular when it came out. To new eyes, it won’t seem so scary or explode-y, but to those of us who saw it when it was ahead of it’s time… It’s still pretty epic.

5) The whole world groups together… Sure, they all rally behind America, it’s an American feel good film after all, but we unite against a greater evil. Put our differences aside to group together… Isn’t that the dream?

6) Will Smith punches an alien. Then says “Welcome to Earth!… Now that’s what I call a close encounter!”

7) The White House blows up. So beyond awesome. When the countdown reaches 0 and everything gets blown up, it is so… Cool!

8) Love conquers all… Bill Pullman and the First Lady’s goodbye. You’re inhuman if you don’t shed a tear. Jeff Goldblum and his estranged ex-wife… I don’t know from experience, but I’m going to look to another film in my ‘epic’ list… ‘It’s Complicated’. There’s a feeling of unfinished business when you get divorced, and realising it was a mistake when your lives are on the line. Kind of romantic in a perverse way. Will Smith and his stripper girlfriend. He wants to propose even though he’ll sacrifice his possible chances to go into space.

9) Did I mention Will Smith punches an alien? And then says cool things?

10) Goldblum, Pullman and Smith’s on screen chemistry. This film has not one, not two, but three leading men. And each one is just as good as the last. What’s not to love?!

Sure, there are things about this film I’m not so keen on. But I’m not naming it best film ever (that title belongs to Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’), just an epically cool film that puts a big grin on my face every time I watch it.