Product Details

• Actors: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch
• Directors: Roland Emmerich
• Writers: Roland Emmerich, Dean Devlin
• Producers: Roland Emmerich, Dean Devlin, Peter Winther, Ute Emmerich, William Fay
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, Special Edition, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: November 22, 1996
• Run Time: 145 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (771 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304233639
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,022 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In Independence Day, a scientist played by Jeff Goldblum once actually had a fistfight with a man (Bill Pullman) who is now president of the United States. That same president, late in the film, personally flies a jet fighter to deliver a payload of missiles against an attack by extraterrestrials. Independence Day is the kind of movie so giddy with its own outrageousness that one doesn't even blink at such howlers in the plot. Directed by Roland Emmerich, Independence Day is a pastiche of conventions from flying-saucer movies from the 1940s and 1950s, replete with icky monsters and bizarre coincidences that create convenient shortcuts in the story. (Such as the way the girlfriend of one of the film's heroes--played by Will Smith--just happens to run across the president's injured wife, who are then both rescued by Smith's character who somehow runs across them in alien-ravaged Los Angeles County.) The movie is just sheer fun, aided by a cast that knows how to balance the retro requirements of the genre with a more contemporary feel. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

One of the biggest box office hits of all time delivers the ultimate encounter when mysterious and powerful aliens launch an all-out invasion against the human race. The spectacle begins when massive spaceships appear in Earth's skies. But wonder turns to terror as the ships blast destructive beams of fire down on cities all over the planet. Now the world's only hope lies with a determinded band of survivors, uniting for one last strike against the invaders - before it's the end of all mankind.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

165 of 195 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good transfer, but still disappointing, March 23, 2009

By 

C. McCarville-Schueths (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Independence Day [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I have to say that I'm a big fan of this film, and I already own the DVD. Most of those wanting to buy this film on Bluray are those who have already seen it and liked it, so I won't comment on the movie content itself, but rather the technical and supplemental aspects of this release.

I borrowed a friend's copy of the BD version of ID4 just a few weeks ago, as I was contemplating whether to add this to my small but growing blu-ray collection. The picture and audio are superb, and watching this on my new LCD at 1080p with the lossless DTS-MA audio track really transported me back to the July of '96, when I watched this on the big screen. This movie has certainly aged well these thirteen years, and the special effects are still terrific even today. While watching, I was pretty much set on adding this to my collection.

That is, until after I finished watching the movie and wanted to see the extras in HD.

The DVD version I have contains two discs and a lot of extras, including an alternate ending, making-of feature, trailers, and cast/crew interviews. Sadly, in this BD release there are none, not even in standard definition. The only "extra" is a commentary track, which, as an another reviewer already pointed out, is laughably outdated. At $25, I would expect more than just a movie and nothing else.

The Dark Knight BD had two discs plus a digital copy for the same price- that was justifiable, even in this economy. This... isn't.

FOX is notorious for double-dipping their DVD and Blu-ray releases. I would imagine that a two-disc or dual-layered "special edition" version will come out over the next year or so.

Needless to say, this BD release is quite a disappointment.

53 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding DVD Package!, July 3, 2000

By 

Star Sailor "Worldwide Traveler" (Whidbey Island, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Independence Day (Five Star Collection) (DVD)

Studios are finally getting the whole DVD thing! This is a truly worth-your-money deal with lots of extras including two versions of the film; the first version is the original theatrical release and the second version is a directors cut featuring about 9 minutes of added footage not released in theatres. What's really great about this is they list what new scenes have been included and some of them are really funny and some of them make the story a lot more heartfelt. Also included is a second disc that includes a really cool mockumentary called "The ID4 Invasion" which is truly a priceless gem in this great collection. Also, there is commentary, lots of interviews with cast and crew, a special effects documentary on the making of the film and the original biplane ending which unfortunately looks really hokey and what I felt after watching it was-THANK GOD THEY DIDN'T GO WITH THAT ENDING-THAT ENDING WOULD'VE MADE THIS MOVIE A "REAL" DISASTER! For a product like this under $30 it is totally worth your money. For those who appreciated this movie as a special effects funfest, this DVD is not one to be passed up. For those of you boring types who felt this movie needed a "serious acting edge" buy Out of Africa and leave science fiction alone! Cheers!

35 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A movie that ENTERTAINS from start to finish!, April 25, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Independence Day (Limited Edition) (DVD)

I am not one who usually writes online reviews, but after reading several that have trashed this movie for being something more that what it is, I feel compelled to defend this entertaining and funny work.
I will be the first to admit that although there are several unrealistic, gaping plot holes and the dialogue is corny at times, anyone who looked for REALITY in this film is taking themselves too seriously. The very nature of the story's premise would suggest to anyone who has an IQ above that of an amoeba that this film is FICTION. I saw this film in 1996 in the theater, and have watched it several times at home on my 27 inch screen. Regardless of the setting, it is still fun to watch because (take note you 2004 social activists)...IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY! Yes, you too can enjoy the comedy, cheesy banter, and bombastic explosions this 2-hour film has to offer if you check your critical ego with the "power" button of your surround-sound home theater system. Anyone who would even TRY to somehow draw a parallel between this film (which, I repeat, was made in 1996!) and events happening in the world in 2004 need to relax. There was a reason why "Independence Day" broke box-office records when it came out, and it was because we were looking to be entertained for a few hours; we were NOT looking for a documentary on realistic intergalactic relations. So although I would normally rate this movie with 3 or 4 stars, I am going to give it 5 because for the first time I now realize how entertaining (and totally unrealistic) this movie really is. Wasn't that the purpose?