Independence Day/Best scene/Roland Emmerich/Will Smith/Vivica A. Fox/Ross Bagley

On July 2, 1996, an enormous mothership orbits around Earth, deploying assault fortress saucers, each with a fifteen-mile radius, that take positions over Earth's major cities. David Levinson, an MIT-trained satellite technician, decodes a signal embedded within global satellite transmissions, realizing it is the aliens' countdown timer for a coordinated attack. With help from his ex-wife, White House Communications Director Constance Spano, David and his father Julius gain access to the Oval Office and alert President Thomas Whitmore to the threat. Whitmore orders evacuations of New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., but it is too late. The saucers fire destructive beams, causing massive explosions that kill millions. Whitmore, the Levinsons, and a few others narrowly escape aboard Air Force One as the capital is destroyed, along with the other locations over which the city-destroying warships are positioned.

On July 3, counterattacks against the alien invaders begin worldwide, but their warships are shielded by force fields. Each saucer launches a swarm of attack fighters with their own shields as well, which decimate the human fighter squadrons and military bases. Captain Steven Hiller, one of the mission's squadron leaders with the United States Marine Corps based out of El Toro, survives by luring his attacker to the enclosed spaces of the Grand Canyon before ejecting from his plane safely, causing the enemy fighter to crash-land. He subdues the downed alien and flags down a convoy of refugees, hitching a ride with former combat pilot Russell Casse. They transport the unconscious alien to Area 51, where Whitmore's group has landed. Secretary of Defense Albert Nimzicki has revealed that a faction of the government has been involved in a UFO conspiracy since 1947, when one of the invaders' attack fighters crashed in Roswell. Area 51 houses the now-refurbished alien fighter, and three alien corpses recovered from the crash. As scientist Dr. Brackish Okun examines the alien captured by Steven, it regains consciousness and attacks, telepathically invading Okun's mind and killing other personnel. It uses Okun's vocal cords to communicate before launching a psychic attack against Whitmore. After Secret Service agents and military personnel kill the alien, Whitmore reveals what he learned when they were linked: the invaders plan to strip Earth of natural resources. He reluctantly authorizes a nuclear attack against one warship situated above Houston as a trial, but it remains intact. Meanwhile, Steven's fiancée Jasmine Dubrow and her son, having survived the destruction of Los Angeles, rescue other survivors, including the critically injured First Lady, Marilyn. Though they are later found by Steven and taken to Area 51, Marilyn dies shortly after being reunited with her family.

On July 4, David writes a computer virus as a means to deactivate the aliens' shields, and devises a plan to do this by uploading it into the mothership from the refurbished alien fighter, which Steven volunteers to pilot. The U.S. military contacts surviving airborne squadrons around the world through Morse code to organize a united counter-offense against the aliens. With military pilots in short supply, Whitmore enlists the help of volunteers with flight experience, including Russell, to fly the remaining jets at Area 51; and leads an attack on a warship bearing down on the base. Entering the mothership, Steven and David upload the virus and deploy a nuclear missile on board, nullifying the aliens' communications system and reinforcements followed by its obliteration. With the aliens' shields deactivated, Whitmore's squadron is able to combat the enemy fighters, but their ammunition is exhausted before they can destroy the saucer. As it prepares to fire on the base, Russell has one last missile, but is unable to fire due to a launcher malfunction; he sacrifices his own life by crashing his jet with the missile into the saucer's weapon, which destroys the warship completely. Human military forces worldwide are notified of the alien ships' critical point and successfully destroy the others. As humanity is rejoicing in victory, Steven and David return to Area 51 unharmed and reunite with their families.

[robertdubs]

I just love how the kid boldly and fearlessly shoots his toy gun at the space ship.

[joetones]

I think we misjudged his reaction. It wasn’t “oh shit, aliens” it was “great, bout to be the longest day at work EVER”

[WiseAilbhean]

Vivica and Will always have great chemistry together on screen. Even when the characters are at odds.

[TheKoopaClown]

Always loved the haunting sound of the ships floating there

[florinivan]

This would have ended faster if that ship had made a joke about Will's girl.

[JustSomeCanadianGuy]

I actually think this is super realistic.

It’d take me a good 5 minutes to notice something like that in the sky. 🤣

[Sir_Gugharde_Wuglis]

How did he pan around and not see the giant alien ship in his peripheral vision? And he’s a pilot???

[patrickgogan]

Lmao his face is priceless same damn face i laughed at in 96

[MrWildcat]

I love how the camera clarifies the background the second Will looks in that direction.

[therealautisticdj]

Independence Day is such a good film, it build up so perfectly. And the thabk this guy hapf awake and not even takibg notice of the news. Only to eventually believe his kid by what he is seeing right in front of him is a spaceship 😂

[Bunodella]

okay how do you not notice that when you first walk out? like- does anyone in that family have peripheral vision? like the thought should cross your mind like- "hey there's darkness where blue should be"

[onedeadcat]

KEEP. MY CITY. OUT OF YOUR F'N. SPACESHIP.

[cornettotrilogyshaunfuzzwo]

Masculine Macho Main character
Strong, cool and fun
Manly and funny
Swarve and also a great step father
We NEED these guys in movies again

[jjvega]

This movie was amazing the acting was top freaking notch Vivica fox’s Vlad interview brought me back me🤷🏾‍♂️

[FurryAzzre]

This scene, THIS VERY SCENE. 0:50 Is the reason why I love science fiction.

They don’t make them like they use to.

[DOSRetroGamer]

yes it's my favorite scene too, but in NO way he could have not spotted the UFO far earlier than he did :)

[whatsfunny]

Who’s here bc Garcelle (From the Real) said she was rejected and Vivica Fox got the part?🙋🏽‍♀️🤣

[jansap]

In the original movie, the wife drops the coffee mug on the ground, full of terror.
Why is that scene deleted from the movie?

[DadBooom]

"Babe, you want some of this coffee?" Comes out with the whole fucking pot, no cup. Who tf does that? Terrible direction

[karthu]

Will married Jazz's sister and adopted Nicky.