Independence Day (1996)
On the eve of Independence Day, a group of aliens attack the Earth.
Genre
Characters/Groups
Capt. Steven Hiller - Will Smith
President Thomas J. Whitmore - Bill Pullman
David Levinson - Jeff Goldblum
Marilyn Whitmore - Mary McDonnell
General William Grey - Robert Loggia
Constance Spano - Margaret Colin
Albert Nimziki - James Rebhorn
Marty Gilbert - Harvey Fierstein
Dr. Brakish Okun - Brent Spiner
Jasmine Dubrow - Vivica A. Fox
Patricia Whitmore - Mae Whitman
Captain Watson - Bill Smitrovich
Capt. Jimmy Wilder - Harry Connick, Jr.
Techy/Med Asst 1 - Leland Orser
Aides - Mirron E. Willis and Ross Lacy
Whitmore's Aide - David Pressman
Tech/Med Asst - Vivian Palermo
Commander/Tech - Raphael Sbarge
Commanding Officers - Bobby Hosea and Dan Lauria
Radar Techs - Steve Giannelli and Eric Paskel
Radar Operator - Carlos LaCamara
Secret Servicemen - John Bennett Perry and Troy Willis
Area 51 Technician - Wayne Wilderson
SETI Tech Three - Jana Marie Hupp
Lt. Peterson - Capt. Michael "Chewy" Vacca
Secret Service Agent - David Chanel
Sky Crane Pilot - Derek Webster
Pilots - Mark Fite and Eric Neal Newman
Russian Pilots - Levani and Kristof Konrad
Tank Commander - Kevin Sifuentes
Mechanics - Randy Oglesby and Jack Moore
Street Preacher - Barry Del Sherman
Secret Service Guy - Lyman Ward
Reporters - Joe Fowler, Andrew Warne and Sharon Tay
Russian Reporter - Peter Jozef Lucas
Russian Newscaster - Yelena Danova
Korean Newscaster - Derek Kim
Newscaster - Vanessa J. Wells
German Video Newscaster - Jessika Cardinahl
Video Newscasters - Gary W. Cruz, Ron Pitts, Wendy L. Walsh, Christine Devine, and Mark Thompson
Rex Black/NY Newscaster - Ernie Anastos
Atlantic Air CINC - Kevin Cooney
Japanese Tech - Nelson Mashita
Housewife - Kimberly Beck
Themselves - Fred Barnes, Eleanor Clift, Jerry Dunphy, Jack Germond, Morton Kondracke, John McLaughlin, Barry Nolan and George Putnam
Northridge Field Reporter - Eric Michael Zee
Intellectual on Roof - Malcolm Danare
Trucker on Roof - Arthur Brooks
Master C.P.O. - James J. Joyce
Kim Peters (Reporter) - Joyce Cohen
Entertainment Tonight Reporter - Julie Moran
Flagstaff News Anchor - Robin Groth
LAPD Helicopter Pilot - Richard Pachorek
Tech/Med Asst 3 - Tracey Walter
Character thumbnails with links to profiles
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Detailed Synopsis
July 2nd, at S.E.T.I. in New Mexico, SETI Tech One is on duty when an alarm starts to go off. He calls SETI Chief and puts the phone next to the computer speakers. SETI Tech Two tells SETI Chief that no air traffic is in the area. SETI Chief tells SETI Tech Three to get in touch with Space Command to let them know and SETI Tech Three tells SETI Chief the signal is coming from the moon. General William Grey asks a Commanding Officer who else knows about the space signal. Commanding Officer tells General Grey that only S.E.T.I. knows about it and the space mass has a mass roughly 1/4th the size of the moon. Second Officer tells General Grey that it is not a meteor as it is slowing down. General Grey then calls Albert Nimziki. Marilyn Whitmore calls President Thomas J. Whitmore and after confirming that Marilyn will return after lunch, he hands the phone off to Patricia Whitmore. John McLaughlin is on the television discussing the approval ratings of President Whitmore with Morton Kondracke and Eleanor Clift. President Whitmore hands the sports section to one of the Secret Servicemen and says hello to Constance Spano. Constance tells President Whitmore that he is being criticized due to his youthfulness and for compromising. Whitmore's Aide tells President Whitmore that Nimziki is calling. In Brooklyn, David Levinson is playing chess with Julius Levinson. Julius tells David, he should move on from his divorce. Co-Worker 2, Co-Worker 3 and Co-Worker 4 are taking calls from angry cable customers when David arrives and Marty Gilbert runs up to David and tells him that all the stations have suddenly started having disturbances. David reads what is happening with all the signals and doesn't believe it is possible. In Imperial Valley, California, Troy tells Miguel the television signal has gone bad. Lucas drives up to their trailer in his truck and shows Miguel and Alicia a handful of wilted crops and threatens to fire Russell Casse if he doesn't crop dust his field within 20 minutes. Miguel rides his motorcycle and waves at Russell who is flying his plane above a field and then crop dusts it. Russell lands the plane and Miguel tells him, Lucas' field is on the other side of town as Farmer Kid and his family watch and stare at Russell take a drink of liquor. The Aides tell Constance that the news is running a story that the administration is covering up a nuclear testing experiment and NASA wants to know their position on the phenomenon. The Chief of Staff, General Grey, Nimziki and President Whitmore argue on what to do next. Nimziki tells Atlantic Air CINC to upgrade to DEFCON 3. Another Commanding Officer walks in and tells the group that the object has split into multiple smaller objects and will be entering their atmosphere soon. David tells Marty that he found a weird signal embedded in the satellite feed and he should be able to block it. In the Northern Desert of Iraq, a group of Bedouin run up a hill as a large glowing object enters the atmosphere. On the USS Georgia, Lieutenant is told by Sailor that they are suffering from radar black out, but the infrared shows a large object coming their way. Lieutenant then calls Atlantic Air CINC. Commanding Officer is told by Second Officer that an object has been spotted over Iraq , which Commanding Officer repeats to Atlantic Air CINC. General Grey tells President Whitmore about another object heading towards California. George Putnam gives a report on events taking place in Russia, which is then explained locally by Russian Reporter who describes the hysteria in the area as a large object appears out of the sky. Russian Newscaster continues that the object is headed towards Moscow. General Grey tells President Whitmore that they have an AWACS off the Pacific Coast as Lincoln is on the phone. Radar Techs tell Pilots that side radar is picking up nothing. The Pilots relay this information, but their AWACS explodes when it makes contact with the suddenly appearing large object. Military Aide says they lost the signal and Atlantic Air CINC tells everyone two more objects have been spotted heading towards New York City and Washington, D.C. The Master C.P.O. is talking on the phone as Nimziki tells Whitmore's Aide to organize a military escort, but President Whitmore decides he is staying. President Whitmore tells Constance to have the National Broadcast system advise people not to panic. A Video Newscaster reports on the object entering Russia as Co-Worker 2 asks David if he has been watching what is going on. David tells Marty that the signal is going to be over in seven hours. Marty ignores him and motions towards the television and Co-Worker 3 tells Marty that Jamie told him the building had a bomb shelter and Marty tells everyone to head to the basement. In California, two Mechanics walk into a cafe and one of them starts harassing Russell about his supposed alien abduction. The cafe starts to shake and an alien spaceship appears out of the sky. In Los Angeles, Dylan runs into Capt. Steven Hiller and Jasmine Dubrow's bedroom and wakes them up. A spaceship hovers over Washington, D.C., while another one hovers over New York City. Co-Worker 5 asks David if he is going to the bomb shelter, but David continues onto the roof. David then realizes what the signal means. President Whitmore, Constance and Aide and Secret Service Guy go outside and watch as the spaceship hovers overhead. Boomer brings Hiller his shoes. He turns on the television where a news report is reporting on the spaceships. Hiller goes outside to get the newspaper and sees the spaceship. Jerry Dunphy reports that more spaceships have arrived over India, England and Germany. David tells Marty to tell his mother to leave town and that the signal is a countdown. President Whitmore gives a news conference flanked by a Secret Service Agent and an Aide hands Constance a phone and says David is on the other end. David tells Constance about the signal and that the aliens are going to attack, but she hangs up on him. Hiller packs and heads back to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, and invites Jasmine to come stay with him on the base. As David rides his bicycle to Julius' apartment, he passes by a large crowd of panicking people and a Thief. He goes to the apartment and asks Julius to drive him to Washington, D.C. President Whitmore calls Marilyn, who is surrounded by Secret Service agents, and asks her to leave Los Angeles as soon as possible. A Secret Serviceman knocks at the door to let President Whitmore it is time for his briefing. The news shows Russell being arrested for placing leaflets everywhere and the Mechanics are interviewed and tell the reporter that Russell was abducted by aliens and abused sexually. Miguel tells Troy to pack his things and finds Older Boy trying to convince Alicia to have sex with him. As Miguel is driving their RV away, Russell is dropped off after being released from prison. A Video Newscaster tells the audience in Los Angeles that they are advised not to shoot at the alien spaceships. Hiller arrives at base and sees a letter from NASA and asks Capt. Jimmy Wilder to open and read it, which turns out to be a rejection letter. An engagement ring falls out of Hiller's locker and Wilder tells Hiller, he will never get accepted into NASA if he marries a stripper. The news does a report of a group of people on a high rise in downtown Los Angeles, who are holding signs waiting for the Aliens, including Elvis Fanatic who hopes the aliens bring Elvis back. Entertainment Tonight Reporter also gives a report on the party like atmosphere in Hollywood. Tiffany comments how cool the aliens coming to Earth is to Jasmine and then shows Jasmine the welcome to Earth poster she made. Jasmine makes Tiffany promise she won't go to see the spaceships. As Jasmine is leaving, Mario walks into the changing room and tells Jasmine if she leaves, she is fired, and she walks away. David uses a computer to track Constance's phone number and then her location in the White House. John McLaughlin asks his panel if President Whitmore's actions are brave or foolish. A group of Reporters including Monica Soloway gives a report on the Skylift helicopter which has been retrofitted to try and communicate with the spaceships. Sky Crane Pilot lifts off and heads towards the spaceship as David and Julius enter the White House to meet with Constance. David explains to President Whitmore that the aliens are using the Earth's satellites to coordinate an attack which is about to start. Whitmore's Aide tells President Whitmore that Sky Crane Pilot is about to try and communicate with the spaceship. Sky Crane Pilot initiates contact and President Whitmore tells General Grey to initiate an evacuation from the cities and to cancel Sky Crane Pilots mission. The spaceship opens up and Sky Crane Pilot's helicopter is shot out of the sky by a blue energy beam. President Whitmore has the White House evacuated and David and Julius join them. A Secret Serviceman tells Marilyn that they have been ordered to evacuate. Frederic W. Barnes tells viewers that the aliens responded by attacking. LAPD Helicopter Pilot tells the people on the roof of a building including, Tiffany, Woman on Roof, Intellectual on Roof and Trucker on Roof to disperse. The spaceships start to open and then simultaneously fire upon the various cities they are hovering over, causing the death of millions of people, including those on the rooftop in Los Angeles, Whitmore's Aide, and Marty, who didn't escape in time. Jasmine, who is in a highway tunnel, grabs Dylan and they and Boomer barely escape being burned to death by the explosion.
July 3rd, Russell listens to the radio as a news broadcast tells the audience that Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and New York City have been destroyed. President Whitmore tells Constance he regrets not evacuating the cities sooner. Captain Watson briefs his pilots on their planned counter-attack on the alien spaceships. Commander/Tech hands the phone to General Grey and informs him NORAD is on the line. Hiller and the rest of the Black Knights squadron head towards the spaceship hovering over Los Angeles, while simultaneously being monitored by President Whitmore. Technician tells General Grey that the squadron is ready to attack, while Commander/Tech tells him that the New York squadron is also ready to attack. The Black Knights attack, but find out the spaceships have shields and are then attacked by smaller spaceships that also have shields and one of the Pilots is killed when his jet rams into the spaceship. President Whitmore orders the squadrons to retreat and the mission is aborted. The Black Knights are systematically picked off one by one, including Wilder. Radar Operator informs Watson that they have incoming enemy craft and El Toro is attacked. Hiller ejects from his jet when it runs out of fuel and also causes the alien spacecraft to crash. He walks over to the spacecraft and punches the Harvester pilot unconscious after welcoming it to Earth. While walking through the rubble of Los Angeles with Dylan and Boomer, Jasmine finds a working truck. Troy's health starts to deteriorate and Miguel tells Russell that the other people in the RV camp are leaving. Philip stops by their RV and offers Alicia some penicillin for Troy. Constance thanks Julius and he tells her that both she and David still love each other. Commander/Tech tells General Grey that NORAD has been destroyed. David overhears Nimziki trying to convince President Whitmore to use nuclear weapons and starts arguing with them. Julius argues that they knew about the Harvesters from Roswell and Nimziki reveals that Roswell actually happened. As Jasmine drives the truck she picks up other survivors including Teddy. They pass Street Preacher who declares that the world is ending. They find a crashed helicopter and Jasmine and Teddy find a Secret Serviceman dead and Marilyn severely injured. As Hiller is dragging the Harvester in the desert he comes across the RV convoy and is picked up by Russell and the others. Major Mitchell greets President Whitmore as Air Force One lands at Area 51. President Whitmore is introduced to Dr. Brakish Okun and Dr. Isaacs and Dr. Okun brings President Whitmore down to the hangar where they are keeping the downed Roswell craft. Dr. Okun then shows President Whitmore the bodies of the downed Harvesters. The RV convoy drives up to Area 51 with Hiller in the lead and Area 51 Guard and Redneck let them inside after Hiller shows them the Harvester. Dr. Okun shows David the inside of the Roswell craft and Area 51 Technician yells about the Harvester that Hiller brought. As Dr. Okun and Dr. Isaacs are escorting the Harvester into the base, Russell grabs Dr. Isaacs and demands someone help Troy. General Grey tells President Whitmore that every major city on Earth will be destroyed within the next 36 hours. Hiller is introduced to President Whitmore and General Grey tells Hiller that El Toro was completely destroyed. Jasmine drives up to El Toro and finds it destroyed. The Harvester is brought into a lab room and Dr. Okun, Techy/Med Asst 1, Tech/Med Asst, and Tech/Med Asst 3 begin to operate on the Harvester. As they are operating on the Harvester, Tech/Med Asst 3 notices its arm is moving. It breaks loose and attacks and kills everyone in the room, but Dr. Okun. Secret Servicemen and Secret Service Agent, followed by Mitchell, President Whitmore and General Grey walk towards the lab. The Harvester tries to use Dr. Okun to have the lab door opened, but General Grey realizes something is wrong. President Whitmore tries to communicate with the Harvester and it attacks him psychically and Mitchell and the Secret Servicemen and Agent shoot and kill the Harvester. President Whitmore tells General Grey that he saw their plan to destroy the Earth and orders a nuclear strike. Hiller climbs inside a helicopter and Soldier runs up to him and points his gun at him, but then lets Hiller leave. B-2 Pilot radios Technician that he is heading towards the alien spaceship near Houston, Texas, who then tells Commander/Tech. Meanwhile Tank Commander and Ed drive to the outskirts of Houston. B-2 Pilot fires the missile at the alien spaceship, but Tank Commander notifies Technician that the alien spaceship was not damaged. Hiller arrives at El Toro and rescues Jasmine and the others and brings them back to Area 51. Butler escorts President Whitmore and Patricia to Marilyn's hospital room. Dr. Isaacs tells President Whitmore, that they can't do anything for Marilyn and President Whitmore hugs Marilyn one last time before she dies.
July 4th, Julius finds David drunk and throwing things around and admits to David that he stopped praying to God when David's mother died. He asks David to get off the floor so he doesn't catch a cold, which gives David an idea. David wakes up Area 51 Technician and tells him to gather everyone else. David has Mitchell try to shoot a coke can off the alien craft, but the shield deflects the bullet. David then uses his computer to remove the shield and Mitchell is able to shoot the can. David tells everyone about his plan to insert a virus in to the alien mothership which will then allow him to disable their shields. Hiller volunteers to fly the alien craft on the mission with David and President Whitmore agrees to the plan. Nimziki criticizes President Whitmore, and President Whitmore fires him. In the Iraqi desert, Thomson hands Reginald a list of available pilots in the area. Arab Pilot walks up to them and tells them that they are getting a Morse Code signal. Thomson reads the message and tells the others that the United States wants to launch a counter-offensive. In Russia, a pair of Russian Pilots also get the word of the upcoming attack. Word continues to travel and the message is read by Japanese Tech. Kim Peters (Reporter) reports ham radio operators getting word of military forces that are hiding in fear of being destroyed. Mitchell goes out to where the RV convoy is and asks for volunteer pilots. Mitchell and Lt. Peterson give a briefing to the volunteer pilots and General Grey briefs Hiller and David on how to use the nuclear device attached to the alien craft. David and Constance join Hiller and Jasmine during their quick wedding in front of Chaplain. President Whitmore gives a speech about human unity and how afterwards the 4th of July will not just be an American holiday, but one celebrated by the world. He finishes his speech and then gets inside his own jet. Hiller says goodbye to Dylan and David gives a Torah to Julius and says goodbye to Constance and Dr. Isaacs tells them it is time. Hiller hands David a cigar he got from Julius and tells him not to smoke it until their mission is over. Hiller flies the alien craft into space and General Grey tells President Whitmore that the alien spaceship is heading their way. Hiller and David enter the alien mothership and see large amounts of Harvesters preparing for an invasion. David hacks into the mothership's system and uploads the virus. President Whitmore and the others attack the spaceships and the missiles hit their targets. Mitchell and Constance run to get the people from the RV convoy inside the base as it is attacked by alien craft. President Whitmore fires his last missile at the main alien spaceship firing device but misses. Peterson goes to fire his missile, but is blown up by an alien space craft. Russell is the last remaining pilot with a missile and attempts to fire his last missile, but it malfunctions, forcing him to kamikaze into the firing device. The alien spaceship explodes into pieces and everyone celebrates. David and Hiller fires the nuclear missile at the command center of the alien mothership They fly out of the alien mothership just as the nuclear weapon goes off, and the alien mothership explodes. President Whitmore returns to Area 51 with the rest of the survivors and all across the world, people celebrate over the destroyed remnants of the alien fleet. Technician tells General Grey that he has something on radar and a convoy goes out to meet Hiller and David. President Whitmore salutes Hiller and shakes David's hand, and everyone watches as the alien mothership evaporates as pieces of it hit the Earth's atmosphere.