On July 2nd, communications systems worldwide are sent into chaos by a strange atmospheric interference. It is soon learned by the military that a number of enormous objects are on a collision course with Earth. At first thought to be meteors, they are later revealed to be gigantic spacecraft, piloted by a mysterious alien species. After attempts to communicate with the aliens go nowhere, David Levinson, an ex-scientist turned cable technician, discovers that the aliens are going to attack major points around the globe in less than a day. On July 3rd, the aliens all but obliterate New York, Los Angeles, and Washington. The survivors set out in convoys towards Area 51, a strange government testing ground where it is rumored the military has a captured alien spacecraft of their own. The survivors devise a plan to fight back against the enslaving aliens, and July 4th becomes the day humanity will fight for its freedom. July 4th is their Independence Day...
Written by Gustaf Molin <gumo@hem2.passagen.se>
The line "Elvis has left the building!", which Will Smith yells toward the end of the movie, is translated "Last train to Mikkeli has just left!" on the Finnish DVD. Mikkeli is a town in Finland.
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Goofs
Incorrectly regarded as goofs:
When Russell Casse is flying a fighter plane as "Eagle 20", he launches his number two missile or "Fox Two" missile and then attempts to launch "Fox Two" for a second time. "Fox Two" refers to a type of missile (short-range, infrared-guided (heat-seeking) missile - "Fox One", for example, is a passive-radar-guided missile) not to a specific missile on an airplane.
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Quotes
[first lines]
SETI Chief:
[answering telephone]
If this isn't an insanely beautiful woman, I'm hangin' up. SETI technician:
Sir, I - I- I think you should listen to this. See more »
Crazy Credits
"Animal action was monitored by the American Humane Association.
No animals or aliens were harmed in the making of this film."
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"Stand By"
Written by Sophie Edkvist & Lars Halapi Performed by Sophie Zelmani Courtesy of Columbia Records by arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
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