I remember thinking that Independence Day wasn't all that bad of a movie despite its blatant flag waving sensibilities. In fact, if asked, I would have said it would probably hold up well with age. Boy, was I wrong.

While there are some enjoyable moments -- most containing the droolworthy Harry Connick, Jr. -- the rest is just plain manipulative and wincingly clichéd. I'm cringing just thinking about it. Then again, perhaps I've just OD'ed on the blockbuster action flick genre (the horror!) or maybe Will Smith has been in the public eye too long. Either way, this movie stinks.

Mensa Mensch David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) discovers a hidden countdown code in transmissions between alien ships posed around large urban centers around the world. Luckily for us his ex-wife Constance Spano (Margaret Colin) is a presidential aide and his father, Julius (Judd Hirsch), not only has a car, but he, unlike David, can drive. This allows Julius to accompany David to Washington so he can warn Constance and the president of the impending disaster.

In the meantime, USMC Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith), has to cancel the leave he had planned to spend with his girlfriend Jasmine Dubrow (Vivica A. Fox) and her son Dylan (Ross Bagley), and report to El Toro where they are put on standby. Just in case.

The aliens blow up stuff. Area 51 is found to be not only operating, but also studying a previously crashed alien ship. Volunteers are called in to fight the aliens, Hiller and Levinson plant a virus in the alien mother ship -- we won't even get into the implausibility of that -- some people die, some people live, cigars are smoked, yadda, yadda, yadda, wave some US flags and everyone goes home feeling all warm and fuzzy. Yeah. Whatever.

DROOL FACTOR: Harry Connick, Jr., baby! Okay, so he isn't in the movie for very long, but at least his strutting around in a flight suit didn't make me queasy. Adam Baldwin as the serious Major Mitchell isn't too bad either.

GROSS-OUT FACTOR: Some slimy alien innards, but nothing too bad.

STRONG CHICK FACTOR: You get your choice between the stereotypical stripper with a heart of gold, Vivica A. Fox's Jasmine Dubrow or... well, no. On second thought, I don't really think Margaret Colin's feisty presidential aide Constance Spano can really be considered a strong chick. While Jasmine drives trucks and looks for survivors, Constance just kinda... stands there and acts intelligent.

-- Linda M. Najera

Independence Day is currently available on video.

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