ID4: 4 reasons Independence Day is a classic sci-fi film

Independence Day (or ID4) is a classic sci-fi film.

Independence Day, aka ID4, isn’t just one of the best science fiction films ever made but it’s one of the best pure films ever made. Starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and a post-Jurrasic Park Jeff Goldblum, the film focused on the discovery of an alien race that settles over various major cities on Earth.

The ships then attack these cities, seeking to destroy all human life, so they can take the resources of the planet for themselves. This spurs on some of the best combinations of practical effects and special effect imagery ever combined for a film.

It also featured some of the best dialogue writing in cinematic history and a criminally underused Harry Connick Jr.

(Fun Fact: Matthew Perry was originally supposed to play Connick Jr’s role.)

These are four reasons Independence Day is a classic

The speech

Who doesn’t love Bill Pullman’s iconic speech? His delivery was spot on, the writing was fantastic and the tone of it fit right in the story where the heroes were about to mount their counter-attack. The speech brought a real sense of hope to the characters and the movie that was missing and timed it perfectly with the final act. It is movie perfection.

Well written, authentic characters

Every character from Vivica A. Fox’s to Bill Pullman’s was just beyond brilliant. There wasn’t one unlikeable character in the film, besides James Rebhorn’s of course. Plus, Brent Spiner, Adam Baldwin, and Mary McDonnell of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Firefly, and Battlestar Galactica respectively were all in it. When you get representatives from three of the best sci-fi series, you’re doing something right.

Great battle scenes

The battle scenes, which admittedly there’s only a couple of, are some of the best ariel battles in science fiction history. Whether it was Will Smith’s battle with the alien through the desert of Western America or the final battle that took place with that incredible scene of Bill Pullman testing the alien’s shields. They’re a masterclass in emotion and suspense.

Looks better

It just looks better than the sequel. That’s partly due to how they filmed it, and created it, as they used a lot of models and practical effects as opposed to just straight-up CGI, and you can tell It’s a 25-year-old movie and it still looks better than the sequel.