Independence Day

The advantages of Blu-ray are immediately apparent watching a blockbuster such as Independence Day (aka ID4), the 1996 Oscar-winning box-office smash that marked the first time superstar Will Smith would dominate the summer movie season. Independence Day requires little introduction, as it's been seen by nearly every moviegoer on planet Earth. For the record, ID4's depiction of an alien invasion that wreaks mass destruction on major American cities and landmarks (most notably the blue death-ray that zaps the Empire State Building and the White House into smithereens) is nicely balanced by an appealing cast (including Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, and Mary McDonnell) and plenty of humor to alleviate the anxieties of the doomsday scenario. The film's jingoistic patriotism and dazzling display of hardware (both alien and military) is still entertaining, even if the juvenile plot (devised by producer Dean Devlin and director Roland Emmerich) is just a mishmash of a dozen other sci-fi flicks. On Blu-ray, ID4 is nothing short of spectacular, boasting astonishing 1080p high-def image clarity and a DTS HD-master lossless audio soundtrack that pushes high-end home theater systems to the max. In addition to a pair of commentaries (one by Emmerich and Devlin; the other by SFX supervisors) carried over from the film's previous DVD releases, bonus features include a pop-up trivia track, as well as an "Alien Scavenger Hunt" game. Recommended. (J. Shannon)[Blu-ray Review—May 17, 2016—Fox, 2 discs, 145 min., PG-13, Blu-ray: $19.99—Making its latest appearance on Blu-ray, 1996’s Independence Day sports an excellent transfer with DTS-HD 7.1 sound. Extras include both the theatrical and extended cuts of the film, audio commentaries (one by director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin; the other by special effects supervisors Volker Engel and Doug Smith), “Monitor Earth Broadcasts” clips (52 min.), “Combat Review” action clips (9 min.), the behind-the-scenes featurettes “A Legacy Surging Forward” (31 min.), “Creating Reality” (30 min.), and “The Making of ID4” (29 min.), as well as an “ID4 Invasion” mockumentary (22 min.), the original theatrical ending (4 min.), a gag reel (2 min.), a trivia track, photo galleries, TV spots, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a visually superb edition of this blockbuster hit.]