Independence Daysaster

Ffs, when will film makers realise that shaking the camera around in an agitated manner does NOT make a film look any more "real", nor does it make a mockumentary look any less contrived. This pile of nonsense is completely unwatchable, so don't even bother.

Independence Daysaster did have a silly but also intriguing concept and title going for it, so it was definitely worth considering a viewing. As a movie, it is hardly a masterpiece of film-making- far from it- but it doesn't try to be and there is much worse around. For a SyFy original movie, it is neither among the best or worst, there are too many flaws to recommend but it is somewhat tolerable. The acting mostly is reasonably good here, almost everyone seems to be having some sort of fun acting in a way that doesn't try too hard or suggestive of going through the motions. The scenery is nice, simple but not in-someone's-basement sort of quality, the shot of earth from outer space view and what there is of the action is fun and edge-of-your-seat quality. The music was a mixed bag, sometimes rousing, at other times too much of a dirge and the sort of sounds and rhythms that you've heard more than once. While the acting is not bad, Tom Everett Scott was unconvincing as the president, he lacked cragginess and proper authority and seemed bewildered too. Like most SyFy originals, Independence Daysaster is badly hindered by its budget. The special effects look really cheap and are papier-mâché-like in quality, while it was clear from the photography and editing that Independence Daysaster was made in a rush and with not much love. The script isn't too complicated but at the same time comes as too simplistic and never strongly develops the characters, the inspirational speech was really clichéd and not one of those speeches that you want to take inspiration from, Scott's lack of conviction in delivery didn't help either. The story is a case of too much talk and being behind technology and not enough action, there are entertaining moments but not enough and there are too many dull stretches. The predictability levels are also high, and the suspense and genuine-care-for-situation levels low. The characters are not annoying as such and serve a point to the story, but they are never anywhere developed enough to make the audience connect with them. The aliens are under-utilised, not much of a threat judging from how people react to them and they are not in any way relateable. And then there's the science, not as infuriating as other SyFy original movies but far too silly to be believable. All in all, nothing special and not particularly a good movie but it's never really unbearably bad either. 4/10 Bethany Cox

As the USA enjoys another Fourth of July celebration, grumpy aliens stage another "Independence Day" attack. The President of France is dead, but airborne US President Tom Everett Scott (as Sam Garcette) is only shot down. It's an immediate, full-scale invasion and the aliens are "chewing their way out of the ground." This is why their spaceships look screwy. Leading the resistance for Earth is the US President's brother Ryan Merriman (as Pete). He stops his fire truck to pick-up smart blonde Emily Holmes (as Celia Lehman). She works for S.E.T.I. (the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence)...

Hanging around to look hot for the viewers are handsome Presidential son Keenan Tracey (as Andrew) and his sexy blonde girlfriend Eliza Andrea Brooks (as Eliza). There doesn't seem to be much of a story here, although Ms. Holmes' character offers a sketchy version of what may be happening. Characterization is mostly given to the three Garcette men. The ending suggests a sequel is possible. Could be we'll learn more about all of this if and when that happens. Mainly, "Independence Day-Saster" looks like good practice for director W.D. Hogan and a grateful cast. It has that "shaky camera" look.

**** Independence Day-Saster (6/27/13) W.D. Hogan ~ Ryan Merriman, Tom Everett Scott, Keenan Tracey, Emily Holmes

When I stumbled upon the 2013 movie "Independence Daysaster" by random chance here in 2024, I immediately figured that this would be a mockbuster from The Asylum. Sure, I had never heard about the movie, but the title alone was just screaming The Asylum mockbuster.

With "Independence Daysaster" being a movie that I had never heard about, much less watched, of course I opted to sit down and give director W. D. Hogan's 2013 movie a fair chance. Were I harboring any expectations? Nope, none whatsoever.

And imagine my surprise when there was no logo from The Asylum as the movie started. So at least it was off to a good start.

Writers Sydney Roper and Rudy Thauberger put together an enjoyable enough script and storyline. Sure, the storyline was generic and predictable, but it made for a fair enough cheesy sci-fi action flick, although in the lower end of the scale. But I will say that I was actually well-enough entertained by the storyline here, though it is hardly a movie that I will be visiting a second time.

I don't think I was familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list. And believe it or not, but that is actually something I do enjoy when I sit down to watch a movie. And it should be said that the actors and actresses on the cast list in "Independence Daysaster" put on good performances, despite the generic material they had to work with.

The CGI in the movie was a mixed bag of nuts, because some of the CGI scenes were fair, while others were clunky and looked like something from a 1990s computer game.

My rating of "Independence Daysaster" lands on a four out of ten stars.

Just another poor knock off trying to capitalize on another movies' success and failing miserably. Interesting because it looked like they could have done so much better.

First, they should have saved their money and tried to come up with an actual idea of their own. I know that's rare, especially in the entertainment community.

Sad really, it seemed that few of the actors were actually good. Yet the team behind the camera, including the director, the effects people, and the script writers, IN GENERAL were MUCH less capable (there were a few signs of better than worse, but not often).

Its almost like they didn't want to fully committing to the final product. In a few places, and a few people, took this real serious and worked hard to be as good as possible. But in other areas .. IMPORTANT areas ... they seemed to have simply scrimped too much. Or maybe they really are that bad at their jobs?