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Fourth of July weekend is finally here, which means there’ll be plenty of barbecues and fireworks. If you’re a fan of sci-fi films, it’s the perfect time to revisit “Independence Day.”
In case you haven’t seen “Independence Day,” it’s about an alien invasion that takes place right before July 4. That leads to U.S. Marine Captain Steven Hiller, the president of the United States and an unlikely group of characters joining forces to save the world. The cast for this 1996 film includes a handful of stars, such as Will Smith, Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum.
“Independence Day” had a $75 million budget and grossed $817.4 million at the box office. It received critical acclaim, earning an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.
As for film’s Rotten Tomatoes score, 68% of the reviews from critics were positive. The audience liked this film a bit more, giving it a 75% approval rating.
A sequel to “Independence Day” was released in 2016. Pullman and Goldblum reprised their roles, but Smith didn’t return. The film’s director, Roland Emmerich, said Smith was “too expensive”
Smith, however, said he was unable to appear in “Independence Day: Resurgence” due to scheduling conflicts with “Suicide Squad.” Unlike the original film, the legacy sequel received a brutal score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Only 29% of the reviews for “Independence Day: Resurgence” were positive. Even the audience’s score was rough, with only 30% of those reviews approving the film.
Rotten Tomatoes Score for ‘Independence Day’ Turns Heads first appeared on Men’s Journal on Jul 3, 2025