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Independence Day Wiki
354
pages
Explore
Main Page
Discuss
All Pages
Community
Interactive Maps
Recent Blog Posts
Independence Day
Characters
Steven Hiller
David Levinson
Thomas J. Whitmore
Julius Levinson
Constance Spano
Russell Casse
William Grey
More...
Locations
Houston
Area 51
Washington D.C.
Los Angeles
More...
Cast
Will Smith
Jeff Goldblum
More...
Independence Day: Resurgence
Characters
Dylan Hiller
Jake Morrison
Patricia Whitmore
Charles Miller
David Levinson
Thomas J. Whitmore
Julius Levinson
More...
Locations
Moon
Area 51
National Republic of Umbutu
London
More...
Cast
Other Media
Books
Independence Day: Silent Zone
Independence Day: War in the Desert
Independence Day (novel)
Independence Day: The Official Collector's Magazine
Independence Day: Crucible
The Art and Making of Independence Day: Resurgence
Independence Day: Resurgence (novel)
Soundtracks
Independence Day
Independence Day: Resurgence
Games
Independence Day (video game)
ID4 Online
Independence Day: Resurgence - Battle Heroes
Independence Day: Extinction
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=== Critical response === ''Independence Day'' is ranked as "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with a 63% positive rating, with 33 out of 54 critics giving it positive reviews.<ref>[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1071806-independence_day/ "Independence Day (1996) Also known as: "ID4"."] ''Rotten Tomatoes''. Retrieved on October 16, 2007.</ref> It has a metascore of 59 (based on 18 reviews) on Metacritic.<ref name="meta">[http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/independenceday?q=Independence%20Day "Independence Day."] ''Metacritic''.</ref> Critics acknowledged the film had "cardboard" and "stereotypical" characters. The shot of the White House's destruction has been declared a milestone in visual effects and one of the most memorable scenes of the 1990s.<ref>[http://www.filmsite.org/visualeffects16.html Visual and Special Effects Film Milestones.] ''filmsite.org''. Retrieved on July 8, 2008.</ref><ref name="fs3">[http://www.filmsite.org/90sintro3.html Film History of the 1990s] ''filmsite.org''. Retrieved on July 8, 2008.</ref> The nationalistic overtones of the film were widely criticized by foreign reviewers. ''Movie Review UK'' described the film as "A mish-mash of elements from a wide variety of alien invasion movies and gung-ho American jingoism."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080918062457/http://www.film.u-net.com/Movies/Reviews/Independence_Day.html "Independence Day (1996)"]. Movie Reviews UK.</ref> The speech in which Whitmore states that victory in the coming war would see the entire world henceforth describe July 4 as its independence day, was described in a BBC review as "the most jaw-droppingly pompous soliloquy ever delivered in a mainstream Hollywood movie."<ref>Smith, Neil (December 18, 2000). [http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/12/18/independence_day_1996_review.shtml "Independence Day (1996)"]. BBC.</ref> In 2003, readers of ''Empire'', voted the scene that contained the speech as the "Cheesiest Movie Moment of All-Time".<ref name="fs">[http://www.filmsite.org/worstquotes.html Top 10 Worst Quotes or Lines From the Movies] ''filmsite.org''.</ref> Conversely, ''Empire'' critic Kim Newman gave the film a five-star rating in the magazine's original review of the film.<ref name="meta" /> Several prominent critics expressed disappointment with the quality of ''Independence Day's'' much-hyped special effects. David Ansen of ''Newsweek'' claimed the special effects were of no better caliber than those seen nineteen years earlier in ''Star Wars''.<ref>David Ansen (July 8, 1996). [https://web.archive.org/web/20080522202447/http://www.msnbc.com/m/nw/a/m/mv_i.asp#Independence "Independence Day"]. ''Newsweek''.</ref> Todd McCarthy of ''Variety'' felt the production's budget-conscious approach resulted in "cheesy" shots that lacked in quality relative to the effects present in films directed by James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.<ref>Todd McCarthy (July 1, 1996). [https://web.archive.org/web/20081020065907/http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117905388.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 "Independence Day Review"]. ''Variety''.</ref> Roger Ebert cited a lack of imagination in the spaceship and creature designs as one of the reasons for his marginally negative review,<ref name="ebert">Roger Ebert (July 2, 1996). "Independence Day". ''Chicago Sun-Times''</ref> and Gene Siskel expressed the same sentiments in their on-air review of the movie.<ref>''Ebert & Roeper''. ''atthemovies.tv''.</ref> Despite this, the movie won the Academy Award for Visual Effects,<ref name="awards">[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116629/awards "Awards for Independence Day."] ''IMDb''. Retrieved on September 29, 2007.</ref> beating ''Twister'' and ''Dragonheart''. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound but lost to ''The English Patient''.<ref>[http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/SessionTimeout.jsp;jsessionid=8673D2F21BBA78D6B5F285F9A1A10839.squash "Academy Awards Database."] ''awardsdatabase.oscars.org''. Retrieved on July 8, 2008.</ref> Composer David Arnold won a Grammy Award for his work on the film. The movie also won an Amanda Award for Best Foreign Feature Film.<ref name="awards" /> Viewers voted for ''Independence Day'' to receive an MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss,<ref>[http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/1997/ "1997 MTV Movie Awards."] ''mtv.com''. Retrieved on July 8, 2008.</ref> a People's Choice Award for Favorite Dramatic Motion Picture,<ref>[http://www.pcavote.com/pca/history.jsp?year=1997 ''People's Choice Awards Past Winners''.] People's Choice. Retrieved on July 8, 2008.</ref> and a Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie. It received Saturn Awards for Saturn Award for Best Director, Best Science Fiction Film, and Best Special Effects.<ref>[http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html ''Past Saturn Awards''.] ''saturnawards.org''. Retrieved on July 8, 2008.</ref> The film was awarded Best Film Editing and Best Visual Effects at the inaugural Golden Satellite Award ceremony. The film received a Golden Raspberry nomination in 1996 for Worst Written Film Grossing Over $100 million but lost to Twister.<ref name="awards" />
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